Account Handler

**Working hours**:35 hours per week, Monday to Friday

**Duration**:Permanent

**Location**:Newcastle (hybrid working of 2 days working from home per week available upon successful completion of probation)

**About the role***:
**Lycetts Insurance Brokers**, who are proudly part of **Benefact Group**, are looking for 2x **Account Handlers** to join our Rural or Small Business Unit teams within the **Newcastle** office.

Lycetts is a well-established independent insurance broker with a focus on farms, estates, and other rural businesses. We also offer bespoke financial services, high-net-worth household coverage, commercial and bloodstock insurance and risk management advice.

As an Account Handler within our Rural or Small Business Unit teams, you will play a crucial role in maintaining strong relationships with clients while contributing to business growth through proactive engagement. The role has authority to deal with insurers and clients as required to transact business.

Joining our rapidly expanding and innovative Group presents a fantastic opportunity to develop your career and become an integral part of an inclusive, purpose-led organisation.

**Key responsibilities***:

- Prepare renewal schedules and proactively reach out to clients before renewal dates, ensuring compliance with industry regulations.
- Handle incoming new business inquiries promptly and prepare customised quotations for potential clients.
- Use your negotiation skills to explore alternative quotes and find the best solutions for clients well in advance of renewal deadlines.
- Manage all documentation, including invoices, credit notes, and other paperwork, ensuring a seamless renewal experience for our clients.
- Identify cross-selling opportunities within our client base and collaborate with colleagues to maximise revenue.
- Work alongside our dedicated Claims Handler to provide efficient claims handling support when needed.
- Prioritise client requests and strive for satisfactory outcomes, building strong relationships with our valued clients.
- Adhere to compliance procedures, FCA guidelines, and maintain organised file management.
- Foster positive relationships with insurance companies, ensuring smooth communication and efficient service delivery.
- Monitor delegated authority under agency agreements and maintain an effective credit control system.
- Operate an effective credit control system and report as required

**Knowledge, skills and experience***:

- Good organisational ability
- Previous broking experience preferably specialising in farm & estate, household and liability insurance
- Knowledge of wide range of commercial insurance products and companies
- Experience in obtaining quotes and placing business
- Confident communications skills - both written & oral
- Good negotiating skills and the ability to build good relationships with both clients and insurers/underwriters
- Sound knowledge of FCA requirements within a broking role

**What we offer**:

- Hybrid working available upon successful completion of probation
- Employer pension contribution of 5% rising to 10% after 5 years membership of the pension scheme
- Annual Bonus scheme (Discretionary based on individual and company performance)
- Life Assurance cover up to 4 x salary
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (rising to 26 and 27 for 5 and 10 years’ service respectively)
- Career development opportunities with funded support and financial incentives for all professional qualifications.

**About us***:
**The Lycetts group**has over 60 years’ experience of providing a comprehensive range of insurance, risk management and financial advice to a broad cross section of commercial and private clients. We strive to be a trusted adviser to our clients and are proud of our continued high client satisfaction scores.

**Benefact Group** is a unique international financial services Group made up of over 30 businesses. We are owned by a charity and are currently the UK’s 3rd largest corporate donor, having given away £200 million since 2016. We have ambitious plans to become the UK’s number one corporate donor, with strategic objectives in place to double the Group’s size.

We believe it’s essential to attract, empower, grow and reward talented people, offering fantastic opportunities for career and personal development. Our giving ethos, 135-year history and the diversity of what we do, has enabled us to build a culture of kindness, great ambition, and of passionate people driven to do better and be better.

**_ If you need any additional support during the recruitment process, then please let us know._