Editor's comment: A time to come together

As you know I was a floating voter and so I listened to all the debates, I read all the news stories - and of course the market's press releases - before marking my X in the box at the latest opportunity possible.

This was an unprecedented situation and no one could say what would happen either way, although some pretty wild scenarios and acquisitions were thrown around during the process. It's fair to say it wasn't a pretty campaign on either side. But the important thing is that a large proportion of the population turned up to have its say.

It's also important to remember that there was no right or wrong answer. Those large business chiefs and the ABI and Lloyds of London all voted for what they thought was right in remain. While smaller brokers probably voted for leave for their own good reasons. And the average man on the street voted for what they felt was right for them.

As a democracy we now have to stand by this vote and it's time for mud slinging, scaremongering and naysaying to stop and for the UK to come together as the great nation it can and will be.

Risk and uncertainty is the bread and butter of the insurance industry and there is no doubt this is what the market and the country faces now, doubly so with the Prime Minister David Cameron announcing his decision to stand down in October.

So insurers need to be in the thick of discussions about how we go forward and show the country and the world how deal with risk. The decision is out and there is no going back now so let's get stuck in.