The Morton Michel Story

It was 1964, the times were changing. There was lots of energy and the excitement encouraged everyone to be enterprising. Kathy and David Beere were bringing up their young family. They had met when they both worked for a large insurance Company. By 1964 David, a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute, was fast progressing up the insurance business ladder. Kathy, on the other hand, had left the insurance company and was busy with her young family.
Until that time there had been very little provision for children under 5, but playgroups for preschool children were just starting to be formed and Kathy took her children to the afternoon session. Soon Kathy's involvement with her local group grew and the organisers were finding it virtually impossible to obtain insurance. The mixture of toddlers, water, paint and church halls sent shudders down the spines of most insurers. Because Kathy's husband worked in insurance, the owner of the playgroup that she was involved with approached her for advice. Kathy took the query to David who set up a specialised insurance scheme that was tailored to the needs of playgroups.

The small germ of an idea formed the very beginning of Morton Michel which, today, over 45 years later, is the market leader in childcare insurance with insurance provided to around 16,000 childminders and nannies, 8,000 nurseries / playgroups, 5,000 out-of-school clubs and holiday play schemes, as well as numerous other social and voluntary groups connected with childcare.

Morton Michel is still very much a family run business. Right from the start, all adult family members were involved: David, Kathy and David's mother Florence. In fact, the name Morton Michel was the combination of Kathy's maiden name and David's middle name.
The business enjoyed steady growth and David and Kathy began to employ staff. As their children, Nick, Samantha and Jerry, were growing up, they went into the office with their parents on Saturdays and during the school holidays to help with stamping envelopes and some of the typing. When Nick finished Business College he immediately wanted to join the family firm. Samantha and Jerry however, both went to university and initially sought other careers (Jerry a teacher and Samantha with the BBC) before the family firm proved too much of a magnet.

Today, Samantha, Jerry and Nick are all partners in Morton Michel and they work with a close-knit team of 30 staff members. Kathy retired from the firm in the year of the company's 40th anniversary 2004, but continues to be involved in various areas, such as the Nanny of the Year sponsorship and judging. And David retired as a partner in May 2005.