JOBS & CAREERS SPRING 2018 - 90

J+C PROMOTION

More than a
Meet ReAssure, the closed-book insurance player bringing sexy back to the industry

F
 

ar from the City of London,
there is a buoyancy in a financial
service outfit with a soothing
name. Closed-book consolidator
ReAssure, which operates from Hitchin,
Telford and Norwich, is growing and
dynamically transforming the way it
does business. Shaking off its unsexy
shadow, the company is now on a hiring
spree, seeking to take on around 400
employees this year alone as it integrates
its latest mergers and acquisitions deal.
What does the "closed book" business
actually do? "I depict us as engineers," says
ReAssure's CEO Matt Cuhls. "We're always
asking how we can most efficiently manage
insurance liabilities over the next 30 to
50 years, which isn't an easy question. We
are an insurer, but more than that we're a
problem solver. It's like a very big puzzle."

Buying power

ReAssure doesn't make or sell anything, but
it does an enormous amount of buying -
most recently, 1.1 million insurance policies
from L&G - administering them alongside
policies bought from other shops.
The policies aren't just pieces of paper.
Behind each one is a person who has
questions or concerns regarding their life,
death and the security of their loved ones.
When customers call or write, ReAssure

"The fact that
we aren't in a
big city makes
it more pleasant
place to work"
lives up to its name, providing comfort
along with the information necessary
to deliver peace of mind. Among the
company's 2,000-plus employees is a large
cohort of customer agents, who handle
queries with sensitivity, patience and care.
This is no easy task - it takes not only a
great deal of emotional intelligence, but
also the use of cutting-edge technologies.
"Sometimes there are complex problems
and we ask, 'How can we mitigate the risk?
How can we protect our information?'"
says 25-year-old Jaspal Bains, one of
ReAssure's information management
analysts. "There's always conflict between
availability and security. It's a tough
question almost every company in the
world deals with. But our CEO encourages
a highly collaborative, innovative
culture, which is a positive thing."

Free from the city

ReAssure's people-centric culture offers
a refreshing contrast to the City. "The
energy is so different," says HR design
consultant Christine Charles. "I think
the fact that we aren't in a big city makes
it a more pleasant place to work."
Not that the company isn't profitable -
on the contrary, analysts widely deem it
to be a well-oiled machine. But the ethos
running through ReAssure make priorities
crystal clear: people always come first.
This fosters a high degree of trust and, as
a result, personal and professional worlds
often collide. Almost 1,000 employees are
members of the company's Facebook page.

Between costume parties, volunteering
and pub crawls, you may wonder how
they have time to be at top of their game.

Well-rounded culture

ReAssure's employees come from all
walks of life, from Oxbridge graduates
to those with no degree. Outside work,
Christine hosts a local radio show about
mental health issues. Flexible working
arrangements are common. One staff
member works condensed hours to serve
as commissioner of the Norfolk Scouts.
Gender equality is an area where the
company walks the talk. Senior women
include the heads of customer service,


https://www.careers.reassure.co.uk/

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JOBS & CAREERS SPRING 2018

http://europe.nxtbook.com/emp/Careers/jcspring2018
https://europe.nxtbook.com/emp/Careers/JobsandCareersAutumn2017
https://europe.nxtbook.com/emp/Careers/YourBusinessWithJamesCaan2017
http://europe.nxtbook.com/emp/Careers/Careers/Careers_with_Hayley_Taylor_2011
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com