INDEPENDENT insurance group A-One says it is on course to record one of its best ever years following “significant” growth across all areas of the business throughout the pandemic.

The company, which operates throughout the UK but has most of its offices in Dorset and Hampshire and a head office at Ringwood, has added 40 people to its teams over the past two years.

Operations director Sarah Eades said: “Life insurance and protection has seen significant growth as you might expect in the pandemic, but that is not the only area.

“We have been expanding a number of our teams right across the business to manage the extra demand that we have seen”.

“Our financial year ends in March but we already know that this is going to be a very strong year for the group. We have smashed our targets inside the first nine months of the year and February and March are historically our busiest times of the year”.

The firm said it saw “steady growth” in arranged policies which is been largely driven by client referrals in the first 10 months of the year, and is set to exceed all targets by the end of the year.

A-one said recruitment had been a challenge as demand had increased, however, the hybrid model of working adopted by the company last summer had proved a popular incentive for new recruits.

Ms Eades added: “Our hybrid scheme only requires two days in the office each week in our main offices and we introduced that after a consultation with all of our staff.

“We are enhancing our office culture with an increased series of initiatives including organised work social events for different teams and the company as a whole to continue with our family approach, which would no doubt be reduced by Hybrid working.

“Providing our clients with the highest level of service is and always will be our priority, so too is the well-being of our staff. We are proud to recognise the work-life balance needs of our teams.”