A Belfast insurer has won a major award for its work with the five-storey Bullitt Hotel in Belfast after it suffered a major fire in March last year.
Willis Insurance and Risk Management (Willis IRM), received the Major Loss Award for expert insurance services at the recent British Claims Awards in London for enabling the ‘prompt restoration’ of the venue.
Bullitt Hotel, owned by the company behind the Merchant Hotel, Beannchor, has 74 rooms and a selection of indoor bars and restaurants.
When the fire broke out in March 2022, there was significant smoke contamination which caused damage to the various levels of the building, particularly the rooftop and resulted in spoiled furnishings, fixtures, and kitchen equipment.
Following the fire, initial projections estimated that the hotel could be closed for up to 14 months with expected significant weekly financial losses.
The Willis IRM specialist team, appointed by Allianz and working alongside McLarens proposed a plan of action which would result in the reopening of the business in four and a half months and a full reopening in six and a half months.
Mark Willis, claims director at Willis IRM, said: “We are absolutely delighted to win the Major Loss Award at this year’s British Claims Awards, which highlights the success of our team's efforts to get the Bullitt Hotel back up and running as quickly as possible.
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“With an expert team made up of claims specialists we are always highly involved when it comes to handling a client's claim and the Bullitt Hotel was no different — we were on site on the day of the fire to assess the damage and engage with the owners to instigate the restoration process."
James Sinton, group finance director at Beannchor, described the brokers’ work during the restoration process as “outstanding” adding: “It therefore comes as no surprise that Willis IRM has received the Major Loss Award at the British Claims Awards.”
