Back in June we ran a competition to find “Everyday Heroes” in the insurance broking community. We know that brokers have worked tremendously hard to keep their businesses going in lockdown and we commend every single one of you, but behind the scenes of the COVID-19 outbreak there are thousands…
How can insurance brokers thrive in the ‘new normal’?
The vast majority of UK businesses have felt the impact of the lockdown restrictions implemented back in March. Some firms have been forced to scale back in order to survive, while others have been unable to trade at all. Among the companies able to continue providing a service, the lockdown…
Time is ticking: What should firms be doing now to prepare for the SM&CR?
The Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SM&CR) deadline is fast approaching and the new regulation comes into force from 9 December 2019 for all FCA solo regulated firms. With Senior Management Functions replacing Controlled Functions, there are a range of additional and enhanced responsibilities and expectations that firms and their…
Living with Fraser Syndrome – Hannah’s story
Not heard of Fraser Syndrome before? Then you wouldn’t be alone. Fraser Syndrome is an extremely rare, recessive gene disorder that affects only around 250 of the 7.7 billion people in the world. Fraser Syndrome, in many cases, can be life-limiting and it comes with severe symptoms: the most common…
Fantasy Football News from our in-house pundit Lee “Unbiased” Taylor
What a start to the new football season! Sheffield United are closing on the top four, it’s 2016 all over again for Leicester and Liverpool are walking away with the league, or should I say VAR are gifting them the League…. Much like Arsenal and Man United, I have been…
The Stride Underwriting Fantasy Football Broker League is back – enter your team for the new season by 9 August
The Premier League new season starts on Friday 9 August, which means that it is time to enter your team into the Stride Underwriting Broker League. There are monthly prizes for the Manager of the Month, and of course the season reaches its climax when we present the top prize…
Senior Managers and Certification Regime Q & A with Dilys Gale – Stride Underwriting’s Compliance & Audit Manager
SMCR – what insurance brokers need to know – part two What is the SM & CR? SM & CR is a logical way of defining the accountability of individual manager or director in your brokerage and replaces the FCA “Approved Persons” regime known as APER. In addition, the SM…
SMCR – what insurance brokers need to know. Part One
Following the financial crash in 2008 the Government introduced new rules, which resulted in the introduction of the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SMCR). From December 2019 these rules apply to insurance brokers.
This is the first of a three-part article giving brokers tips on how to implement the new regime in their brokerage.
Meet the boss – an interview with Claire Harris
Part of the Stride team for over a decade, Claire Harris is responsible for looking after our brokers, helping to make their lives that little bit easier. We recently caught up with Claire to talk future challenges and opportunities in the industry, and find out why she thinks Stride is…
All the latest Broker League action reviewed our in-house Fantasy Football pundit Lee Taylor
After a crazy summer filled with the likes of Neymar and Mourinho throwing themselves on the ground in petulant tantrums and England winning a penalty shootout (did that really happen?), the new Premier League season has finally begun, with the first month already done and dusted. In the “real” world…