Groupama Insurances appoints new Claims Director
16 July 2008
Phil Bird to head UK claims team
Groupama Insurances has announced that Phil Bird, currently Non-motor and SME Underwriting Director at the insurer, has been appointed to the position of Claims Director. He will take up his new position on 1st October.
In his new role, Phil will report to Managing Director, Laurent Matras and will head a claims team of over 250 employees. Based in the company’s head office in the City of London, he will have responsibility for the technical integrity and operational effectiveness of UK claims operations and will assume line control of Groupama’s three claims centres and the current head office claims team.
A graduate in Economics, Phil joined Groupama in 2004 from AXA where he was Head of Product Development. Prior to assuming his current role as Non-motor and SME Underwriting Director, he had already developed substantial technical and management expertise in a number of senior underwriting positions in both commercial and personal insurance.
Commenting on the appointment, Laurent Matras, Managing Director at Groupama Insurances said: “Phil’s extensive industry experience, coupled with his deep knowledge and understanding of our business means that he is ideally placed to move across and manage our claims operations, an area of the company that remains fundamental to the continuing success of Groupama Insurances. It is always nice to make a senior internal appointment and I am delighted that Phil has accepted this new appointment. This is a very clear indication of both the quality and depth of our management team and of our continuing desire to develop our own talent wherever possible.”
Phil Bird added: “This new role will offer me an exciting new challenge and is one that I really relish. Groupama Insurances has an award winning claims team that enjoys considerable respect within the industry and offers high levels of customer satisfaction. I am really looking forward to building on our existing success.”
Ends
July 2008
Notes to editors
Groupama Insurances is one of the UK's leading general insurers. The UK group offers motor, home and health insurance and also provides insurance protection to a growing number of smaller UK businesses. The company employs 800 staff in 6 centres and is an accredited 'Investor in People'.
Award winning
Groupama Insurances was winner of the 'Claims Initiative of the Year' Award in the 2007 British Insurance Awards, 'Company of the Year' Award in the Insurance Day Awards 2005, winner of the 'E-Business Award' in the British Insurance Awards 2005 and in both 2005 and 2006 was 'Highly Commended' in category for 'General Insurer of the Year'. Groupama Healthcare won the "Most Innovative New Product" Award at the 2006 Health Insurance Awards.
Groupama is a previous winner of the 'Underwriter of the Year' award in the British Insurance Awards and has twice been voted 'Underwriting Team of the Year' at the Insurance Day Awards. In addition, the UK Group has been awarded 'Insurer of the Year' at the Bodyshop Magazine Awards and was 'Highly Commended' in the National Business Awards 2005 in the Best Use of Technology category.
An impressive pedigree
Groupama Insurances is part of European financial services giant Groupama, an international business that generates annual revenues in excess of 14billion Euros.
Groupama is one of Europe's largest mutuals, the second insurer in France for marine and transport and the country's number one agricultural and individual health insurer.
Visit www.groupama.co.uk or www.groupama.com for the worldwide group
For further press information please contact Alison Reeson, Antonia Connolly or Sarah Samee at HSL on 020 8977 9132 or at hsl@harrisonsadler.com