Thomas Alston

Griffiths & Armour Professional Risks
Client Services Director

Following his graduation from the University of Liverpool with a degree in Business Economics, Thomas joined Griffiths & Armour in our Professional Risks Division in 2007.

His journey and time with Griffiths & Armour demonstrates the longevity of our personnel and our commitment to the progression of valued and talented individuals.

Thomas’ areas of responsibility on the Client Services Board are Claims and Risk Management. He possesses a specialist skillset and handles a variety of complex Professional Indemnity (PI) claims. With a breadth of experience across a diverse range of claims in a variety of industries and regions, his focus is on assisting clients through the claims process, whilst also supporting and educating our own team.

Thomas, why is the Griffiths & Armour claims proposition different?

I see our claims proposition as a key differentiator. In the unfortunate event that one of our clients finds themselves facing a claim, we have the expertise to provide guidance and support right away. Our in-house claims team is embedded across the business and what sets us apart from other brokers is our specialist knowledge of highly technical areas including construction, finance and law.

My experience is that we have always received extremely positive feedback from clients and insurers on the performance of our claims team, which is not a simple add-on but is actually an integral part of our overall proposition. As well as providing the necessary advice and support to clients when claims arise, we also engage with our broking colleagues to support their work on the placement of the insurance programme and the provision of ongoing risk management.

I think that is a key aspect of our overall proposition. We are not just providing an insurance policy to our clients, we take a much more holistic view and work closely with them to help manage their professional liability exposure.

How has the formation of the Client Services Board benefitted clients and Griffiths & Armour?

The Client Services Board is a forum that allows us to focus exclusively on client service and to draw upon the varied experience and skill sets of each Client Services Director. We work with different clients operating in different jurisdictions, with our own perspective on how to continually improve. All companies have a Board, but I’m yet to come across a fellow Client Services Board in the insurance broking sector that is purely dedicated to enhancing the client experience.

12 months in, I feel we are already making positive changes based on feedback from Board members and the wider business. A prime example is the work we’ve been doing to refresh and enhance our risk management offering in a way which I feel is going to deliver significant benefits to all Griffiths & Armour clients.

What do you hope the impact of the Client Services Board will be?

At Griffiths & Armour, we pride ourselves on client service. The introduction of the Board is further proof of that and, as the business continues to grow, the Board will play an increasingly important role in delivering continuous improvement in that area. As a Client Services Director, I’m delighted to be able to contribute to and influence such improvement.

I also believe the Board is well placed to reinforce our positive culture and the values which have always underpinned how we operate as a business and how we engage with our clients. This is something that features prominently in many of the discussions we’ve had as a Board and is reflected in much of the work done by my fellow Director, Rhian Polglase, around our recruitment, induction and training programmes.

What have been some highlights from your career at G&A?

There is never a dull day in claims! Everyday we’re learning something new and I have certainly had the opportunity to work on many interesting and complex claims.

Whilst I enjoy the technical aspects of that, I think the real sense of achievement comes from helping clients through what can be a very daunting experience; hopefully relieving some of the stress that inevitably comes with any PI claim. At Griffiths & Armour, I’ve always felt fortunate to be part of a firm that understands the importance of that and the need for me (and the rest of the claims team) to be able to deliver the level of support our clients need.