How Our Guard Works

Protection built differently

Our Guard provides protection tailored specifically for customer-owned financial institutions, offering three distinct structures that combine institutional-grade insurance with member-owned mutual protection.

Member Owned

A Mutual Shaped by Its Members

Our Guard Mutual is owned by and governed for customer-owned ADIs. This structure aligns decision making with member interests rather than shareholder profit.

Member Voice

Member representation ensures  institutions have a say in how the mutual operates.
  • Member representation
  • Voting rights on key decisions
  • Transparent governance

Aligned Interests

Decisions prioritise member outcomes, not external shareholder returns.
  • Member-first approach
  • No profit extraction
  • Shared risk philosophy

Long-Term Focus

Sustainable protection built for the future of customer-owned banking.
  • Stability over short-term gains
  • Reinvestment in members
  • Generational thinking

Three protection structures

Different risks require different protection approaches:
Mutual Risk Protection, Insurance Only  or both depending on the exposure.

Insurance + Mutual

Financial Lines

Combines traditional insurance with mutual support to reduce retained exposure and improve how losses are managed.
Includes:
  • Directors & Officers
  • Professional Indemnity
  • Crime

Insurance Only

Cyber

Standalone cyber insurance tailored for customer-owned ADIs, where traditional insurance provides the most effective and immediate response.
Includes:
  • Data breach response
  • Business interruption
  • Cyber extortion
  • Third-party liability

Mutual Risk Protection

ISR & Mortgage Impairment

Delivered through the mutual, supported by reinsurance, where shared risk and member alignment can improve outcomes.
Includes:
  • Property / ISR
  • Mortgage Impairment

Insurance

Insurance provides the core risk transfer within the Our Guard model — delivering structured and reliable coverage for larger and defined loss events.

It sits within a broader member-focused solution, where the mutual layer manages retained exposures by reimbursing deductibles and supporting smaller loss events.
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Structured Coverage

Clearly defined policies that provide predictable protection against specified risks, ensuring regulatory compliance and peace of mind.

Experienced Partners

Supported by established insurance partners, including Lloyd’s of London, with deep financial lines expertise.

Governance

Clearly defined insurance structures supporting risk transfer, operational resilience, and long-term protection stability.

Sustainable Structure

Combining established insurance markets with member-focused mutual support to create a more sustainable protection model.

Discretionary Risk Protection

Discretionary Risk Protection (DRP) is the mutual layer of the Our Guard model, designed to support members across retained exposures, including deductibles, and smaller loss events.

It may reimburse deductibles and considers claims that fall below traditional insurance thresholds, providing a more complete and responsive approach to risk.

Member-Centric support

Designed to support members across retained and smaller losses, aligning outcomes with member needs.

Deductible Reimbursement

Available on Financial Lines products – reimburses insurance deductibles, reducing the impact of retained exposures

Structured Discretion

Decisions are made within a defined governance framework, ensuring consistency and fairness across members.

Complementary Protection

Works alongside insurance to provide a more complete and responsive approach to risk.

What this means for Members

A more integrated protection approach designed to align insurance and mutual protection around the long-term interests of customer-owned banks.

Dean Jepsen

CEO
,
First Option Bank

"At first, we were trying to compare it like for like with a traditional programme. Once we understood how the mutual and insurance layers work together, it became a much more practical way to manage risk."

Rosanna Argall

CEO
,
Unity Bank

“We weren’t looking to replace insurance, we were looking to improve how it worked for us. Our Guard gave us a more balanced and predictable outcome across the programme, which made the decision straightforward."

Ready to see how it works in practice?

An initial conversation is an opportunity to ask questions, gain clarity, and explore whether Our Guard aligns with your organisation's needs. There's no obligation just an open discussion.

No obligation. No pressure. Just clarity.