Member Article

New Director set to bring fresh thinking to local insurance broker

Hedon Insurance has appointed a long-standing employee to the team of Directors.

Having worked in personal lines insurance throughout her career, Sally Needham has been awarded a new role as Company Director with Hedon Insurance.

This appointment will see her work alongside current Directors: Anne Walters, Karen Verschoor-Lowe and Paul Hurford.

With branches in Hull, Hedon, Hornsea and Cottingham, Hedon Insurance continues to provide a local service to local people, having celebrated 50 years in business in 2019.

The team provides a range of personal lines insurance policies, including: building & contents, motor, travel, taxi, caravan and motor home, as well as prepaid funeral plans and other financial services.

Hedon Insurance rolled out their ‘customer-first’ approach across the region, priding themselves on professional, yet friendly employees and a network of loyal customers, extending this further to their Commercial Insurance partner, HI Commercial.

Managing Director, Anne Walters says:

“Over the years, we’ve seen countless insurance companies move online, to cut costs and meet the growing demand for convenience. However, while a certain type of customer would search for an easy transaction, we saw that there was still demand for those personal, trusted consultants in the industry - real people that customers can communicate with to deal with enquiries.

“At Hedon Insurance, we collectively strive to provide a standard of customer service that cannot be bought on price comparison sites, and so having the right people in our team is crucial, especially in the leadership roles. With Sally’s extensive experience and the connections she has established with our customers, we feel sure that as a Director she brings a breath of fresh air to the table - solutions to problems and new approaches to challenges as they emerge. Sally’s appointment as Director will help to ensure our continued success.”

Sally’s career began at Devonshire Wilson & Co. back in 1989, succeeded by Kennett Insurance Brokers and eventually Hedon Insurance in 2013 as Manager of the Hedon branch. She says:

“During my time at Hedon Insurance, I have received support from both the senior management team and my fellow work colleagues to ensure that across all branches, we consistently deliver excellent customer service, competitive insurance quotes and solutions for those risks that can be difficult to place. I feel my experience as a Manager at both the Hedon and Cottingham branches has equipped me for this new challenge.

“Every day in insurance is different and provides a range of challenges for myself and my colleagues, completely contesting the stigma that there can be around working in the industry: this job is all about customer service, working to help people. We take the time to get to know our customers and their individual circumstances, building a valuable rapport - a skill which seems to be slowly slipping away as providers increasingly move online.”

“I am looking forward to taking on new responsibilities, helping to shape Hedon Insurance going forward, alongside a fantastic team who go that extra mile to help our customers.”

As part of their growth strategy, the company also continues to recruit apprentices to their Hedon and Cottingham branches. These young people hope to progress their insurance careers, backed with the support and experience of the advisors at Hedon Insurance, and with Sally as a shining example of the opportunities available to them in the future.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jess Clark .