A nationwide membership organisation representing hundreds of clubs was losing confidence in its insurance arrangements.

The cover in place was a standard, off-the-shelf policy that failed to reflect how clubs actually operated. Many routine activities fell outside scope, forcing clubs to rely on frequent one-off policies to plug the gaps. This drove up costs and created unnecessary administration for both the central team and individual members. The underlying problem was a lack of understanding. The incumbent broker had not taken the time to grasp the breadth and occasional higher-risk nature of the clubs’ activities. As a result, the policy was restrictive, inflexible and poorly aligned to real-world use.

The financial consequences were also significant. Because the broker was paid on commission, the steady stream of additional policies generated substantial extra income for them — and little incentive to challenge the status quo. The organisation later described feeling like a “cash cow”. Money raised through member subscriptions was being diverted into avoidable premium spend, rather than reinvested into clubs, development programmes and local communities.

As frustration grew, so did the burden on the organisation’s head office. Time that should have been spent on strategy and member support was increasingly absorbed by insurance complaints and queries. Confidence in the programme was eroding.

Following a broker review, Bartlett was appointed to address these concerns. Our starting point was simple: understand the risk properly.

We carried out a detailed review of clubs activities and the existing policy, then worked closely with the incumbent insurer to restructure it. The aim was to tailor a policy that flowed logically, reflected how clubs actually operate, and to remove the most problematic gaps. This immediately made the cover more workable.

At the first renewal, we went further. We undertook a market review with insurers who had the track-record in insuring similar organisations and negotiated cover on a much broader basis.

The impact was immediate. The need for mid-term additional premiums fell sharply, and the routine purchase of separate policies for standard activities was virtually eliminated. Members saw a step-change in clarity, consistency and practicality. Supporting the membership was central to our approach. Shortly after the new arrangements were in place, we hosted a national online webinar attended by around 250 club officials from across the UK. Held outside normal working hours for the convenience of club members, the session walked through the cover in plain English, explored real-world scenarios, explained risk management expectations, clarified the claims process and addressed live questions in detail.

This was not a one-off exercise. It set the tone for a more transparent, supportive relationship that continues through further webinars and ongoing engagement with both clubs and the central team. Rebuilding trust in insurance also meant addressing how we were paid. We moved the basis of earnings from commission to a transparent fixed-fee. For the client, this marked a clear reset. It reinforced that our interests were aligned with theirs: focused on the quality of cover and advice, rather than the volume of transactions.

The outcome has been transformational. The membership now has far greater confidence in the insurance arrangements. Clubs understand what is covered, HQ can focus its time on strategic initiatives instead of fire‑fighting insurance issues, and financial pressures have eased thanks to the significant reduction in unnecessary premium spend. The client consistently describes the relationship with Bartlett as a partnership, in marked contrast to the transactional approach of their previous broker. Our willingness to go above and beyond—whether through national webinars, day‑to‑day support, policy refinement or collaborative problem‑solving—has reinforced that relationship.

Today, Bartlett continues to work closely with the organisation, supporting them with club queries, governance matters and the annual education of members. The insurance programme is no longer seen as a burden or a source of frustration but as a stable, reliable and well‑managed policy that enables clubs to operate confidently and deliver for their communities.