Best Startup
Suited provides business insurance to self employed professionals and small businesses on a monthly subscription basis which is easy to change or cancel without any wait or extra charges. The limits or extent of the business insurance cover can be changed to follow the natural cycles of the business. For example it can be put in a ‘hibernation’ mode when things on the work front are quiet. The benefit is staying covered for less.
Tell us about yourself?
My background is multifaceted. My formal education is in all things horse racing. I grew up in the Czech countryside and when deciding on my further education I defied my parents wishes for me to go a local grammar college to prepare for a university. Instead I applied to the only horse racing college in the Czech Republic. I loved it and I loved my short lived but exciting career of a professional jockey.
However, I had life ambitions beyond winning races. I wanted to see the world, learn to speak another language, become financially successful and run my own business. Three years later with a heavy heart I’d left.
Not just horse racing, also the Czech Republic. I arrived in the UK in 1999 with very little money and no english. I worked my way up from being a day time student/night time bar mate to a vice president in one of the largest insurance brokers in the world. Having done a decade in commercial insurance I took some time out to think about the future. After a year or so of travelling I moved into e-commerce and insurtech, in some ways starting from scratch again as technology had been up this point passing me by. And then about two years ago I sensed it was the right time to fulfil my lifelong ambition to set up my own business.
I had the right mix of experience and contacts to create an innovative insurance offering aimed at small business owners. The group of customers who, due to the small level of premium and lack of insurance experience, often end up with mediocre service, too many hidden charges and substandard products.
If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
One day at a time, one problem at a time. I wanted to quit so many times along the journey and just get another 9-5. But focusing on just one issue and solving it before looking at another actually provides a little boost to tackle the next step.
What problem does your business solve?
Suited has been built with the small business owner in mind. The kind of person who gets often caught by the insurance web, its small print, data mining and unreasonable fees.
Business insurance isn’t as complicated as some insurance providers like to make out to justify their hefty commissions and additional fees.
Suited asks a small number of relevant questions before offering a price and only gets personal when a customer is prepared to buy. Suited insurance is offered on a subscription basis which is easy to change or cancel anytime without extra charges.
What is the inspiration behind your business?
My own past. As a contractor having to buy business liability insurance I was continuously disappointed with the market offering. I thought it was time I did something about it.
What is your magic sauce?
Like any good recipes, ours has a few ingredients. We sell insurance on a subscription basis requiring no long term commitment. This is really useful to those only just starting in business. Our quote journey is succinct and easy to navigate for our customers, even those with fear of technology. The price is fair, upfront and same every month.
We focus on professional indemnity and public liability insurance which are legal protection covers. As such our customer service and the claims experience are paramount. Our call centre answers the phone in seconds, the products are backed by an A+ insurer and an experienced legal firm ready to defend our customers when they face a legal threat.
What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?
We want to be the provider of choice for contractors, freelancers and small business owners. We’re currently focusing on customers in non manual professional sectors but we want to extend our services to other industries and earn a reputation of having the best customer service.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
Haha, where do I begin? The barrier to entry in insurance is very high – finance, technology, regulations and compliance are the major obstacles.
The insurance industry is by definition very conservative, it doesn’t like to innovate, nor does it like startups – too risky. It took us a while to find an insurer that was willing to take on our vision.
How do people get involved/buy into your vision?
We encourage small business owners, freelancers, contractors to give Suited business insurance (https://www.suited.insure/) a go. It’s super easy to get a price without handing over any personal info and compare us to their current deal.
We’re available on 0117 927 5355 from Mon to Fri to answer any questions. We would also like to work with membership organisations, websites and associations who share our customer base and are always looking to create a better value for their members/visitors by offering exceptional business insurance solution with a tangible social conscience. The best way for an organisation to get in touch is to contact us via our form (https://www.suited.insure/contact-us)
