Commercial Account Handler

2117GB00 A-Plan Holdings (Unlimited); Preston; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

22 days holiday plus bank holidays

Life Assurance up to 4x salary

Income protection up to 5 years

Contributory pension 4%/5%

Healthcare cashplan

Retail discounts and benefits

Job summary

Howden is seeking a Commercial Account Handler to join the Consumer & Local Commercial team in the UK. You will build and maintain relationships with existing clients and actively review their insurance needs to enhance protection for their businesses, while proactively acquiring new clients.

You will manage documentation on Acturis, execute renewal strategies, cross-sell across divisions, and contribute to achieving retention targets through excellent service and professional advice.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to self-generate business and identify new opportunities.
• Excellent client relationship skills with focus on retention and satisfaction.
• Strong communication and negotiation abilities.
• Detail-oriented documentation and record-keeping.

Responsibilities

• Develop renewal strategies and manage client renewals to optimise retention.
• Maintain accurate records of client interactions and documentation on Acturis.
• Cross-sell products across divisions to deepen client value.
• Provide expert insurance advice and ensure clients are adequately insured.

Skills

Self-generation

Relationship building

Negotiation skills

Attention to detail

Team collaboration

Strategic renewal planning

Tools

Acturis

Job description

Who are we? Howden is a global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mindset, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 24,000 employees spanning over 56 countries. People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. It’s what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down headhunters for years. Whatever your priorities – work / life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden. With a no limits approach, we can rise to any challenge. Whatever the question, the concern, or the risk, we can get the right people in a room and find the right answer. Our collective power is also helping us to change the insurance narrative – doing right by our clients while using insurance as a tool to build resilience for individuals, businesses and communities. We are actively looking for a Commercial Account Handler to join our Howden Consumer & Local Commercial team. Our local Commercial team have grown rapidly over the last 14 years’, and we now have over 200 people within the team across the UK. As a Commercial Account Handler, you will be responsible for building and maintaining relationships with existing clients, actively reviewing client’s insurance needs to enhance protection for their businesses, while also proactively acquiring new clients. This role is pivotal in achieving the Branch/Groups client retention targets through exceptional service and resource available throughout the Howden Group.

Key Responsibilities

Develop and execute ways to self-generate new business and maximise opportunities within our insurer panel. Maintain meticulous records of client interactions, correspondence, and documentation on Acturis, utilising the diary system effectively. Produce accurate and professional documentation consistently, adhering to Howden standards. Process adjustments promptly, ensuring notification to insurers, issuing revised documentation, and managing additional or return premium collection and refund. Actively cross-sell products from other Divisions, enhancing client value and deepening business relationships by collaborating with other branches and Group Resources as necessary to provide comprehensive service. Establish and manage a tailored renewal strategy for each client, aligning with the division's procedures and goals to optimise renewal success. Ensure clients are correctly and adequately insured, providing expert advice to address all insurance exposures. Support the Division in achieving targets through proactive client engagement Maintain professional competence by adhering to Howden Training and Competence procedures. Seek and respond to client feedback, continuously improving service quality. Conduct market exercises to secure the most appropriate cover for the clients needs and at competitive terms. Present renewal terms to clients with clarity and precision, ensuring contract certainty. Guarantee premium collection prior to cover commencement, following Howden procedures.

Skills & Competencies

Proven ability to self-generate business and identify new opportunities. Strong relationship-building skills, with a focus on client retention and satisfaction. Excellent communication and negotiation abilities. Proficiency in using Computers Detail-oriented with a commitment to accuracy and professionalism in documentation. Ability to work collaboratively within a team and with various areas of the business. Strategic thinking with a focus on renewal strategies and retention targets. Commitment to ongoing professional development and compliance with regulatory standards.

Rewards

We believe that great work and dedication should be rewarded, that’s why we offer:

• 22 days holiday (plus bank holidays), increasing through length of service
• A set of core benefits, designed with your health and financial protection in mind:
  • Life Assurance up to 4x salary, protecting your loved ones in case the worst should happen
  • Income protection, guaranteeing an income for up to 5 years in the event of an illness or injury
  • Contributory pension scheme – 4% employer contribution and 5% employee contribution, rising to 5% & 5% in April 2025
  • Access to a Healthcare Cashplan, which gives you access to a variety of health related benefits
  • Access to a host of lifestyle and financial benefits that you can choose from:
    • Discounts on gym membership across the UK
    • Salary sacrifice schemes – Travel Insurance, Cycle to Work, Car leasing, Technology purchase
    • Access to discounted personal health policies – Critical illness, private medical, dental plans
  • A range of insurance products available commission free, including home, motor, travel and specialist vehicles
  • Access to hundreds of high-street retailer discounts

What do we offer in return?

A career that you define. At Howden, we value diversity – there is no one Howden type. Instead, we’re looking for individuals who share the same values as us: Our successes have all come from someone brave enough to try something new We support each other in the small everyday moments and the bigger challenges We are determined to make a positive difference at work and beyond

Reasonable adjustments

We’re committed to providing reasonable accommodations at Howden to ensure that our positions align well with your needs. Besides the usual adjustments such as software, IT, and office setups, we can also accommodate other changes such as flexible hours* or hybrid working*.

*Not all positions can accommodate changes to working hours or locations. Reach out to your Recruitment Partner if you want to know more.

Permanent

Howden began in 1994, as just three people and a dog. Now there are 23,000 of us, and we're a leading global insurance group, managing $37bn of premiums for our clients. Our largest shareholder group is us – the people who work in the business – supported by three long-term, minority growth-equity partners who share our vision to build a business to last, one that will never be sold. The owner's mindset is something that's embedded in our culture; our people readily take ownership of their decisions, their actions, and their outputs. They’re invested in every sense. And we all know that by working together to drive the business forward, everyone will benefit from the extraordinary results we can achieve.