Extended global reach with UNIBA Partners

We are delighted to announce that Bellwood Prestbury has joined UNIBA Partners, a carefully selected network of 70 independent brokers who work together to provide quality coverage for clients in 130 countries around the world.

UNIBA has almost 40 years’ experience supporting independent brokers who wish to offer their clients international insurance, risk management and employee benefits solutions outside of their home markets.

Not everyone gets to join 

UNIBA prides itself on the supportive nature of every member. There is a highly interactive, deliberate and unhurried partner selection process that tests for professionalism, management quality and financial stability, as well as reputation in the market, client focus and cultural fit.

Peter Bellwood, Founder and Managing Director, says he was impressed with the rigour of the process.

"We are a Lloyd’s Broker, ISO 9001 certified with 25 years’ experience as an independently owned business, but we still had to go through a lengthy process to get accepted. Knowing everyone else has had to go through the same rigorous procedure gives you confidence in the partnership model as a whole.”

Looking forward to new opportunities

For Bellwood Prestbury, a UK and European based Lloyd’s Broker that specialises in high-risk international insurance, UNIBA offers a number of opportunities.

Firstly, many brokers that get requests for high-risk requirements from home-based clients don’t know how to make that happen. Bellwood Prestbury, with its long-established relationships with specialist syndicates at Lloyd’s of London and in other markets can create cost-effective tailored cover quickly and efficiently.

Peter Bellwood explains that membership of UNIBA Partners makes him comfortable offering this service to other brokers in the network:

“We constantly get requests from brokers who need help with high-risk cover, but because it is almost always individually tailored, it requires a level of trust in sharing access to a valued client that means solutions can become over-complicated. 

“As a member of UNIBA ,we have a mutual commitment to help other members and that will make the broker relationship much more straightforward. 

“With offices in London and Munich, we can offer high-risk protection for people, liabilities, assets and business risk, for clients virtually anywhere on the planet. The team and I are excited to see where this takes us.”

Collaboration made simple

In the other direction, Bellwood Prestbury deals exclusively with internationally focussed clients who often have insurance coverage needs outside of their home countries. Peter says UNIBA’s clever ‘Bundeling’ system will enable his team to find brokers with relevant experience quickly and easily.

“I can just put an enquiry out to the network on the Bundeling system and anyone with experience in that market can pick that up. Again, having the membership commitment means that I start that process from an established position of trust and expertise.”

Meeting other UNIBA brokers for the first time

Peter’s first experience of UNIBA in action was visiting this year’s Worldwide Conference in Knocke, Belgium, and he was really impressed.

“There were really useful but diverse interactive sessions around things like AI, Cyber and brand management, panel discussions and a technology showcase. But the real value for me was in meeting other members. I was made to feel really welcome, found so much common ground with professionals from all over the world and I am now really looking forward to working with them over the coming months and years.”