Broker News

Markerstudy Insurance Services Limited has invested in technology from analytics leader SAS to support its strategy of profitable and sustainable growth. The SAS^® Viya^® platform on Azure, which runs on a modern, scalable architecture and is fully cloud native, will help support Markerstudy Insurance’s risk, underwriting, claims and complaints, as well as advance its data science capability.

Markerstudy Insurance supports more than 1,000 broker partners and in excess of six million policyholders with a wide variety of insurance products. Migrating to the new platform will enable the company to harness the most advanced data science capabilities to help improve underwriting profitability, gross written premium and claims management. In the future the platform can provide opportunities to offer customer insight, optimised pricing, claims automation, fraud detection and investigation and risk management with real-time decisioning available for every business area, as well as enabling scaling on demand with each new acquisition, or organic growth, at short notice.

“This solution enables us to ensure our systems use the latest technology and retain the flexibility to significantly support our workloads, while being confident this will also enhance our day-to-day operations and ensure compliance with industry regulations,” said Simon Hughes, Group Head of Data & Analytics at Markerstudy Group.

“We can now achieve these aims via advanced analytics on a single cloud-native platform, which also gives us the future opportunity to quickly develop new initiatives in areas such as fraud and customer intelligence.”

Roderick Crawford, VP & Country Manager, SAS UK & Ireland, said: “We’re delighted to be helping Markerstudy Insurance Services through the capability and scalability offered by SAS Cloud. Using advanced analytics and AI, our products lead to faster, better decision-making, and ensure models remain fair, accountable, transparent and explainable, so they can be continually optimised and remain compliant with regulations.”

Number of years in the insurance industry?

I have worked in the industry for over four decades, beginning my career at George W Yates, a traditional insurance brokerage,where I progressed to management and responsibility for insurer relations. In the mid-Nineties I joined Secure Trust Group PLC as Sales Manager and Insurer Relations before joining Fresh in 2002 as MD.

What attracted you to join Markerstudy at this point in your career?

I’ve worked closely with Markerstudy for twenty years, and I know they have great people in the group and I understand the vibrancy, culture, ambitions and forward thinking nature of the business.

Some people might wonder why I took this on at the age of 60, but having had some time out I know I’m not ready to stop, I’ve got more to do, and this was just too good an opportunity to miss.

What key experience are you bringing to Markerstudy Group?

I think the key experience is growing businesses whilst supporting staff and managing external relationships.

What are your future plans or most important objective(s) for your new division?

It’s been exciting to be able to build a new team and I think that’s vital for me, to deliver on our plan to create a niche department and also produce a profitable business in line with regulatory compliance.

What makes you tick at work?

I’m a people person and really enjoy working as part of a team with a common goal.

What words of advice given to you most resonate – and do you share this with your team members?

‘If you don’t know, don’t be afraid to ask, no one knows everything.’

What do you enjoy most in your free time?

I have a busy family life and love spending time with my wife, Sally, and my daughters, Carly and Isabelle, and not forgetting our working cocker spaniel, Charlie. I also enjoy watching sport and socialising.

Written by Charlie North

 Markerstudy today announces a new partnership with education charity Future First, aimed at boosting career opportunities for young people within state education and giving them exclusive insight into the insurance industry.   

The partnership will enable Markerstudy to offer state school and college students the support, advice and encouragement they need to consider a career in insurance services, and allow the business to connect with up-and-coming talent.   

Using the Future First Hub, a social media-style platform which enables volunteers to safely communicate with students, and a range of face-to-face and virtual events, Markerstudy employees will use their skills, knowledge and experiences to guide young people from schools all over the country.  

Future First is the only UK charity helping young people in state schools and colleges broaden their horizons by connecting them with relatable role models.    

Tanya Gerrard-White, Chief People Officer at Markerstudy Group, said:

"This new partnership enables us to provide support, guidance and mentoring to the next generation of school leavers.

"Our industry needs to do all it can to support and attract new and diverse young talent, and Future First is uniquely positioned to help us do that.

“There are myriad opportunities within insurance services and our associated businesses, and our  colleagues and apprentices from our ALEX (Aspire Learning Experience) programme are uniquely qualified to give insight to students and share their own experiences.”  

Lorraine Langham, Future First CEO, added: “It’s so important that students from all backgrounds are supported and inspired to consider as many options as possible for the future.   

“Being connected to companies such as Markerstudy and their employees often opens up a whole new world of opportunity for them.  

“Many young people – particularly those from less privileged backgrounds – may never have considered a career in insurance services. The chance to meet and learn from someone who has gone on to succeed in the sector could inspire them to follow a similar path.”  

Written by Charlie North