We are delighted to welcome Max Warren Watson into the Schemes & Affinities team here at ERS. Max is no stranger to the world of delegated authorities and niche schemes, and he is bringing with him a wealth of experience, enthusiasm and broker relationships that will help us continue to grow this specialist area.
Career journey & motivation
After eight years specialising in the schemes and delegated authorities’ arena at another insurer, Max joined ERS in early 2023 to widen his expertise within our Agriculture team.
Now, his move into the Schemes & Affinities team marks a natural return to his roots, and a perfect opportunity to put his specialist experience back into action.
“I have always had a real interest in specialist vehicles and niche risks, and being a huge petrolhead, this line of work suits me perfectly. When I joined ERS, I deliberately stepped into the agriculture team to expand my own insurance market knowledge. From the outside, ERS always struck me as forward-thinking, tech-driven, and strategically focused competitor, so I was excited to be part of that. The Agri team was a great fit, but when the opportunity came up to return to the scheme’s world, it felt like the right step for me.
I have always stayed in regular contact with the team over the past few years - in fact, Alan was always competing with me for broker’s support. Now it is great to be collaborating with him and the rest of the team. I am looking forward to reconnecting with brokers who know me from my previous roles, as well as being keen build new relationships in this space.”
Transferable skills
Max’s underwriting background spans both commercial and personal lines, and his Agri experience has given him exposure to a wide variety of vehicle types and specialist risks.
“My holistic experience means I can bring a broader view to understanding risk profiles and if a risk is right for us. For example, I recently came across a quote where part of the brokers presentation included an agricultural fleet, because of my Agri background, I was able to quickly identify that this was something that the Agri team could support, and it is on cover with us already. That kind of crossover knowledge is valuable at ERS as we look to provide a solution for every specialist motor risk.”
Relationships with brokers
Relationships are central to Max’s approach, and he has already been reaching out to contacts old and new.
“I have picked up the phone to some of my previous contacts and we have meetings in the diary to see how ERS can enhance their offering and widen our distribution. Brokers will hopefully remember me as the same old friendly face who used to pick up the phone every day - just with a bit more experience under my belt now! For new brokers, I want to be approachable, open-minded, and ready to look at fresh ideas.”
Outside of work
“I like to keep active with a bit of running, doing Parkruns at weekends. I am also a huge fan of motorsport so I try to go to some of British touring car races at tracks around the country whenever I can. But mostly, I spend time plenty of time in the garden and sharing the sun with my sausage dog, Milo.”
