Behind the scenes: Insuring the London Classic Car Show

From choosing its broker partners to providing live quotes on the day, an insurer reveals all

Motor & Fleet

Mar 15, 2018 Share

Earlier this year, we brought you the news that specialist motor insurer ERS had been named the official insurance partner for the 2018 London Classic Car Show – a major event held at London’s ExCel centre bringing together world-class cars and motoring enthusiasts.

Working with A-Plan Private Clients and Grove & Dean, two of its broker partners, ERS was right at the centre of the action at the show, where it provided live-quoting on the day – a first for the event.

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Now, Insurance Business has got the inside scoop from the insurer’s head of bespoke underwriting, Tom Donachie, who lifted the lid on live quoting, how ERS chose its broker partners, and what’s next.

What was the inspiration behind setting up live quoting at The London Classic Car Show?

Last year, we worked with brokers, PK Partnership, to underwrite the motor for Gumball 3000 – an elite, week-long multi-country motor rally. My team spent months customising a motor policy specifically for the event and the breadth of participating vehicles and drivers. Because we knew that some entrants would still turn up without insurance in place, myself and my colleague, Alan Bradbury, went to Riga for the start of the rally to ensure those who hadn’t done so could get last minute cover. Doing this, in liaison with our London team, we insured 20 more cars in just one day. This success triggered the thinking to do something similar at The London Classic Car Show in February, where ERS was the event’s classic car insurance partner.

How did you go about selecting your broker partners?

We wanted to work with brokers who shared our vision of doing something new at an event like this. We were also looking for partners who had the capacity to commit a team to the four days of the event, as well as the capability to provide quotes to show visitors. While the show focuses on classic cars, a number of exhibitors also bring along prestige vehicles – which we also underwrite – so we wanted to cater for those too. A-Plan Private Clients fitted the bill for that, and Grove & Dean were keen to take on the opportunity for classic cars.

What was the most challenging aspect of setting up live quoting capability at the show?

Hours of planning went into the event to make sure everything would be set up correctly for the show. We liaised closely with the organisers to ensure that the right space, facilities and internet connection were in place, so timely quotes could be provided. However, nothing could prepare us for the noise and fumes of the cars driving down the middle of the central show track, right past our area. While it was a truly awesome sight to see these vehicles in action, in a confined space and while trying to get information to inform a quote, they were extremely loud!

What was the response from visitors at the show?

Overall, we had a really positive reaction from the people that we spoke to. The ERS sponsored area in the Grand Avenue Club was right at the heart of the show, and many found it refreshing for an insurer to be so prominent in their support for classic cars. Both brokers had fertile conversations at the event, and have seen a number of enquires and leads from it – both at and since the show. As a result, we have received more quotes and underwritten a number of policies already. The brokers also valued the opportunity to be more visible to that audience and to be part of such a high-profile event.

What did you enjoy most about the show?

I feel extremely fortunate to work in an industry that is also my passion. Having the opportunity to see so many amazing cars at close quarters, and the ability to share this experience with a number of our broker partners (who we hosted as guests, and many of whom are enthusiasts in their own right) was very special. Working with Grove & Dean and A-Plan Private Clients to showcase our mutual value to customers was a rare opportunity.

Is this something you’d like to do - similar events in the future?

The model of providing our brokers with exclusive access to prospective customers at this type of event is definitely one we’d like to repeat. There were so many benefits of being at the show and understanding first-hand what classic car drivers want and value in their insurance policies. It also allows us to demonstrate clearly and effectively our specialist knowledge, while highlighting the value of the broker and our close broker partnerships.

How do you insure a madcap 3,000-mile super rally across 10 countries?

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