For over 120 years, we’ve been supporting current and former insurance people who are facing financial hardship and that will never change. Like everyone, we need to evolve and adapt.
Our core objectives are to reach as many people as we can, increase our support and ensure all current and former insurance people understand how and who we help.
Gathering views from across the industry
We conducted in-depth research, consulting with people from across the industry in the UK and Ireland. We wanted to hear the views of those in the industry and establish if, and how, we needed to change.
There was much to celebrate from the research and it’s clear we’re having a positive impact on people’s lives and providing a ‘safety blanket’ for those in the industry.
But we also heard a perception that awareness of our charity was low. This was frustrating for some people who felt a limited profile was affecting our reputation. We can’t continue to be one of the industry’s ‘best kept secrets.’
Other people told us our messaging needed to be clearer and more welcoming. They weren’t always sure who or how we help and many of the respondents felt our brand was outdated and didn’t ‘speak’ to everyone in the industry, particularly younger professionals.
A new identity
So, we’ve listened to this invaluable feedback and developed a much-needed update to our identity and messaging. We’ve injected warmth and dynamism into our brand and introduced a fresh and modern look.
Widening our reach
Another significant change we’ve made is to remove the minimum length of time that people in the industry need to access our support. Now, anyone who has spent time working in insurance, no matter when and for how long, can apply for support, irrespective of their role.
A change of name
You’ll also notice a small change to our name. 20 years ago, two existing charities serving the industry merged to create The Insurance Charities. Back then, we included a plural in the name. But now, this name is confusing people and 70% of those we interviewed said the name should change. So, from today, we’ll be known as The Insurance Charity. And we have a new strapline: Supporting insurance people when they need us most.
Improving your online experience
Another key theme from the feedback was to improve our website. So, we’ve built a new site that simplifies the navigation and improves usability. This will help people access the support and information they need more easily which is critical for those who are facing difficult circumstances.
We are also well on the way to automating our application process, making it more straightforward and enabling applicants to request additional support at an earlier stage. This automation will speed up the consideration of a case and the delivery of appropriate help.
A new chapter
Collectively, these changes mark an exciting new chapter for The Insurance Charity. Our Trustees and committee members have collaborated with us throughout on this vital piece of work, and a diverse group of volunteers has provided insight and feedback drawing from their wealth of experience from across the industry.
We’d like to thank everyone who shared their feedback along the way, which has helped us move forward and reach even more insurance people than ever before.