Arthur J. Gallagher, located on Whitehills Business Park, has secured an exclusive three-year partnership as the insurance broker for Choice Hotels Ltd, an independent chain of five hotels located in the North West.
The family-run business own three hotels in Blackpool, including The Cliffs, The Claremont and The Viking. It also owns The Keswick Country House Hotel and The Patterdale, both located in the Lake District.
Gallagher was invited to audit the business’s current insurance programme and investigate where improvements could be made. Through that audit, the specialist Hospitality and Leisure Practice identified a number of areas where the level of protection should be increased to ensure the business wasn’t underinsured. Gallagher put together a fully tailored and bespoke insurance package for the hotel, which includes non-standard policies such as personal injury protection with a world-wide jurisdiction. This exclusive package has not only increased Choice Hotels’ level of cover, but Gallagher was able to save the business 20 per cent on its current policy.
Gallagher’s specialist scheme and strong relationship with the insurer was also demonstrated when the insurer required the business had a fire suppression system fitted in its kitchens, in all five hotels. Through the Hospitality and Leisure Practice, Gallagher was able to secure part-funding from the insurer for this new system, saving the hotel thousands of pounds.
Robert Nelder, Director at Choice Hotels, comments: “We were impressed by the knowledge and expertise the team at Gallagher was able to demonstrate. They were able to look at our previous insurance package and identify areas where we could reduce our exposure and make our cover stronger. Not only did they then deliver that comprehensive package, they also negotiated it for 20 per cent less than what we were paying previously, which was a fantastic result.
“We’re a family-run business based in the North West, and to have a local community broker, which has the specialist sector knowledge and national scale to secure savings for us, yet ensure we’re fully protected, is very rare. We look forward to a positive working partnership for the years to come.”
Tim Forshaw, Corporate Account Executive at Arthur J. Gallagher in Blackpool, said: “We’re delighted to have agreed a partnership with Choice Hotels Ltd. With a dedicated national and international Hospitality and Leisure practice, we are proven specialists in the Hotel sector. Yet, as a community broker, we can provide a personal service, strong local client support and on-the-ground claims handling capabilities. We take the time to understand the complexities of each and every client, so we can offer a bespoke and fully tailored package that provides comprehensive protection against their risks.”
