Launching: The Insurance Act Reports

Need to know what effect the Insurance Act will have on your role? Look no further. A group of upcoming insurance professionals based in Manchester has mapped it out for you in an easily digestible format. The reports in full are available below.

There are two reports by The New Class, one focusing on the effect for insurers and policyholders and the other on the effect for brokers. Both reports are concise and contain useful explanations and examples for insurance professionals to relate to their everyday tasks. Each report has been written by a group of enthusiastic professionals who have been part of a special training course to help develop their careers over twelve months.

The Insurance Institute of Manchester (IIM) invited applications from keen professionals across the local market last year to join The New Class. Led by Stephen Bridge ACII, Deputy President of the IIM, the successful sixteen applicants have attended seven workshops, sponsored by LV=, focused on various soft skills and The Insurance Act 2015. Split into two teams to write the reports, they put their newly developed skills into practice including report writing, working as a team and project management. The group will be celebrating the end of the course in September, with a tour of Lloyd's and drinks at the Sky Garden, up the 'walkie talkie' with views of the city of London.

Applications are now open for the next group of enthusiastic professionals to tell the IIM why they should be on the next programme of The New Class 2016-2017. Those interested, or hoping to encourage staff to apply, need to be passionate about developing themselves as an individual and should meet the following criteria:

• suggested 2-5 years experience in the industry
• working towards or thinking about professional qualifications
• from any section of the industry (e.g. operations, IT, etc.)
• application supported by your line manager and employer

Download the application now from below. Workshops will start from October 2016, the dates will be announced in advance and each will last 2-3 hours, at no cost to the candidates' employers.

To get a feel of what The New Class programme involves, we asked Ryan Conroy Cert CII, how he found the 2015-2016 workshops. Ryan has been involved in the insurance industry for over five years and currently works as a Commercial Combined Insurance Advisor at Bollington Insurance.

Why did you apply for The New Class programme?
I thought it would be interesting to meet others in the industry that I wouldn’t otherwise have met. I also thought it would help with my overall understanding of the industry.

What was your experience like of being part of it?
The overall experience was great. I got to meet a wide variety of people within the Manchester insurance industry, all from different backgrounds and job levels. The workshops also provided additional skills and knowledge which I can use going forward in my career.

What was your favourite workshop and why?
I found the public speaking workshop the most useful and the one I am most likely to take forward. Public speaking can always be nerve-racking however this workshop helps with the anxieties that you may face and how to combat them. It also helped on how to get your audience fully engaged in the subject matter that you are talking about.

How do see yourself utilising the skills you have learnt throughout the program?
I am already using some skills learnt from this programme, whether it is how to go about public speaking or how to create and write reports using correct style of language. Further to this the course has helped further my understanding and knowledge of the new Insurance Act.

What did you enjoy most about the programme?
Meeting lots of other like-minded people within the industry that otherwise I would never have met. This has certainly made networking in the future easier.

Would you recommend applying for The New Class to others new to the industry?
Yes I would 100% recommend The New Class to others in the industry. I think it is a great way of meeting other people in your local institute, which can be invaluable in the future. It will also help your overall understanding of the wider insurance industry and give you key skill that you can use in your day to day job.