Admiral: insurance experts protecting customers and staff

In March 2020, as Covid first hit, UK financial services and insurance company Admiral’s response was to stay true to its values and concentrate efforts on doing what it believed was right for all its stakeholders. It decided to focus on three things: protecting the safety and wellbeing of colleagues, helping customers and supporting its local communities.

Admiral’s top priority was protecting colleagues from both the health and financial impacts.

It was able to pay salaries even for those unable to work from home for whatever reasons. And from June to September 2020 employees could take leave for any hours they were unavailable to work at a rate of 80 per cent of their usual salary; the company did not use the furlough scheme.

Communication was key and the company adapted to suit a newly remote workforce. UK CEO Cristina Nestares recorded a weekly video from home for colleagues, focusing on wellbeing, homeworking and pay, and giving an insight into her own working from home experience.

Bespoke lockdown mental health courses were introduced, as well as online wellbeing initiatives including mindfulness, yoga, drawing, music and choir sessions.

And the company ensured camaraderie continued, with Fun Friday emails, The Great Admiral Art Off, Tune in Tombola and its Ministry of Fun (MOF). There were remote baby showers, birthday parties, film clubs and music playlists.

Support for customers was also crucial. As most people stopped driving during lockdown, car and van insurance customers benefited to the tune of £110 million in total through the Admiral Stay at Home Refund – a £25 refund automatically given to all customers for each car and van insured, a total of 4.4 million vehicles.

More than 9,000 customers received help from Admiral’s key worker initiatives. NHS and emergency service workers were offered a free courtesy vehicle if their vehicle was stolen, undriveable after an accident or declared a loss, and motoring claim excess fees waived.

NHS staff were given a breakdown cover upgrade, and offered a 75 per cent discount from Admiral’s temporary insurance brand, Veygo. Customers struggling with monthly payments were supported throughout.

Donations totalling £6 million were made by Admiral

Donations totalling £6m were made from Admiral’s Covid-19 Support Fund, including £2m to an insurance industry-wide charitable effort orchestrated by the Association of British Insurers. Funding went to the NHS, charities, schools, nursing homes and support groups in South Wales, and £100,000 to the Wales Coronavirus Resilience Fund through Community Foundation Wales.

As a proud Welsh company, the Support Fund helped communities local to its offices in Cardiff, Newport and Swansea. This included providing school equipment, delivering medical supplies and PPE, sourcing tablets for care homes and donating meals to hospitals.

Over £250,000 was donated to 16 charities which had lost out on regular event fundraising, including Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale, St David’s Hospice, British Heart Foundation Cymru, Royal Voluntary Service, St John’s Ambulance and Alzheimer’s Society. The company also donated to The Big Issue to help its efforts supporting vendors impacted by the crisis.

Wales Air Ambulance, Tenovus, Ty Hafan, Noah’s Ark, Mind and Velindre benefited from £20,000 to cover donations from colleagues who had intended to raise funds through events that were cancelled.

Over 300 colleagues took part in the Admiral Stay at Home Half Marathon in May 2020, raising £16,000 for the Intensive Care Society, matched by the Covid-19 Support Fund. Two further Stay at Home Half Marathons have supported Ty Hafan and Admiral colleagues in India, where the company employs over 700 people.

A £1m donation was made to UNICEF to tackle the devastating impact of Covid in India, providing access to oxygen therapy, testing, training for health workers and medical equipment.

In these turbulent times, Admiral rose to the challenge and maximised its unique culture and position in its community to do the right thing.

If you’d like to find out more about Admiral, or see what job opportunities are available, visit admiraljobs.co.uk