For Rhys Mills, 2020 has been a year of milestones. The company he co-founded with Anita Lane, Solution Underwriting, reached its 10-year anniversary, while Mills himself turned 40. Under normal circumstances, he would have roundly celebrated both events – but then again, 2020 has proven to be anything but normal.
“We had quite a strong contingency plan that was put into effect during the first lockdown, and thankfully our staff were able to adapt quite quickly to the new working environment,” the Solution Underwriting managing director told Insurance Business.
“It meant that we didn’t have to scramble to get set up to work remotely during COVID-19, and our preparedness has really paid dividends as we’ve continued to grow through the year and add new staff, new products and new binders.”
One of those products – commercial legal protection insurance – has proven to be “a fabulous hit among brokers”, Mills said.
“To be honest, every client should have this – it provides cover for both pursuing and defending against legal action and is designed to give insured SMEs access to targeted advice from a lawyer relating to any problem that’s directly associated with their core business activities.”
Under Mills’ direction, Solution Underwriting has grown from an initial team of two into a company with 34 staff members situated across Melbourne and Sydney. Throughout this development, Mills said that their philosophy has “stayed the same since day one.”
“Our focus has remained on providing excellent service as our staff and portfolio have continued to grow,” he noted.
“The landscape’s changed in the financial lines space, with a hardening market over the last 18 months, premium rates going up and certain restrictions in capacity. Being able to offer customers great service and advice, then, is something that I see as key to our continued success.”
This emphasis on delivering positive experiences hasn’t been purely externally focused during the pandemic, however. Solution Underwriting engaged outside professionals to provide mental health support services for its staff while also coordinating weekly yoga sessions, according to Mills.
“We’ve recognised the need for both mental and physical wellness, particularly during these difficult times, and want to provide a supportive environment for our staff,” he explained.
Looking forward to 2021, Mills said that Solution Underwriting would remain committed to helping businesses that had been negatively impacted by COVID-19.
“The full effect of COVID-19 is yet to be felt by a lot of businesses, and there’s definitely more to be revealed in terms of the effects on the economy,” he said.
“It’s a time where we’re grateful for everything we’ve got, and we remain excited and optimistic about what 2021 holds in store.”
