“Insurance House was born out of Echuca over 35 years ago,” Jay Fereday (pictured), managing director of the brokerage told Insurance Business. “Even today, a huge number of the staff that work in our offices have actually come from regional towns and backgrounds.”
It is remembering these regional roots that is helping guide the brokerage as it moves forward and builds a bigger business.
On February 05, O’Sullivan Insurance Brokers in Shepparton joined the group as a trusted partner, adding to the brokerage’s large, diverse and valued network. In a joint statement with O’Sullivan’s, Insurance House explained its lasting commitment to partnering with like-minded professionals in regional VIC.
“This partnership reinforces the commitment of Insurance House to regional and rural Victoria in addition to its other seven offices on the eastern seaboard,” the release read. “Together with nearby offices in Echuca, Kyabram, Boort and now Shepparton, Insurance House is a strong supporter of local business, a dedicated employer and an active member within the local community.”
For Feredy and Insurance House, this latest partnership is the materialisation of a longstanding ethos and practical commitment – to ensure that it can provide the best possible services to customers living and working in the regional parts of the state, where Insurance House heralds from.
“We definitely have a real distinct preference to invest in regional communities,” said Fereday. “We do definitely look for regional growth and investment – it sits really well with us.”
For Fereday, this approach to expansion is motivated not only by the desire to act on its commitment to regional communities, but to separate itself from the competition and ensure that customers are getting the best service.
“It gives us at a different perspective to perhaps the way many of the metropolitan based brokerages look for opportunities,” Fereday explained.
O’Sullivan of Shepparton joins Insurance House as a partner in a network that now sees over 50 associated firms utilising ‘the best of both worlds’.
“It’s all about the client’s best interests – and getting our clients a great outcome,” said Fereday. “This new partnership – as well as our others – enables O’Sullivan to focus on clients even more, while we look after a lot of the things that sit around their team.”
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In Fereday’s interview with Insurance Business he spoke highly of O’Sullivan’s managing director, Geoff O’Sullivan.
“Geoff’s got some wonderful client relationships that date back over a long period of time,” Fereday said.
O’Sullivan meanwhile, explained the appeal of the partnership from his firm’s perspective.
“The additional resources that Insurance House will be able provide will be of great benefit to the local community and in particular our clients and staff,” he said.
For Fereday and Insurance House, this is evidently not a one-off deal – nor will its commitment to the regions stand still.
“We see great opportunity in regional Australia – and we see real value in bringing those clients what our CBD clients come to expect in terms of the range of services and advice we can offer,” explained Fereday. “We enjoy what we do and engaging in those communities, and that comes across – it’s not something we have to do, it’s something we really want to do.”
