Allied Westminster (Insurance Services) Ltd Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) registration number 308386. Allied Westminster is a profitable and successful business trading in the UK insurance market for nearly 20 years. We have an enviable track record, and our clients have been renewing with us year in year out, not just because we provide extremely competitive premiums, more we believe because of the unswerving quality of service we provide.

When you call Allied Westminster you will not be held on a call handling system, nor will any of your calls be handled off-shore. We are a totally British business, solidly based in the UK. All of our administration, policy management, claims handling, marketing, and accounts are handled at our Head Office in Yorkshire. Every single Allied Westminster employee is responsible for maintaining our quality standards. All quality criteria apply - without exception - to internal as well as external performance standards.

Clients can be assured of absolute top quality products and support. Although Allied Westminster are not insurers, we have our own branded policies underwritten by some of the most respected names in the United Kingdom insurance industry. We stand four square behind our clients to ensure that when the worst comes to the worst and a claim has to be made, we ensure that our clients are supported every step of the way.

Although through our broking activities we have access to a wide range of mainstream insurers and their products, we have specialised over the years in tailoring products to meet the requirements of our clients. We have acheived this through our own 'Fully Delegated' products, which we have developed in close partnership with major UK Insurers, not least Norwich Union and Zurich. While those companies act as our underwriters and product development partners, we have considerable delegated authority in terms of premium management, and all aspects of administration from new policy creation through to claims management. This means that our customers do not have to fight their way through major call centres, but rather can rely on the personal care and attention afforded by Allied Westminster. Two of the most prominent sectors in the development of our Allied Westminster branded and administered niche insurance products include VillageGuard for Village Hall insurance, and a packaged product of Professional Indemnity and Legal Expenses insurance for Pharmacists across the UK.

Village Halls, Good Management, and 'Social Respect' VillageGuard has been an extremely interesting sector for us. We have long regarded Village Halls as being a very attractive insurance risk, especially taken in absolute isolation from other 'community risk' types. We appreciate that Village Halls are generally very well managed, and being at the heart of rural and village community life they represent a level of social respect that many comparable buildings in the urban environment simply do not benefit from. Equally, we have extended our respect to the needs of Village Halls and their Trustees, a good example being our pragmatic attitude for the needs of alarm systems in village halls. If you are a Hall Trustee you more than most will be aware of the lack of respect and empathy that many insurers demonstrate by placing demands upon your village hall, not just to have alarm systems fitted as a requirement for their policies, but worse still an alarm that is connected to the police station. Most people living in a rural environment will know full well how pointless this is given not only the response time, but the lack of police proximity. Accordingly, unless there is a pressing issue in terms of a history of break-ins or a high perceived burglary risk our view is to leave the issue of an alarm up to the Trustees. Village Halls have few parallels in terms of management, care, and attention, and as stated above 'social respect' by the surrounding community. In addition to this Village Hall Trustees usually live in close proximity to the Village Halls, with all the benefits and comfort that provides to us in the provision of insurance cover.