What you can expect as an NFU Mutual Agent?
Join us as an Agent and you’ll develop and manage your own insurance sales business, selling and introducing a wide range of insurance and financial products. From car, home and contents to commercial products for the business sector and risk management services, you’ll have a diverse portfolio to recommend from. You will also offer services to rural and commercial customers to ensure that their professional insurance where customers will be able to utilise our in-depth sector expertise and local knowledge of their business environment to meet any individual needs. Last but certainly not least, you’ll lead your team by inspiring example, ensuring that targets are met, service is exceptional and regulatory compliance is complete.
Relationship development and management
To ensure that your Agency flourishes, you’ll need to ensure that a customer first approach is utilised at all times in line with the values and beliefs of NFU Mutual. You’ll inspire your team to exceed expectations on a day-to-day basis, though you’ll retain certain key relationships – such as large businesses (commercial and farming) accounts – yourself.
Defining and delivering business strategy
A key part of your role will be mapping out the future activities of your business into a strong plan – the ‘keystone’ for the future growth of your Agency. To succeed you’ll need to articulate these plans well, so that every member of the team is aware of your Agency’s short, medium and long-term objectives, so they can help you plan and deliver them. Commercial acumen and a strong understanding of sales and team management as a whole will help with this.
Realising sustainable profitable growth
NFU Mutual has enjoyed sustainable success since its inception over a century ago. Why? Because we’re observant, adaptable and committed to meeting the needs of our members. You’ll need to assume these values, by cross selling on life products and risk management services you’ll supplement your general insurance business and you’ll boost your income delivering better service to your clients.
Managing your team, your budgets and your business
Becoming self-employed is an incredibly exciting proposition, and it comes with new responsibilities. You will be responsible for team management, contracts, budgeting, expenses and plus all tax matters. Of course, we’ll point you in the right direction, though the final responsibility will need to sit with you, so you’ll need to be prepared to deal with these elements of the business with the support of your accountant and solicitor.
Staff management and development is also a major element of your role. As an employer you’ll need to make sure you nurture your team, and ensure that standards – and targets – are met. To help you with this, NFU Mutual provides a Training and Competence scheme and on-going consultancy support.
Working in a regulated environment
NFU Mutual is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the PRA. This means that as an NFU Mutual Agent you’ll be working in – and managing – a regulated environment. The Agency you operate on NFU Mutual’s behalf is known as an ‘Appointed Representative’ which means that it is your responsibility to ensure that all people in the agency including yourself work to all relevant regulations and standards of compliance.
For you to be eligible to sell NFU Mutual’s range of insurance, you’ll need to become an Approved Person (APER) – someone who is approved to perform a controlled function for us, the Appointed Representative. We will help you obtain this status, applying on your behalf to the FCA. During the process we will need to prove that you meet criteria for authorisation (the fit and proper test) and can comply with the standards required in carrying out your controlled function (the Statements of Principle and Code of Practice for Approved Persons).
