Why create Halo?
Agencies are a growing space in the Australian market. This growth is being driven by the increasingly restrictive appetite of insurers and their strong preference to transact electronically. Halo is a response to brokers that are crying out for consistent placement performance and quality service across their entire SME & Mid-Market portfolios, not just their automated vanilla risks. We want to help our partners deliver solutions to their clients promptly and with the professionalism they deserve. By being independent and having respected senior underwriters that have the trust of our capacity providers, we are well-placed to engage the market and have confidence in our power to deliver.
What gap in the market is Halo looking to fill?
Halo is a solution-based agency. We take on risks other insurers are walking away from and create sustainable, long-term solutions for the end client. Insurance has always been a people business and we believe it always should be. Our values drive performance through relationships and exceptional expertise. Australian businesses need cover, and we intend to be part of the Insurance environment that is striving to make that happen.
What can brokers look forward to when dealing with Halo?
Experienced decision makers. We have the customer at the center of everything we do and are establishing a team that has the authority and experience to create the best solution for our clients. Working closely with our broker partners, we want to capaitalise on their knowledge of the client and together bring sustainable insurance solutions to the table. If Halo can’t provide the solution, we will work with brokers to help them find the right fit for their needs elsewhere, that's part of having brokers as our core focus.
What industry trends do you see that create opportunities for Halo?
A hardening insurance cycle certainly creates opportunities for Halo. With a focus on underwriting complex risks, we are relying on our extensive experience in the market, our technical capability and our underlying appetite for business to sustainably deliver solutions in this market environment.
Another growing trend across the large insurers is the push for brokers to use electronic portals, yet those portals are becoming increasingly narrow. With Halo having a focus on industry sectors such as the EPS space, hospitality, property owners, industrial and more, we work hard to deliver where others can't. The technology we use for the more automated business is tailor-made, so we also know the user experience for our brokers will be excellent.
What are your views on the availability of capacity for property and liability lines in the next 12-24 months
It is only going to get tougher. With insurers constantly looking at the bottom line and expenses in this economic climate, they will either continue to increase pricing, or decline the more complex risks that have not been historically profitable. We are here to bridge that gap for our broker partners and their clients.
