Every well-organised fleet story starts the same way: with an audit. It isn't a project that drags on for weeks – two documents and one conversation produce a status picture: what you have, what's missing, what needs doing. This article walks through the process step by step, so you know exactly what to expect.
- The audit starts from two documents: the current vehicle list and the claims history.
- The process: gathering data → a conversation (20 minutes) → analysis → a status picture with a to-do list.
- The result stays yours – with no obligation; any follow-up (tendering, tidying up) is a separate decision.
- The audit is free of charge: the insurer pays the broker's commission, and I don't charge for the advice.
Step 1: the two documents
The vehicle list is the picture of your fleet: registration number, category, age, usage, casco status, roles (registered keeper, lender). If you don't have a ready-made list, that's not a problem: using the template, it typically comes together in an afternoon. The claims list is the picture of the past: the claims of recent years with their statuses – we request this from the insurer, as described in the claims-record article. Without these two documents, all you have is an opinion; with them, you have facts.
Step 2: the conversation
Twenty minutes, by phone or video call: alongside the lists, we cover the context – what the company's plans are (growth, replacement, a new line of business), what's causing pain right now (premium, administration, claims), and what the constraints are (budget, lender requirements). This is also where the borderline questions come up: premises, cargo, driver protection, machinery – as mapped out in the portfolio overview. The conversation isn't a sales pitch: I ask questions, take notes, and clarify.
Step 3: analysis and the status picture
Based on the lists and the conversation, the status picture takes shape: a comparison of the fleet against its cover (a gap? excess cover? an outdated level?), an assessment of the claims record (trend, structure, points to act on), the state of your processes (adding/removing vehicles, claims process, documents), and the market position (when the fleet was last put out to tender, and what to expect). The result is short and fit for a decision: status plus a to-do list, with priorities. This document is yours – even if there's no follow-up.
Step 4: the decision – and what comes next
Based on the status picture, the company decides: what to sort out in-house (the list, the claims process, deductible principles), what to take to market (tendering at the renewal), and what to knowingly leave as it is. If tendering follows, the needs assessment and the quote comparison table are the next stop; if it's a switch, the schedule in the binding-and-switching article applies. The key is the order: picture first, decision second – never the other way round.
What makes an audit good? Three criteria
Many people promise an audit – but quality can be measured against three criteria. The first is a factual basis: a good audit works from documents (the list, the claims statement), not impressions. The second is honesty: a good status picture also states what's fine as it is – where every single line reads “urgent action needed”, what's been produced isn't analysis, it's a sales pitch. The third is usability: the end result is fit for a decision – prioritised, reasoned, and in the company's own language. My audits are built on these three criteria; and the status picture always stays yours, with no obligation attached.
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