Warren Saunders Insurance Brokers is celebrating 60 years of doing business. On top of that, the company recently won Medium Broking Company of the Year at ANZIIF’s 2021 Australian Insurance Industry Awards.
When Insurance Business spoke with managing director John Saunders (pictured), NSW was two weeks out of lockdown and Saunders was marking yet another occasion: a staff get together barbecue to celebrate the Melbourne Cup.
“It’s almost like the first day back from the COVID experience. The staff have all come back into the office just to have a day with everyone together.”
Saunders isn’t exaggerating the positive vibe. IB read through a booklet marking Warren Saunders’ 50th anniversary and was struck by how genuinely happy all the staff looked in the photos.
Saunders said the office culture has always been very important.
“In our place we do have a lot of fun and we have staff that have stayed with us for long periods of time. They enjoy the experiences of working in the business and I think it’s important that everybody has a bit of fun, it’s not all head down. You’ve got to have some time to breathe and time to enjoy each other’s company,” he said.
That approach has paid off over the years.
“I think our business has a strong reputation in the industry and we’ve looked after our clients and looked after our staff and I think that’s the key part of the business,” said Saunders.
The other Warren Saunders ingredient that’s hard to miss: the cricket connections. Former Australian cricketer Murray Bennett is a non-executive director of the firm - but that’s just the beginning. John’s father, Warren, founded the company in 1961 and played cricket for NSW during the 1950s and 60s – even while running his insurance business.
According to the 50th anniversary booklet, “Warren was a hard-hitting opening batsman, who fearlessly got behind the line of the fastest bowlers, playing them with finesse and the straightest of bats.”
He also played with Aussie legends of the game like batsman Neil Harvey and leg spinner and long-time cricket commentator the late, great Richie Benaud.
“He [Benaud] was also a client and friend of Warren and they played a bit of cricket together in their younger days,” said Saunders modestly.
At 60 not out and about 50 staff, the firm started by his father is considerably larger today and relatively rare for still going it alone.
“We’ve focused on our clients growing and felt that we don’t need to sell the business or merge with anyone else. We’re actually happy to be on our own and continue growing.”
For the younger Saunders, working in the insurance business was a natural move.
“I suppose when I left school, being the only son in the family, it was a logical move in those days,” he said. “I got some grounding in an insurance company in the city for about five or six years and eventually came over and started at the bottom and just worked my way through the business.
Saunders started his insurance career in 1987 and has helped manage the family firm for about 20 years. He took over as managing director in 2011.
Today, the brokerage has a wide spread of business with clients in sectors including aged care, manufacturing and engineering. One of their specialities is clubs.
“Clubs have been special to us, and we do have a lot of licensed clubs and leagues clubs and football clubs insured as clients,” said Saunders.
More than forty years ago, Sydney’s St George’s Leagues Club was their first club client. The brokerage has seen the club through a major fire and a flood.
“They’re still a client today and that just progressed through the years that we felt we had a good affiliation for providing advice to licensed clubs and we just worked on growing that book of business. Over time we became a real specialist in the club industry,” said Saunders.
They also give back to the club industry through sponsorships and donations to their charities.
“The club industry is a great industry to be involved in,” he said.
So when Warren Saunders Insurance Brokers is 100 not out, will it still be in the family?
“I have a nephew working in the business and I also have a son who is in the insurance industry that might one day want to enter into the business,” said Saunders. “At the moment we’ve got a great team and, as things change, if an opportunity presented itself, you just never know,” he said enigmatically.
