A warm Polish welcome to… Robert Kurzac
13 january 2017
In Poland, Riskonet’s team has become twice as strong. Leszek Golachowski’s new colleague is Robert Kurzac, loss prevention engineer. “Riskonet’s Polish clients can count on Leszek and myself for consulting services in customization of fire systems and risk reduction.”
Who is Robert Kurzac?
“I am a mechanical engineer. For more than 17 years, I have been working in the area of insurance loss prevention and risk engineering. I started in November 1998 at Gerling Polska; later I joined PZU, Poland’s biggest, state-owned insurer. After that I worked for AXA and Allianz, where I cooperated with their global risk engineering networks, servicing international clients in Poland and Eastern Europe.”
What is new and challenging in your job?
“This job offers lots of client-oriented activity. When I was working for the insurance companies I was more focused on risk assessment – the main target was to check the client’s risk exposure and ‘improve’ it to the acceptable standard. Working for clients means we recognize the risk exposure and start a dialogue with them. We help manage the potential hazards in the most convenient way, while providing knowledge regarding the best available solutions. We truly assist clients in their decision and implementation processes.”
Why should customers in Poland consider working with Riskonet?
“Riskonet is a unique company that utilises experience from strict insurance and broker activities. We are very familiar with insurance requirements, but also with available solutions. The insurance market in Poland is relatively new – services like professional consulting are still developing. The certification in areas such as fire protection is voluntary and the quality of services varies. Riskonet is a very competent partner for clients during both investment and operation processes in this area. With the help of our international team, we offer Polish clients truly global knowledge and experience.”
What makes the business of risk management so interesting?
“This can a very rewarding business, especially when clients recognise risk improvement proposals as reasonable and sensible. I have had several cases in which I had suggested quite costly proposals regarding upgrading of fire safety, that got fully applied.
I remember a discussion with the owner of a small printing firm in southern Poland about sprinkler protection. First I had to correct his view of sprinkler protection and provide him with basic information about how it works, what the protection limitations are and how such investment in fire safety can be recognized by his clients. We had an intense discussion about the high investment – but in the end, I had convinced him and the site was fully sprinklered.
This case convinced me that clients in Poland might be interested not only to buy an insurance policy (preferably the cheapest) but also to discuss safety measures. It showed me that clients expect substantial support in the area of risk management consulting.”
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