A business founded in 1993 with its first office in Westbourne has officially become a Top 50 UK insurance brokerage.

A-One Insurance Group (AOIG) now has ten offices across the south, including Dorchester and Westbourne.

It moved to its current headquarters in Ringwood in 2015.

The company, headed by Founder and MD Ian Penfold, has grown through mergers, partnerships and acquisitions over the past 28 years.

It now has around 150 industry experts, providing cover for clients seeking everyday personal and business insurance through to business risk management.

AOIG also offers bespoke schemes including marine, aviation, laundry, blocks of flats, healthcare and cyber liability.

Ian, pictured left, said: “What we offer as an independent has been our core strength and continues to allow us to respond to client requirements with industry-leading services – it’s also far more personal.

“We take great pride in a client-focused, jargon-free approach.

“Clients benefit from individual and dedicated account handlers to manage their policy along with our in-house claims department to manage their claims.

“Clients are looked after personally, every step of the way.

“Not only has the business grown as we approach three decades, but equally, so has the knowledge and skillsets of our staff.

“80 per cent of our client-facing staff are fully qualified with a Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) Level 3 Certification, with the remaining 20 per cent actively working towards it.

“This is something that we are really proud of.

“Being an independent broker has given us the freedom to react and respond to the ever-evolving industry requirements.

“Most importantly, it means our staff are not restricted to the insurers we have available, providing real choice of cover, service and suitability for our clients.

“That is something that will continue as we plan the future direction of the business, which is an exciting position to be in.”

Successful acquisitions, mergers and partnerships carried out by AOIG over the years include P J Aiken, Badbury Berkeley, Concorde Insurance, Aspire Insurance and McComish Insurance.