Established in Westbourne, Bournemouth by Managing Director, Ian Penfold in 1993, AOIG have grown through mergers, partnerships and acquisitions over the past 28 years.

Now headquartered at Ringwood, the group comprises of around 150 industry experts to provide cover for clients seeking everyday personal and business insurance through to business risk management.

They also offer bespoke schemes including marine, aviation, laundry blocks of flats, healthcare and cyber liability.

Ian reflected on the importance of being an independent broker, he said: “What we offer as an independent has been our core strength and continues to allow us to respond to client requirements with industry-leading services – it’s also far more personal.”

“We take great pride in a client-focused, jargon-free approach. Clients benefit from individual and dedicated account handlers to manage their policy along with our in-house claims department to manage their claims – clients are looked after personally, every step of the way.”

“Not only has the business grown as we approach three decades, but equally, so has the knowledge and skillsets of our staff. 80% of our client-facing staff are fully qualified with a Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) Level 3 Certification, with the remaining 20% actively working towards it. This is something that we are really proud of.”

“Being an independent broker has given us the freedom to react and respond to the ever-evolving industry requirements. Most importantly, it means our staff are not restricted to the insurers we have available, providing real choice of cover, service and suitability for our clients. That is something that will continue as we plan the future direction of the business, which is an exciting position to be in.”