Last month Sixth Formers Sophie R, Steffi H, Charis R, Emma L and Rebecca L were invited to visit Lloyd’s of London. Sophie and Steffi report back.
“Lloyd’s of London is better known as just Lloyd’s and it is an insurance market located in the City of London. The architecture was striking and took eight years to build.
We toured round the 3 main insurance floors and we were told about the complex history as well as about how the company functions. On the first floor there is a bell that was originally rung whenever a ship they insured went down. However now it is only rung on special occasions e.g. a royal birth, or really bad news. Also on the first floor is the loss book which for 300 years has had entries of significant losses entered by a quill. Our tour guide, Dominic, an insurance broker, explained both his job as a broker and the job of an underwriter and then the differences between them. He showed us real life examples of policies he has worked on, including insurance for an ‘X-Factor’ contestant’s voice as well as a Lady’s multiple properties and financial assets. We then went up to see the chairman’s meeting room on the 11th floor. It is an 18th-century dining room designed by Robert Adam in 1763. It was transferred piece by piece from the previous Lloyd’s building across the road at 51 Lime Street.
We really enjoyed our trip up to London and feel that it was very valuable for us, as Sixth Formers, to explore various careers paths and we are looking forward to possible internships and work experience in the Insurance industry. We would like to thank Dominic, our guide and we are very grateful that he could take some time out to show us round. We would also like to thank Mrs Edey, for accompanying the trip to London.”
