F.B.D HOLDINGS PLC

1. F.B.D HOLDINGS PLC Lydia S. McCabe

2. Introduction • The company I have done my research on is FBD Holdings plc. • They are one of Ireland’s largest property and casualty insurers, looking after the insurance needs of farmers, private individuals and business owners. • They operate around Ireland and in the EU.

3. Background and History • FBD Holdings was founded in 1969 by a group of Irish farmers. • They set it up for the purpose of providing insurance for the agricultural business. Soon after FBD expanded and began to broaden their consumer market. • Now it has over 40 years of experience in insurance, and over 500,000 loyal and satisfied customers.

4. Business Structure • FBD is a public limited company which operates mainly in Ireland but also within the EU, particularly in Spain. • The company headquarters are in Bluebell, Dublin, with 34 branch offices throughout Ireland. • The company currently employs 905 people. • The current Managing Director is Andrew Langford who was appointed in 2008 and has been with the company for 16 years.

5. Products/ Services • FBD Holdings provides insurance and financial services. They provide a wide range of insurance packages from car, home, business, farm, life and serious illness coverage, commercial vehicle insurance and motor fleet insurance. • Also the company has hotel and leisure interests in Ireland and abroad. It has the Tower Hotel and Faithlegg House in Waterford, and Castleknock Hotel and Temple Bar Hotel in Dublin. In Spain it owns the Sunset Beach Club and La Cala Resort. • You can visit your local FBD branch for a consultation and they will give you a quote that best suits you.

6. Marketing and Promotion • FBD has always made its target market the farmers in Ireland. It is Ireland’s largest insurer to the agricultural-sector. FBD’s original aim was to provide insurance to farmers, as this service was unavailable elsewhere. • Its main competitors include Irish Life and Permanent PLC, Hibernian General Insurance Ltd., and Aviva PLC. • The company has a vibrant, welcoming website that is informative with the data presented clearly and simply. The bright colours lead to it being very attractive than other insurance websites and it would entice you to read through the site. • They set up stalls at shows throughout Ireland like the Ploughing Festival. • FBD still has a strong hold on the Irish general insurance industry. They offer a longer and better looking track record than other companies. There are not many dangerous risks involved, they say that they will provide you with a safe investment and a dividend at the end of the year. . “Keeping our promises” “Great value for all”

7. Finance • I think that FBD is profitable and would be worth investing in. • It is a safe company and due to the large importance given to agriculture in this country, it is doing well. • Shares are currently wavering around 11/12 euro.

8. conclusion • I think that maybe I will invest in this company as part of my Share Portfolio, it appears to be a safe option. • FBD shares have overall been increasing as they have had a very good year in 2012 and made a good start in 2013. • They have performed on average better than most of their competitors, apparently due to the continuation of the first half claims performance. • I have learned quite a lot about insurance and business in general from doing this project.