Independent Insurance Broker

Ashbourne Insurance Services are a family run, Independent Insurance Broker, based in Hoddesdon and Cheshunt on the Hertfordshire & Essex border.

We have been established for over 25 years as an Independent Insurance Broker and are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Ashbourne Insurance Services provide a range of Business Insurance and Personal Insurance along with a claim advisory service.

As an Independent Insurance Broker we are free to search all the leading insurers to get cover tailored to your specific needs at a price to suit your budget.

Our staff build a relationship with our clients, ensuring they have the correct insurance they need, we also have great relationships with over 50 insurance companies and regularly negotiate better rates for our clients

Sarah Smits

I started work at aged 16 for a local branch of Barclays bank . At 18 I decided to branch out a little and went into the City of London and started working for American bank on the trading floor, collating facts and figures for the traders before the day began. I really enjoyed this time and met some wonderful people whom I am still very good friends with some 18 years later. In 1992 I was asked to join the family business and knew that I had to carve a career to carry on working while bringing up any children I would have. It was very important for me to try and have the balance of working and being there every day for my children.

At the age of 23 I started work at Ashbourne Insurance , learning all the ropes from the basic administration to selling of insurance polcies .My first child was born some four years later and I continued to work throughout my maternity. I was fortunate to be able to work from home and keep my hand in the business. I would juggle my hours around my husbands work and would often start work at 5am to spend the rest of the day with my child. Two years later I had my 2nd child , continued to juggle working from home and our offices and relied on family to help out with the children where necessary. This has been great for the childrens grandparents, aunts and uncles as they all have great relationships with their family and the family really feel part of my childrens lives..

Once my youngest child reached 2 1/2 I worked in the offices around the childrens school hours and again working from home to enable to spend as much time as possible with my children in their early years.

As the children progressed through their schooling my hours within the office increased. Now both children are at senior school and I work full time in the offices Mon-Fri and also have the ability to work from home during school holidays.

Whilst this is a challenge, my children have always had me around .This is good for both myself and my children.The children help around the house, its teamwork and helps them become more independent which is a good thing for their futures. They see their parents working hard to provide them with a comfortable lifestyle and enjoy nice holidays. This will hopefully install in them a good work ethic and they will be equally succesful in their chosen careers.

For myself it can be tiring, challenging but equally rewarding. I am proud to be able to continue to use my working experience for the whole of my career and I mix with many other women in business who juggle their home and working lives. I know in myself that I could not have stayed at home full time and am glad that I have continued to work whilst bringing my children up to the best of my ability and with the support network around me

Ashbourne employs mums in a similar position on a full and part time basis. I think my experiences have enabled my business to be sympathetic and flexible with their family needs. They work incredibly hard whilst they are at work and I am sure they appreciate the option of working close to their homes and their childrens schools.