GZplus0518_Gesamt_ohneRuecken_ENG

tradition & institution
Schwardt Versicherungsmakler
“We seek
to achieve
close customer
proximity”
Schwardt Versicherungsmakler does not offer any off-the-peg solutions and
instead focuses on tailor-made concepts. The company has branches in Düsseldorf,
Idar-Oberstein and Pforzheim. Peter Schwardt, head of the Idar-Oberstein office,
explains the role of this location.
GZ: What do you associate with Idar-Oberstein
as a location?
Peter Schwardt: The town of Idar-Oberstein
is renowned far beyond the local borders
for its jewellery and gemstone industry.
Our office in Idar-Oberstein was
established in 1997, shortly after the company
was founded. As a specialist insurance
broker for the jewellery and gemstone
sector, we immediately recognised that
there was a high demand for advice from
the industry based here. And that remains
the case today. Direct, personal contact
with our customers on-site is important
and we are committed to this. In connection
with this, we also play an active role in
a range of associations and attend the local
Intergem jewellery and gemstone trade
fair, among others. We are committed to
this sector, thanks to our excellent connections
and we see great potential for the future
too.
Has your close proximity to the sector
enabled you to devise your own products?
Of course. Unlike insurance agents, as insurance
brokers we can draw up our own
contracts tailored to the individual requirements
of our customers. Our close proximity
to the associations and the industry
means that we are constantly adapting our
offering to the new challenges. The environment
is always changing. So our product
is not static and is constantly evolving
too. We keep our eye firmly on the requirements
of the industry. We know what our
customers need and what insurers maybe
do not offer. Idar-Oberstein is always a
source of motivation because lots of companies
operate at a global level from here.
These global players enable us to look beyond
the German industry and constantly
come up with new ideas. We also support
our customers at foreign trade fairs in order
to understand their daily business. We
want to constantly improve and offer solutions
which are perfectly adapted to our
customers.
Why does the industry need such special
solutions?
We operate in a high risk environment with
a high market value. A standard insurance
contract cannot cover these special requirements.
We design products which
cover all risks and provide the goods with
protection cover wherever they are: from
the gemstone mine to the display window
and during transport, at trade fairs, in a
safe, in a suitcase during transit etc.
Have the risks increased?
The absolute number of incidents has fallen
again. But the number of spectacularly
dramatic events involving violence has unfortunately
increased. This is reflected by
the statistics.
What distinguishes you from other
suppliers?
In our view, there is no other broker on the
market operating like we do, which understands
and intensively manages the customers
as well as we do. Certainly there
are no contracts as individually adapted to
the customer as we offer. Our service is defined
by the fact that we cover all these
aspects. We insure against risk and advise
our customers to avoid risk. We also offer
prevention training and show travellers
how they can protect their goods securely.
Our topics include mechanical and electronic
protection for shops and production
and commercial facilities. We are a service
provider which solves problems, whatever
the nature. The insurance is only there as
protection in the worst case scenario.
How far does this individual service go?
We offer comprehensive security concepts
from the outset. Our customers come to
Photo: Herbert Piel
062 GZ plus 05/18