Despite having no background in the world of art, Tim spends his work life helping museums, art collectors and dealers to protect valuable paintings and sculptures against accidents and damage.
Despite having no background in the world of art, Tim spends his work life helping museums, art collectors and dealers to protect valuable paintings and sculptures against accidents and damage.
Tim has worked for Hiscox, a leading insurance company, for four years but his route into the art world was an unconventional one.
He studied Economics with Spanish at The University of Birmingham and wanted to live and work in a multi-lingual environment, so he got an internship with Admiral in Seville. “I loved working for Admiral but the work was very much about car and home insurance for individuals, so when I thought about a career in financial services, my initial thoughts went down the well-trodden path of banking.
“But because I had insurance on my CV, I got a call from a recruiter who explained to me about the London market, the types of large and complex risks it works with, and I saw that insurance was much broader and more interesting that the bit I had seen. Every day you hear something on the news that affects our clients and touches your work.”
Tim’s lack of any formal background in the art world has not posed a problem in the development of his career. “At the end of the day, art is an asset which has a value. Understanding the analytics of what you might charge for a policy and what it covers is the important part. Things like what the piece is, where and how it is being displayed and whether it is being moved are all key considerations.”
“Art is both dynamic and quirky” continued Tim “which means that there is always something new to learn. It is also a global business which give plenty of opportunity to travel. I have been to Australia twice over the past twelve months which is not something I expected at all.”
Tim, supported by Hiscox is also cracking on with his professional qualification, looking to pass the exams to achieve the Advanced Diploma in Insurance through the Chartered Insurance Institute. “There is a lot that is technical about what we do, and you need to get to grips with that, but it is also incredibly social and you build great relationships with your colleagues and also brokers and competitors.”