Charlie Viola, Partner, Pitcher Partners Sydney has announced a joint venture partnership with leading risk specialist practice MBS Insurance that will provide comprehensive protection solutions and consulting services for clients and business owners.
The JV will be marketed as Pitcher Partners Sydney Insurance Services (PPSIS) and Pitcher Partners and MBS clients will have access to the collective expertise, insight and experience of a network of leading insurance practitioners, business consultants, industry experts and specialists that will operate under the new structure.
Commenting further on the announcement, Charlie Viola said Pitcher Partners has a well-deserved reputation as one of Australia’s leading and premier client focussed business advisory firms that is constantly refining and adding specialist services to address the needs of clients.
“The importance of insurance protection in any business undertaking or wealth creation aspiration cannot be underestimated. However, insurance and its myriad of variations, options and offerings is highly complex and care needs to be taken to ensure that the correct product and offering is utilised to address each and every individual requirement”, added Charlie Viola.
“Contrary to many of the advertisements that proclaim insurance can be purchased online or over the phone as a ‘one size fits all solution’ – this is not the case in reality, especially for HNW professionals and business owners”.
Adding his voice on behalf of MBS Insurance, Kris Mason said although the number of product providers in the Australian marketplace has become concentrated the sheer volume of offerings and complexity between standalone insurance products and offerings inside superannuation has quite frankly become bewildering for those outside the advice sector.
Pointing to superannuation as one example, Kris Mason said group insurance has not kept pace with consumer expectations and pricing has also risen dramatically over the last few years – in some cases it has more than doubled. “Many superannuation clients are simply not aware of the terms and conditions of their fund that can be changed by the Trustee without reference to the member.
“PPSIS will be able to provide clients with a detailed review their insurance and advise if the cover is appropriate to their needs and expectations”.
MBS Insurance is headquartered in Sydney and was started in 2006 and is headed up by Kris Mason, Trevor Shipton and Drew Burden. Over the years it has grown steadily through adherence to the highest standards of best practice and dedication to develop a focussed and specialised business infrastructure to provide a comprehensive risk offering to clients.
Today, MBS has three advising partners and two non partner advisers that are supported by an internal operational model and staff that ensure all clients receive exemplary service and attention.
Independence of institutional influence has always been a priority for MBS and this underpinned the decision to join the highly regarded non-aligned national risk specialist licensee Bombora Advice to further separate product from advice – and this has enhanced its highly regarded reputation in the independent sector.
A further benefit of being part of Bombora Advice is access to the group’s network of Australia’s leading risk insurance advice practitioners who work collaboratively in a collegiate environment to share insights, experiences and the latest industry developments.
“Today clients face complex challenges in an economy that is constantly changing as the result of new legislation, technology and commercial pressure. Through our shared initiative PPSIS, Pitcher Partners and MBS will be able to offer a specialised service platform to address the insurance needs of clients by providing our collective experience, knowledge and insight in these times of change”, said Charlie Viola and Kris Mason jointly.