Blue Insurance has announced plans to create 100 new jobs for Dublin over the next two years.
Minister for Health and local TD, Leo Varadkar, as well as Ministers of State Simon Harris and Gerald Nash were present at the announcement of Blue Insurance expansion plans, at the company’s offices in Blanchardstown on 3rd July.
Ciaran Mulligan, Managing Director, Blue Insurance, stressed how proud he was of Blue Insurance achievements to date. The company has grown from three staff in 2003 to 45 currently, with plans to grow to 145 within the next two years. Despite the recession, Blue Insurance has grown rapidly, with a turnover last year of €21 million, 50% of that coming from the UK market.
“Innovation, competitive pricing and excellent customer service are the hallmarks of our business,” said Ciaran. This is reflected in the company’s growth and expansion story whereby customers in Ireland reached 160,000 and 200,000 in the UK.
Initially Blue Insurance sold only travel insurance. The portfolio now consists of car hire excess, pet and wedding insurance and, just recently, the addition of home and motor insurance. Ciaran pointed out how the travel industry was still “an important part of our continued growth” with Multitrip.com now being a ‘household’ name. Blue Insurance launched innovative products, such as travel disruption cover, during the volcanic ash crisis. It is now transforming how customers buy home and car insurance, with new two-year insurance policies.
Blue Insurance plans to expand into personal lines and international insurance markets. It is launching more niche products in Australia this year and has plans to enter into the US and UAE markets over the coming years. Ciaran Mulligan has set a “growth objective of over 50 million turnover in the next couple of years”.
Gerald Nash TD, Minister of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, said it was a “significant occasion for the insurance and financial services industry in Ireland”. He recognised the support given by Enterprise Ireland and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, which are eager to support “innovative high-performing companies”. It is important that government agencies support business such as this, in order to fulfil the ambitions of “full employment by 2018”, he added.
Simon Harris TD, Minister of State at the Departments of Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, said it was important not to get lost in statistics, and how 100 people who do not have a job today will now have one, thanks to Blue Insurance.
Leo Varadkar TD, Minister for Health and local TD, said it is “an impressive achievement for any company to triple its workforce”. He also pointed out how this success is indicative of the recovery that is happening across the country.
