Back to the future for open-door RSA policy

It is amazing how sometimes the simplest of things get insurers very excited.

Take last weeks' announcement by Royal and Sun Alliance about its new office in Leeds.

The insurance giant was so proud of the fact that the centre has an 'open door' policy that it highlighted these two words in bold in the company's announcement.

Manned between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, RSA went on to offer an open invitation for brokers to come in and discuss business and use its facilities when visiting the city.

To some it may seem extraordinary that an insurer would boast about "allowing brokers access to the people that can make decisions, who can underwrite quickly and efficiently. and who are on hand to discuss their cases," as Mike Lawton, director, regional broker, happily did.

Walk this way

Outsiders would surely automatically assume it is a prerequisite that insurers employ people who can "make decisions" and "underwrite quickly and efficiently".

But in an age where there has been much talk of deskilling and centralisation, perhaps RSA's claim that this is a "new way of doing business" is not such a ridiculous boast.

It would be more truthful for the insurer to talk about a return to grass roots underwriting. But, for insurance broker staff bought up on communicating by email, fax and never meeting underwriters face-to-face, it will surely seem like a "new" breath of fresh air.

"I'm confident that we have a proposition that complements how brokers want to deal with us both now and in the future," Mr Lawton added.

If it is a success, there is no doubt that other RSA offices will soon open their doors too.

- Agree/disagree: e-mail jonathan.swift@incisivemedia.com.