Three years after forming their own association, Bermuda brokers have committed to assist the insurance and reinsurance sector in its efforts to market the Island abroad.

Newly appointed chairman Roy Fellowes this month signed the Bermuda Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers Association on as a supporter of the Bermuda Insurance Development Council. The IDC is the body charged with promoting the Bermuda Market around the world.

While other members of the insurance sector have long been involved with the IDC?s marketing efforts through their own associations, BIRBA?s late start stems from the fact that the association only formed in 2003. Mr. Fellowes said, however, that BIRBA?s 35 member companies have come to a realisation that the interests of the brokerage community are closely aligned with the interests of the IDC.

?The drive for all of us is to get business into Bermuda and good quality business into Bermuda. We want to maintain what we we?ve got and we want to grow that business,? said Mr. Fellowes.

?We spend a considerable amount of time and effort getting out and trying to attract business into Bermuda which obviously is the same goal as the IDC,? he said.

BIRBA recently handed over a cheque to Roger Gillett, chairman of the Bermuda Insurance Development Council.

?We?re excited by that but we don?t just want their money. We want their intellectual capabilities and professional capabilities,? he said, adding that the new relationship will concentrate on ?making the pie bigger for everyone?.

?Everybody individually has their own jobs, so they will get the largest slice of the pie they can get and they must continue to do that.

?But we have to work as a team from time to time to make sure we are getting the pie bigger,? he said.