Last month, we welcomed leading professional indemnity (PI) and construction insurance specialists, Bovill Risk & Insurance Consultants Pty Ltd (BRIC) to the Honan Insurance Group family. We thought this was a perfect opportunity to share more about BRIC’s Chief Executive, Chris Bovill, including what inspires him, the highlight of his career to date, and what he’s most looking forward to for BRIC in the year ahead.
You spend so much time at work – make sure you enjoy it! That’s my role – Manager of Fun.
Insurance was my first job, which I thought was only a summer vacation role. After deferring my Construction Management diploma at RMIT for two years, I realised that money in my pocket was far more attractive!
Outside of work I enjoy socialising with family and friends, visiting my weekender in Lorne, travelling the world (COVID permitting), playing grandad to my one and only grandson.
It had been my goal to establish my own business approximately 10 years prior to actually doing it. My father ran his own business, so the concept was not unfamiliar or worrying. An opportunity presented itself where Sedgwick (my previous employer) declined to participate in a venture where a guarantee had been provided by me to the Victorian Government that an alternative insurance market would be provided as part of the privatisation of the Housing Guarantee Fund. I decided to set up BRIC with the blessing of Sedgwick and their willingness to accept me back if it was not successful.
Whilst employed with Sedgwick (now Marsh) in 1986, I was appointed as the Account Manager for Comalco, Australia’s largest aluminium producer and at the same time to Mayne Nickless, one of Australia’s largest transport services provider. It was a fascinating learning curve!
More recently - selling the BRIC business into Honan’s, which crystalised the external recognition of what we have built over 25 years.
The introduction of the internet!
One of the most significant trends is the use of data analytics. Previously, a hard market meant it was hard across all lines of insurance. Now underwriters can pinpoint those classes that are causing them pain and respond accordingly.
At BRIC we have always strived to do more than other brokers when it comes to servicing the small to medium enterprise. This set us apart from those who treat their clients the same as processing meat through a sausage factory! We highly value our sponsors and our suppliers (Insurers). We have always maintained that without either, it would be so much harder to grow and survive.
The continued integration of BRIC into the Honan Insurance Group and being able to extend our expertise further to increase the recognition of the Honan brand throughout the industry as a leader in its field.
Choose smart people to work with you; listen to what they have to say, watch your cashflow and make sure you have fun along the way!