Who is An Post Insurance? Shining a Light on the People Powering Our Company

Who is An Post Insurance? We want to shine a light on the people powering our company; the friendly voice on the end of the line, providing the advice & cover you need.

An Post Insurance is powered by people just like you, living and working in villages, towns and cities all over Ireland.

We’re human about insurance and that means being on the journey with you, throughout your different life stages and during these extraordinary times. We travel the same roads as our customers and share the same experiences, sitting side by side with them on the train, at the cinema, or in the stands at Croke Park.

Whether it’s arranging Life Protection or insurance for your car or home, our team has been there, and done that. We’re not based in a remote office on the other side of the world: we’re right there with you, in the midst of our communities, in good times and in bad.

That’s why we want to shine a light on our people and show you who we really are. We’re that helpful voice at the end of the line; the person with the advice you need, the cover you deserve and the bit of banter you can expect from a company that’s at the heart of Irish life.

All Hands on Deck

We’re all living in unprecedented times right now, and extraordinary situations call for extraordinary efforts. Over the last few months, our people have been manning the phone lines from all over the country, supporting customers and clients as they navigate through their changing circumstances.

Hugh is normally based in the post office in Mullingar but works from home for now. “We’ve more hands on deck in terms of phone interactions as some customers can’t come into a branch, while others mightn’t be comfortable online,” he says.  Family life is a bit hectic, as he lives with his wife, four children and his elderly father and manages a small farm around his office hours. Recently, an existing client wanted to buy public liability insurance for his land, and Hugh drew on his farming background to help: “We got chatting, he explained what he needed, and I was able to offer a suitable package based on our range of products.” Hugh is philosophical about the changes in his work and our society: “Life is a series of chapters, and this is just one of those chapters,” he says. “Soon, we’ll be onto the next one.”

Like lots of people, Sales Representative Anne Marie has been balancing working from home while looking after her little girls, aged two and three. She speaks to customers every day, but she misses the chats and catch-ups in the office too: “It’s a bit of a cliché, but we really are a big family in An Post Insurance,” she says. “You’re not just a number in here; everybody has your back, and everybody looks out for each other.”

With You on the Journey

Our team is proud to have served their communities for more than two decades, travelling alongside their customers as they move through the gears of life. “Many families have followed me through my career in insurance,” Hugh says. “I’ve really built up a relationship with them, getting to know them, their children and their household needs.”

Over the years, he’s met customers from all walks of life, in every stage of the journey. He’s spoken to people from the country to the coast, and every city in between. He’s advised new drivers, gap year travellers, third-generation farmers, first-time buyers, expanding families and older relatives making plans for the future. He’s even arranged engagement ring cover along the way - although his proposal was limited to the paperwork! He sometimes meets the next generation too, when they come to him to insure their own car - they’re usually thrilled to be on the road with a company they know, and we’re delighted to be along for the ride.

“We see people of every generation,” agrees David, who joined the company in 2012. “From young couples in their twenties looking for mortgage cover all the way to the over-seventies who want to talk about our Funeral Plans.”  For Dermot, who’s based in Sales and Renewals, the best part of the job is the interaction: “I enjoy the conversation with customers, particularly with life insurance, as you really build up a rapport. Often my customers who take a mortgage protection policy will come back for family cover, so we deal with them on an ongoing basis, depending on their needs at that point in life.”

Making Life Easier

Many of our customers enjoy visiting the post office:  they can have a chinwag with the staff and say hello to familiar faces.  A great feature is that An Post Insurance has dedicated areas and special phone lines available in many post offices for customers to speak to us about insurance^. Instalments can still be paid over the counter at post offices, as well as online, which is appreciated by customers young and old.  My clients know I’m still available, says Hugh, If I’m not in branch, I’m only an email or phone call away.

“A lot of people are happy to visit us in our branch offices, many of which are located within post offices”, David points out. “We’re not an enormous organisation based out of Los Angeles. We’re local and always available to help.” 

Our customers also value the one-on-one interaction the company offers. “One lady I spoke to was stuck overseas, but her home policy had expired, and she was worried,” Anne Marie explains. “It took a bit of time, but I resolved her situation and now she has my name so she can deal with just me rather than lots of people. It’s not a 9-5 role - if the call comes in at 5pm, we don’t rush the customer off the phone, we’ll stay as long as it takes to make sure they’re looked after.”

Customer Sales Representative Jessica understands how life has changed for people: she was due to travel to Tokyo this year with her father, who’s a Paralympic athlete, but the trip was unfortunately cancelled. “I can see that our customers’ plans have been altered and their needs are evolving. We have to adapt to that; some aren’t driving any more, while others are moving home.” Many of the people she speaks to are over 70, and have been with us since 2000, or even before. “They like staying with us and we do the best we can for them.”

Insurance will always require a certain amount of paperwork, but we understand that some people might struggle to fill in forms online or send documents from home. “We do as much as possible to make the process easier, and more streamlined,” Hugh says. “We just want to make interacting with us as easy as possible.”

Putting Technology to Work

These days, we’re all about innovation, as the company evolves to better serve new customer needs and digital advances. “Insurance changes on an almost monthly basis, between technology, products and regulations, so we’re very used to adapting,” notes David.

He points out that he does a lot of business over the phone or through emails, as well as using Docusign for digital signatures. This really benefits our modern, globally mobile customers. He recently helped a couple on the West Coast of America, who split their time between the United States and Ireland. When it came to insurance, they wanted to deal with an Irish company, and trusted the An Post Insurance brand name.

There were a few logistics to manage: David had to liaise with US doctors, manage an eight-hour time difference, and organise digital signing facilities. He took it all in his stride, though. “We’ve implemented new technology to help us serve customers at home and abroad,” he says. “This means we can help someone down the road or across the Atlantic.”

Proudly Personal

Here at An Post Insurance, we’re proud to be different. We’re a modern, future-focused company, with a personal touch. Our people are just like you: juggling childcare, supporting elderly relatives and even staying on top of football training.

This year has been challenging for everyone, but we’ve adapted and embraced new ways of serving our communities and are excited about a bright future ahead. We’re on that journey with you, wherever it takes us, from 1999 to 2020 and beyond.

----

^Due to COVID-19 An Post Insurance has made the decision to temporarily close our branches so that our staff can work from home, in compliance with Government recommendations and more importantly for their own safety and the safety of their families.

All the information on this blog is published in good faith and for general information purpose only. While An Post Insurance makes every effort to ensure that the information appearing on this blog is accurate and complete, it does not make any warranties about the completeness, reliability or accuracy of this information, whether express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. Any action you take upon the information you find on this blog is strictly at your own risk. An Post Insurance will not be liable for any direct, indirect or consequential losses and/or damages in connection with the use of, or action taken in reliance on information contained in our blog.

Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of An Post Insurance. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites and if you click on links to these websites you will be subject to the terms and conditions of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.

An Post Insurance Home Insurance is arranged and administered by An Post Insurance and is underwritten by Aviva Insurance Ireland DAC

An Post Insurance is a tied agent of New Ireland Assurance Company plc for life assurance business. Life assurance policies are underwritten and provided by New Ireland Assurance Company plc. 

An Post Insurance Small Business Insurance and An Post Insurance Farm Insurance are both underwritten by AXA Insurance DAC.