Penny Black’s Insurance Week - 11 September

Last year, a fire on the roof saw the insurer boot staff out for roughly five months, and last week the lifts in the 14-storey office failed. So, plenty of business interruption experience to be shared by new chief operating officer Geo Godwin, who told Penny that the insurer has found some odd bits and bobs left behind by employees in such crises. Top of the pops was the staffer who left not one, not two, but 31 pairs of shoes at their desk – enough to put Amanda Blanc comfortably in the shade, whatever her @Amandas-shoes twitter handle might claim. Meanwhile, when the Nato summit descended upon South Wales this week, Brightside saw its operation by the Severn Bridge swamped with police, who decided to set up shop next door. Some shrewd staff at the broker decided the bobbies needed a break, and rapidly knocked up some platters of bacon rolls. Despite obvious concerns around the Bribery Act, the rolls were happily seized by the coppers, who were as happy as pigs in muck.

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This article was published in the 11 September edition of Post magazine.