We meet Fionnuala, who shares her journey into agricultural underwriting and how a flexible, risk-led approach helps brokers spot wider opportunities and deliver solutions that genuinely fit their clients.
What first attracted you to agricultural underwriting and ERS?
I came into ERS after 11 years at a mainstream private lines motor insurer, where I worked across several different areas, including customer service, renewals, complaints and mentoring. That journey gave me an excellent insight into customer behaviour, and how various business functions such as underwriting, pricing, accounts and claims all interconnect.
Before building my career in insurance, I’d always planned a very different path. I love languages and learning about different cultures. This led me to study French and German at university and I then went on to spend two years abroad teaching. When I came back to the UK, I fell into insurance and quickly realised that I loved the challenge of assessing risks, solving problems and providing excellent customer service.
At ERS, underwriting is far more tailored and objective. That’s a huge benefit for brokers and far more engaging for us as underwriters. Instead of rigid automation, we look at the actual risk in front of us. Agriculture is the perfect example; no two risks are ever the same. One day it might be a small glamping farm, the next a diversified estate, or even a zoo. It allows us to deliver flexibility, informed conversations, and solutions that genuinely fit the client.
What do you enjoy most about working at ERS?
I love the culture. Before I joined, I’d heard about the company through a school mum who spoke so highly of how solution-focused and flexible ERS is, and she was absolutely right. It’s a company that genuinely encourages you to think outside the box, use your judgement, and focus on finding the right outcome rather than the easiest one. On top of that, the people are incredibly friendly, supportive, and career-focused, with a vast knowledge, which creates a progressive environment where you’re trusted to grow and to do your best work every day.
What misconceptions do brokers often have about agricultural insurance?
The biggest one is thinking it’s just farms. In reality, if there are agricultural vehicles involved, there’s often scope for us to look at it.
We regularly help brokers with risks they might initially think are “fringe”, including estates, safari parks and golf clubs to name a few. Once brokers realise the breadth of what agricultural underwriting can include, it opens up far more opportunities within their existing books.
What’s the most interesting risk you’ve written so far?
Farm diversification is endlessly interesting. From beekeeping and honey production to solar energy, holiday lets, and even weddings, farmers are incredibly innovative, especially with the pressures they face with market volatility, climate change and rising costs.
Because I have friends who work in farming as well an Irish agricultural background, these types of risks really resonate with me. That insight helps brokers too; it means that we understand the real-world challenges their clients face and can reflect that in the cover we provide.
And what do you like to do outside of work?
I’ve got a very energetic sheepdog called Bryn, and most weekends will find me on the Gower Peninsula taking him on long walks. I feel very lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world! I’m also a big rugby fan (South African born, Irish passport holder, living in Wales, so I have plenty of options on who I can support!), and Sunday mornings are usually spent watching my 12-year-old daughter play scrumhalf in the local rugby team.
