DAS UK: Everything you need to know
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Headquarters address |
Trinity Quay, 2 Avon Street, Bristol BS2 0PT, United Kingdom |
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Year established |
1975 |
| Size (employees) | 700+ |
| Underwriting expertise | Personal and business legal expenses insurance |
| Key people | Tony Coram (CEO), Thomas Biermann (chief financial officer), Brynley Case (director of legal services), David Swigciski (director of client services), Kate Banks (group director of HR & legal services), Matt Allam (director of technology, data & strategic change) |
About DAS UK
As part of the international network of DAS companies that operate as part of the ERGO Insurance Group, the DAS UK Group has developed as one of the UK’s top specialist insurers. DAS UK operates multiple strands as an organisation including as a legal expenses insurance (LEI) company (DAS Insurance) and as a law firm (DAS Law).
DAS has operated in the area of LEI since 1926 and as demand for this specialist insurance increased due to the burgeoning popularity of foreign travel over the last century, DAS grew to supply this demand. DAS entered the UK market in 1975 as DAS UK, which was initially founded as a joint venture of D.A.S and Phoenix Assurance Co. with DAS acquiring full ownership of the company in 1989.
DAS UK was an early pioneer of LEI in the UK market, where this insurance had previously been illegal until the Criminal Law Act 1967 which repealed an old law aimed at preventing anyone from providing support for legal proceedings in which they were a third party.
The products of DAS UK
DAS Insurance provides a variety of products to both individuals and businesses in the areas of LEI. As the UK’s leading specialist legal expenses insurer, DAS UK provides cover to almost seven million customers and the company is widely acclaimed for its experience, scale and expansion portfolio of products and services.
Providing protection to millions of families and hundreds of thousands of businesses, DAS UK insures against unforeseen legal costs and offers both before-the-event and after-the-event products. DAS UK also prides itself on offering its expertise through several channels including a telephone advice service and assistance service.
DAS Law provides legal services aimed at the customer’s specific needs and offers an assurance of accessibility and transparency.
The values and vision of DAS UK
DAS UK is proud to operate under a strict values system and to provide an access-to-justice route for businesses and individuals who would otherwise not be able to afford it.
“Our vision is simple, we will always strive to be ‘First for Justice’ for all our customers and business partners, and everything we do as a business embodies this goal,” the company states on its website.
DAS surmises its value system as the RIGHT values: Respect, Improve, Going the extra mile, Honesty and Think customer.
The latter of these values is especially important to DAS UK and underpins the key value proposition of this business. Both main facets, DAS Insurance and DAS Law, are dedicated to bringing clarity and accessibility to the world of LEI. DAS UK aims to do this through clear channels of communication, honesty and transparency and a commitment to creating accessible technical product guides and encouraging education and training of the client in clear and simple language.
Creating strong partnerships is another core staple of DAS UK’s value system and the organisation is continually looking for new ways to improve its products and expand the broad range of LEI products which it offers for brokers to market to their customers.
Key people at DAS UK
Tony Coram – CEO. Coram was appointed to the role in January 2022. He joined the company in 2016 after stints with Brightside Group, RSA Group, and HSBC. Coram has more than 30 years of operations and IT leadership experience in the financial services insurance industry, both in the UK and internationally.
Brynley Case – Director of legal services. Case joined DAS in 2016 as group general counsel and company secretary having spent the previous 10 years as legal director at Capita Group’s property and infrastructure division. He has broad range of experience spanning commercial and property law, including mergers, acquisitions, and outsourcing across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He also has stints with Pettman Smith Solicitors and The Corporate Services Group.
DAS UK’s CSR programme
DAS UK is dedicated to a programme of ongoing corporate social responsibility and takes a multi-faceted approach in this area, developing its programme in a range of sectors including employees, customers, community and the environment.
As part of its commitment to reducing environmental impact DAS has pledged support to the principle of sustainable development and aims to achieve environmental best practice throughout its operations. By developing effective systems to monitor its environmental impact and setting targets for ERGO for continual improvement, DAS UK aims to lead by example and has established an active sustainability forum across its business.
In keeping with its commitment to keeping people at the heart of the business, DAS UK prioritises the health of its staff with its WellWise programme, which is aimed at helping them to lead a healthy lifestyle. DAS UK also provides accessible learning and development opportunities for its people.
Community spirit is also important to DAS UK and the business has an active Charity Forum to oversee regular donations to DAS UK’s chosen charities. In 2018, over £26,800 was raised by DAS UK and further community commitment has been shown by employees through involvement in a range of community-focused team building activities that take place throughout the year.
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