CLIENT: Alan Trent
As members of the same rugby club and running a successful company Alan Trent and Phil Bowden made a strong team, and their specialist glass business was flourishing when they booked a trip to the Rugby World Cup in France.
Over a corporate luncheon, another member of the club, Derrick Abbott, suggested that they review their business insurance cover. One of Derrick’s main recommendations was to retain an existing health policy that Phil had, but also to buy an additional policy to cost-effectively increase his cover. Despite being a rugby player, as a smoker with a history of tuberculosis, Phil had to undergo a battery of tests before his cover could be confirmed. Eventually, following several repeated tests, Phil’s cover was put into place.
Less than 3 months later, Phil was diagnosed with throat cancer. Despite having insurance cover, the insurer refused to pay out as his diagnosis was made within the policy’s 90 day stand down period.
Distraught at this news, the business partners turned to Derrick to see if anything could be done. Without hesitation, Derrick successfully argued with the insurer that the time taken to process Phil’s medical checks had unnecessarily delayed the policy being put into place, and the claim was paid out in full.
The Rugby World Cup trip also had to be cancelled, but there was a hitch here too. When Phil had completed the travel insurance forms, he hadn’t ticked the ‘pre-existing conditions’ box. This time it was Scott Sheridan who came to the rescue.
With encyclopaedic knowledge of insurance policies, Scott knew that Phil and Alan’s business travel policy didn’t require such a declaration, and yet another successful claim was made.
Sadly, Phil passed away in December 2006, but despite losing his friend and colleague, Alan didn’t lose his business. The combination of business continuity policies, bought on the advice of the Abbott Group, meant that he could afford to buy Phil’s share of the business and continue trading.
A portrait of Phil Bowden has pride of place in the reception area at Bowden and Trent, and you can’t help but think how proud he would be of the success Alan has been able to continue to make of the business.
