WJA Member Spotlight: Brown & Brown
Company name: Brown & Brown
Company representative: Tom Davidson
Job title: Director
What services do you deliver to the water jetting industry?
We provide specialist insurance solutions for any business undertaking or connected to the water jetting industry
Based on a lot of the points made below we are proud to work with the WJA and delighted to be able to offer members of the WJA a 10% discount on their insurance premiums commissioned with us, which are already set at competitive rates.
What new service developments should we look out for from you in the next year or so? Ones you can tell us about!
We have our own exclusive policy for water jetting – we are constantly reviewing and enhancing the cover we can provide to ensure it is the best available on the market. We can also work with our customers to include covers they may require and protect against areas that are causing them the most concern.
What are the three most important elements of service delivery for your water jetting customers and why?
We listen to what you want and what matters to you, so that what we then present back to you is what you’ve asked for.
We work hard to understand your industry as much as we understand ours – so that we can give you trusted advice and recommendations to consider.
We say what we are going to do, and when we are going to do it, then we deliver on it.
What have been the business highlights for you over the last 12 months?
Traversing smoothly and successfully from First Insurance Solutions into Brown & Brown has been important our team. –First Insurance Solutions was a respected name across the industries we work with.
After we changed the name to Brown & Brown, we’ve wanted to reassure everyone that the same team of people are available as before, and the same expertise and service, backed by core values and beliefs in what we do is still very much in place.
Tell us something that you think anyone outside your industry will find surprising about your products and/or services – and why?
Not all insurance policies are made equal, and likewise neither are all insurance advisors. Our products (insurance policies) are truly specialist and have been tailored for the industry we are working with using our years of industry experience.
Combined with this is the fact that our advisors specialise in specific industries and trades and they work as hard on understanding your industry as we do our own, including going on WJA training courses, attending and supporting industry events and engaging with industry stake-holders to improve the awareness, understanding and reputation of the industry overall.
What’s the biggest change in technology or process you have witnessed in your service sector in recent years?
The insurance industry is still relatively traditional in its approach. However, the use of AI and the wider application of call centres is something that cannot be ignored. We believe that every business is different and therefore we take the time to understand what matters to you and ensure that each quote is personalised.
What do you think will be the biggest changes or challenges for your water jetting customers over the next 10 years?
Changes in technology are an obvious go to – the use of remotely operated machinery, the use of drones and the use of apps. There are consequences here for insurance cover in terms of the value of the equipment being used increasing.
Covers like “Cyber”, to protect data and digital assets from hacking attacks, which may have been over-looked previously, are becoming more prevalent for all businesses, including contractors. This is an area in which Brown & Brown has strong expertise.
What are you most proud of about the way your team supports your water jetting customers?
It’s the understanding and knowledge that always pleases me most about our teams’ engagement with the industry. They talk in a way the customer can understand, and they relate to a customer in their terms. This knowledge and expertise is everything we stand for as a specialist insurance provider, and is not something a competitor can copy overnight.
How long has Brown & Brown been a member of the WJA?
We changed our name to Brown & Brown in April 2026 – prior to that you would have known us as First insurance Solutions – we have been members of, worked with, and supported the WJA for over 15 years.
Why did you decide to join the WJA?
Initially, it seemed like a good promotional idea. But once we started to work with the WJA, including attending events, like the AGMs and the WJA Trade Shows, we realised that a lot of what the WJA stands for in terms of industry safety, standards and training have a perfect synergy with our own aims.
Ultimately, what the WJA strives for and stands for, improves understanding of business risks and lowers claim costs, which is good for everyone concerned.
What advantages do you get from being a member of the WJA?
We are able to back-up what we say and it re-enforces our position as a true “specialist”. As a service provider, we believe we need to embed ourselves wherever we can in the industry we are working with, knowing the insurance aspect is only half the job in our opinion. Being part of the WJA gives us insight into what is happening in the industry and gives us a better understanding of it.
What do you think are the WJA’s key achievements?
The main achievement of the WJA is the continuous work it does to promote higher standards of work practices, including, most importantly, the safety of the operatives in the front line.
In my mind, the key achievement of the WJA has been to prevent many potentially harmful incidents from occurring, while improving operational safety so untoward incidents are increasingly less likely in the future.
Why is it important to have a member organisation for the water jetting industry?
The activity of high pressure water jetting can be highly hazardous in terms of its potential to go wrong and cause severe injuries or even fatalities. Through the WJA, people with knowledge and understanding can be heard, and pro-active, practical steps can be taken to reduce these risks.
What key issues do you think the WJA should focus on over the next three years, and why?
There is no doubt in my mind, the WJA should maintain its focus on safety standards and, most importantly, the health and well-being of operatives.
Promoting the water jetting industry to increase awareness of its importance will also, in turn, have specific advantages, such as encouraging younger people to join the industry. This will help improve the industry and protect its interests into the future.
Environmental issues are also of growing importance. The WJA is in a strong position to promote operational standards that minimise the environmental impact of water jetting activities.
If Brown & Brown were an animal, what kind would it be?
Being part of a large American business, we have this question covered! In the United States, B&B refers to the qualities and performance characteristics of the cheetah. The big cat is fast, agile, strong and has clear vision.
That definitely describes how we strive to provide specialist insurance support for our water jetting customers.
If any water jetting specialist wants to put that to the test, we’d love to discuss how we can meet your insurance needs. And remember, WJA members receive an extra 10% off already excellent rates.
Tom Davidson
Commercial Director
Email: Tom.Davidson@BBrown.com
Tel: 01634 961073