Rural insurer Cornish Mutual has responded to its growing Membership in Somerset by opening a new, dedicated office for the county at the Sedgemoor Auction Centre.
The company, providing insurance exclusively in the Westcountry, is the first insurer to have premises at the new market, which opened in December 2007.
Cornish Mutual believes the busy centre, which has seen record sales since replacing markets at Taunton and Highbridge, is a very convenient place to meet the farmers and rural businesspeople that make up its core Membership.
Nick Howe, local insurance inspector for North Somerset, explains: "We're always happy to visit our Members, but sometimes they just have a quick query and, since they're at market anyway, it's handy to pop in for a cuppa or a chat.
"I've worked in the local dairy industry for over twenty-five years, and there are always plenty of familiar faces around on market days. Having the office here really keeps us in the heart of our community."
The auction centre's location, adjacent to the M5 at North Petherton, is almost exactly at Somerset's geographical centre, making it a useful base for staff serving both the north and the south of the county.
Philip Wilson, Cornish Mutual's senior inspector in Somerset, says: "I've seen our business among Somerset farms grow by 700% in the last few years, just by word of mouth, and I'm delighted that we can offer this extra facility for those Members.
"Opening a new local office is a big undertaking. It underlines our commitment to serving Somerset as a whole, and the county's farming community in particular."
