Trentham Monkey Forest
“Adam from Konsileo has really taken the time to get to know us, and he genuinely cares about the business. That’s what you want from a broker – not some anonymous contact you only ever hear from at renewal time.”
Trentham Monkey Forest is based in Staffordshire, set in ancient woodlands as part of the historic Trentham estate. The UK’s largest free-range walk-through enclosure, they’ve trusted Konsileo and local Client Director Adam Ashworth to secure their insurance for the last six years.
Director Matt Lovatt explains: “The idea behind Trentham Monkey Forest is to give people the closest encounter they can get with wild monkeys in their natural habitat – without getting on a plane.
“We’ve got three social troops of Barbary Macaque monkeys – an endangered species in the wild – on around 60 acres of land. Unlike a normal zoo our visitors actually walk through the enclosure with the monkeys – which as you can imagine is a rather niche risk to find insurance for!
Public liability
“Not only do we need top notch public liability cover, but we also need specialist insurance for our monkeys as our chief asset, and for our fencing – 2km of heavy duty 12-14ft steel, set 4ft into the ground and designed to keep monkeys in and everything else out.
“On top of that we also have all the risks and insurance requirements of a normal tourist attraction, including cover for things like our play areas and catering facilities, as well our a small fleet of electric vehicles.
“The good news, according to Adam, is that we’ve got a great 20-year track record for health and safety and risk management – so at this point we’re actually a pretty good bet for an insurer.
“I’ve known Adam for years now, and not only is he a great broker but he’s also a really nice man. Even more importantly – he’s a regular visitor to the Monkey Forest with his family! He’s really taken the time to get to know us, and he genuinely cares about the business, as well as our research and conservation work. That’s what you want from a broker – not some anonymous contact you only ever hear from at renewal time.
Fighting our corner
“Adam was there fighting our corner with insurers during Covid, there for us when we had to claim for a broken-down freezer in our café – and there for us making mid-term adjustments to cover our new solar panels, as we continue to become as green an operation as we can be.
“When he took over our account he actually walked round the park checking what was covered and to what level. He even spotted that we were missing Directors & Officers cover – something I wasn’t familiar with but am personally incredibly grateful for, as I’d have been left in a very vulnerable position without it.”
The Monkey Forest is one of Adam’s favorite clients, so much so that Konsileo sponsored a new sculpture by a local artist which now sits at the entrance of the monkey enclosure.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Konsileo for sponsoring our new sculpture,” Matt says. “It’s been the icing on top of the fantastic service we get from them, and it’s proving to be a really popular photo opportunity for visitors.
Recommendation
“I’d definitely recommend Konsileo – and Adam in particular – to any other business. He does a very good job for us, and we’re very happy. We know he’s always looking out for our interests, maintaining a really great relationship with our insurer, and that he’ll have our backs when the chips are down. You can’t ask for more than that.”
