QBE to further test resilience plans – UK offices to shut on 18th March
QBE Press Release
At QBE, it is important that we are prepared for any eventuality, and this includes making sure our business is able to operate without interruption.
In response to the COVID -19 pandemic, we are escalating our contingency measures in case it becomes necessary to close one or more of our UK offices for the safety of our employees.
As such, QBE will be further testing the resilience of its business continuity plans by closing its UK offices on Wednesday 18 March and instructing all of our employees to work from home on this date only. A large proportion of our workforce currently have the ability to work agilely and to ensure the test is valuable we are asking our employees to continue their daily activities. By carrying out this exercise, each of us will be re-testing our personal circumstances and effectiveness of our business continuity plans.
For 24 hours on Wednesday 18 March (midnight-midnight), QBE will be closing all of its UK offices to conduct a stress test of all UK employees working remotely. This includes European Operations Headquarters in London as well as regional offices. During this time, no visitors will be permitted to our UK offices. To help test our resilience we would like to encourage our customers to keep scheduled meetings by conducting them virtually.
We do not expect any interruption to our services and our customers as a result of this test.
About QBE
QBE European Operations is part of QBE Insurance Group, one of the world’s leading international insurers and reinsurers and Standard & Poor’s A+ rated. Listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, QBE’s gross written premium for the year ended 31 December 2018 was US$13.7 billion.
As a business insurance specialist, QBE European Operations offers a range of insurance products from the standard suite of property, casualty and motor to the specialist financial lines, marine and energy. All are tailored to the individual needs of our small, medium and large client base.
We understand the crucial role that effective risk management plays in all organisations and work hard to understand our clients’ businesses so that we offer insurance solutions that meet their needs – from complex programmes to simpler e-trading solutions – and support them in minimising their risk exposures. Our expert risk management and rehabilitation practitioners focus on helping clients improve their risk management so that they may benefit from a reduction in claims frequency and costs.