Expert profile - Tim Boryer, Senior Underwriter at Maven Public Sector

What is your role and where do you work? 

I joined Maven Public Sector (MPS) in April 2023 as a Senior Underwriter after a lengthy career break. I previously worked in insurance for over 20 years within in medical underwriting, then subsequently property and casualty underwriting for both public transportation risks and public sector risks.  

What is your expertise, specialism or main area of interest? 

In the few weeks I have been with MPS I have been getting to grips with how the public sector has evolved during my time away from the industry. I have previously been involved with both the property and casualty side, although I am most interested in the casualty side of things. Getting out and about and meeting with brokers and our insureds to fully understand the risks we are involved in is also something I enjoy.  

Is there a particular aspect of your work you are interested in or passionate about? 

I am passionate about fighting the corner for the insurance industry to educate, inform and provide creative solutions to emerging issues. Those of us working within the insurance industry sometimes underestimate the value to society insurance can provide. This is certainly even more the case with the public, who often view the insurance industry in a negative way. It can be a hugely positive influence in protecting and educating the public and organisations in terms of emerging risks. It is also a powerful force for keeping the population safe by mitigating risks in all aspects of everyday life. Look at how employee health & safety has undergone a transformation for the better over the last few decades for example, and no doubt saved many lives and prevented many injuries. That is in no small part to the industry that we are part of, and we can be rightly proud of our role delivering this benefit to society.   

What are you working on currently?

I have been dipping my toes in gradually at MPS while getting used to all the systems, procedures and culture of the organisation. The brilliant team at MPS have been fantastic mentors and I have been genuinely impressed by how the team work together and support each other through day-to-day challenges.   

I am starting to work on a large consortium of police forces on the casualty and motor lines. Apparently, I need to undergo ‘police vetting’, which sounds scary, but I am assured I won’t be interrogated under a spotlight in a dark room!   

What topics and trends are emerging? 

We live in a world that is constantly evolving, and we need to be aware of current and future emerging trends. These include increasing claims costs due to inflation, natural disasters, climate change and more and more complex claims. On top of this, rising regulatory costs have been steadily increasing in recent years. Technological changes may have a significant impact in terms of the rise of artificial intelligence. Customer expectations are changing as well. Customers are rightly demanding a more personalised service, more transparency, and more control over their policies. We need to be ready to respond.  

During the time I was away from the insurance industry there have been many developments and associated legislation to impact the industry. Notably Solvency II, the Insurance Act 2015, Brexit, GDPR, COVID-19, and the war in Ukraine. The insurance industry has readily adapted to the many challenges and has provided solutions and guidance to our clients and customers at every stage.  

The dreadful events at Grenfell Tower have been of particular significance to the property and casualty insurance market in the public sector. A whole raft of legislation such as the Building Safety Act 2022, the Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Fire Safety Regulations 2022 have had far reaching implications on how tall residential building owners must dramatically step up their risk management, with further responsibilities. Changes have also been made to the degree to which the manufacturers, installers and testers of cladding and associated materials can be held responsible in terms of their negligence.  

We should always be on the lookout for new threats and exposures. The risks facing the public sector property and casualty insurance market never stand still. Who knows about Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete?!