Claims Expertise with a Human Touch
Three decades of senior UK and international claims experience — helping insurers, MGAs, TPAs and technology partners realise their ambitions through strategy, transformation and change.
People first. Always.
CLAIMS STARTEGY · TRANSFORMATION · CHANGE
£48m
Claims indemnity savings delivered across a portfolio of international initiatives
30+
Years of UK and international claims leadership
1,000+
Guidewire Cloud users successfully onboarded
14
Countries covered
- APM Certified — Programme Management
- Black Belt Lean Six Sigma — Process
- Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) Level 3
John Smalley — Founder & Principal Consultant
“The best claims outcomes happen when you never lose sight of the people involved.”
A typical engagement
01
Free Consultation
A no-obligation 30-minute call to understand your challenge and explore whether JDS is the right fit.
02
Discovery & Scoping
A focused deep-dive into your organisation, goals and constraints to define the scope of work clearly.
03
Bespoke Proposal
A tailored, costed plan setting out objectives, approach, deliverables, timeline and fees — no generic templates.
04
Delivery
Hands-on execution with regular stakeholder updates, clear milestones and tangible outputs throughout.
05
Review & Embed
Post-engagement review to confirm benefits are landing and support embedding of change into business as usual.
For lighter-touch advisory support, flexible hourly, half-day and day rates are available — just ask.
What Clients Say
"John brings a rare quality to claims consulting — he listens before he speaks, and when he does, he cuts straight to the commercial angle. He has a genuine ability to see things differently, without getting lost in the detail. For anyone looking for a trusted, independent voice who isn't afraid to challenge the status quo, John is exactly that."
Amar Galla
Founder, FraudOps"What set John apart on our Guidewire programme was his instinct for the human side of change and his deep, inside-out understanding of claims. He sees claims through the lens of customers, brokers and handlers, and knows technology only works when people feel confident and supported. John is someone you trust to do the right thing — for the programme, the business and the people within it."
Lee Dainty
COO, Markel UK & Former Commercial Claims Director, Intact"John consistently operated well above his remit. As his director, I saw first-hand how he combined strategic clarity with genuine operational expertise — qualities that are rare in the same person. On the Guidewire programme he didn't just deliver adoption, he shaped how we thought about the relationship between technology and our people."