Business health insurance specialists Equipsme has appointed Claire Ginnelly as a non-executive Director, continuing to build governance strength and steering insight on the Board as the MGA continues to scale-up.
Claire Ginnelly is a seasoned health insurance professional, having held senior leadership positions across insurers, intermediaries and advisory businesses. Most recently, she was Managing Director of Premier Choice Group, where she successfully led the business through a period of significant growth and its subsequent acquisition by Global Risk Partners.
Claire has also been Head of Distribution at Simply Health and Groupama Healthcare, and served more than a decade as Vice Chair of the Association of Medical Insurers and Intermediaries (AMII). She has also been an early and influential voice on women's health in the workplace.
She joins Chair Stuart Reid and fellow Non Executive Director Andy Morfey on the Equipsme Board, as it moves into a new phase of growth with its middle-ground health insurance plans - sitting in between more traditional cash plan and PMI products.
PMI-lite for wider, uninsured workforces
Reid says: “I’m delighted to have Claire as part of the team - not least because she is such a highly experienced and well-known leader in the health insurance industry. There is little she doesn’t know about the market, landscape, products, services, customers and brokers. Her knowledge, challenge and vision will be essential in helping us shape Equipsme over the next 5 years.
“What Equipsme does is unique - a PMI-lite solution with practical benefits that is still cost effective enough to work for wider, uninsured workforces. We’ve gained significant traction in the market in recent years, and we’re growing fast. As a Board our job is to manage that growth responsibly, capitalising on opportunities without sacrificing the quality and customer care we’ve become known for. I can’t think of anybody better placed to help us do that than Claire.”
Health insurance for people who never thought they’d have it
Claire Ginnelly said: “It’s wonderful to be joining the team at Equipsme at such an exciting time. I’ve followed its growth from its launch in 2018 with great interest, and I believe deeply in its mission to widen the footprint of PMI, and bring health insurance to people who never thought they’d have it.
“Over the last 30 years, I’ve seen firsthand how health insurance can transform health outcomes, improve lives, and bolster business performance. Extending it to skilled workers at every level of an organisation just makes sense, and what Equipsme is doing in terms of wider workforce cover makes sense, too. It’s already changed how many businesses are looking at health insurance, and in doing so is helping change the market for the better. I’m very much looking forward to working with the Equipsme team to maximise on the momentum they’ve built.”
British Insurance Award wins
Last night, Equipsme won Equipsme won not one but two Awards at the British Insurance Awards -– named both Best Employee Benefits Insurer of the Year and Best Insurance Employer SME.
It’s recognition of how far the company has come, how well the products and services are working for clients, and how it’s looking after its own people, too.
Matthew Reed, Equipsme’s Chief Executive, said: “The Best Employer Award is particularly special to me. It’s awarded based on the feedback of a company’s employees – and I’m really humbled that everyone at Equipsme took part and really championed not just what we do but also how we do it.
“When we set out to do PMI differently, we also set out to do it our own way. We think good people are the key to everything we do, and we go out of our way to make sure we support them. At the end of the day, it’s about giving people the respect and trust they deserve. Because if you’ve recruited right, they always pay you back - with interest.
“We’ve been looking to further strengthen our Board for some time now, but finding the right combination of expertise and culture isn’t easy. Which is why I’m so delighted to welcome Claire to our team - and to be able to tap into both her deep knowledge of the sector and her enthusiasm for what we’re doing to contribute to it.
“Her experience spans commercial strategy, distribution, governance, leadership – and business development. Throughout her career she has been a passionate advocate for the broker market and will be a huge asset to the team as we continue to strengthen our broker relationships.
“Most importantly, she is a strong believer in building great teams and businesses with a clear sense of purpose – which is very much us. I can’t wait for her to get started.”
About Equipsme
Equipsme plans are designed to help UK businesses respond to the key causes of sickness absence, and support employees with the early diagnosis and treatment of illnesses. Benefits available include virtual GP services, physiotherapy support, preventative health checks and gym discounts, plus private specialist diagnosis and treatment cover.
Broker partners include Aon, Brown & Brown, Howden, Gallagher’s, Mercer Marsh Benefits and Willis Tower Watson, with clients ranging from large energy firms like UK Power Networks and EDF, through to manufacturing businesses, schools, hospitality chains, and charities.
Notes to editors:
About Equipsme
Equipsme set out to do PMI differently, equipping teams with employee health insurance plans that work hard for the wider workforce. We occupy the middle-ground between traditional PMI and cash plans, working with forward-thinking, people-first businesses to provide practical benefits which can help directly address the main causes of sickness absence. www.equipsme.com
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Date published: 14/07/2026
