2012 Award Categories

The E-Business Award
The Technology Award
Personal Lines Broking Initiative of the Year
Commercial Lines Broking Initiative of the Year - SME/mid-corporate
Commercial Lines Broking Initiative of the Year - large corporate
Insurance Broker of the Year
Community Broker of the Year
The Risk Management Award
Underwriting Initiative of the Year
Underwriting Agency of the Year
Claims Initiative of the Year
The Major Loss Award
Service Provider of the Year
The Customer Care Award
Marketing Initiative of the Year
Business Transformation deal of the Year
The Investing in the Profession Award
Young Achiever of the Year
Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative of the Year
General Insurer of the Year
The Achievement Award

The E-Business Award

Sponsored by

This will focus on the effective use of information and communications technology by general insurance companies and brokers at the transaction interface with the client, whether that be in a business-to-consumer relationship or a business-to-business relationship. The innovative application of the latest technologies and evidence of success in generating profitable new business will be among the key features. The judges will also be looking for evidence of enhanced customer service.

The Technology Award

Sponsored by

This award will focus on business and administrative processes. It is open to any firm in the general insurance market – insurer, intermediary, service provider – that can demonstrate that the application of new information and communications technology has enhanced the quality, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of its business administration. The judges will be looking for evidence of greater efficiency, better customer service, lower error rates and effective implementation within agreed budgets and timetables.

Personal Lines Broking Initiative of the Year

Sponsored by

Open to all FSA-regulated insurance brokers, Lloyd’s brokers and independent intermediaries serving the personal lines market. Entrants should demonstrate how they have responded to the demands of consumers for products relevant to their needs coupled with top quality service. The entrant might be, for example, a large firm offering a broad range of insurance or a specialist intermediary focused on a niche market. The judges will be assessing product and service innovation in the context of profitable growth. Other key factors will be skills in marketing and staff development.

Commercial Lines Broking Initiative of the Year - SME/mid-corporate

Sponsored by

Open to all FSA regulated insurance brokers, Lloyd’s brokers and dependent intermediaries serving the SME and mid-corporate markets. Entrants should focus on product and/or service innovation. This could include the development of long term relationships with clients, niche markets and insurers, identifying and effectively addressing special needs in the market or extending the range of added-value support services offered to customers. The judges will expect to see evidence of clear, targeted planning and effective measurement of success within the context of profitable growth.

Commercial Lines Broking Initiative of the Year - large corporate

Sponsored by

Open to all FSA regulated insurance brokers, Lloyd's brokers and independent intermediaries serving the large corporate market. Entrants should focus on product and/or service innovation. This could include the development of long term relationships with clients, niche markets and insurers, identifying and effectively addressing special needs in the market or extending the range of added-value support services offered to customers. The judges will expect to see evidence of clear, targeted planning and effective measurement of success within the context of profitable growth.

Insurance Broker of the Year

Sponsored by


Open to all FSA-regulated general insurance brokers, Lloyd’s brokers or independent intermediaries operating in the UK general insurance market. The judges will be looking for a company that can demonstrate a real commitment to meeting customer needs and delivering a high quality of service across all the lines of its business. T This should be coupled with evidence of a proven track record of profitability with a clear strategy to deliver future growth, either in existing or new markets.

Community Broker of the Year

Sponsored by

Open to all FSA regulated insurance brokers, Lloyd's brokers and dependent intermediaries serving the commercial and personal lines markets. The judges will be looking for a company that can demonstrate how its management and staff have embraced their role within a community to further a broker's standing, not just a key contributor to the local economy, but as an ambassador for the region in which it is based. This could be through a one off project, work with a charity or school, or organisation of local importance. The judges will also be interested in evidence of the delivery, and a clear statement of how any initiative is aligned with the broker or intermediary's strategic and business goals.

The Risk Management Award

Sponsored by

Open to any risk manager, risk management team, broker, insurer or consultant in the private or public sector that has made a significant contribution to the advancement of risk management or can demonstrate the benefits of a risk management programme within an organisation. The application of new techniques, effective identification and reduction of risk and the development of creative risk financing strategies are likely to feature in successful entries.

Underwriting Initiative of the Year

Sponsored by

Open to any FSA regulated company, including those with fully delegated underwriting authority, and any Lloyd's syndicate that has identified and then successfully adopted an innovative underwriting strategy in a market, niche or otherwise. The judges will be looking for a company that can demonstrate a real commitment to meeting the needs of these customers, coupled with delivering a high quality of service. This should be supported with evidence of a proven track record of profitability and a clear strategy to deliver future growth.

Underwriting Agency of the Year

Open to all FSA regulated underwriting agencies and managing general agents operating in the UK general insurance market. The judges will be looking for a company that can demonstrate a real commitment to meeting customer needs and delivering high quality business to its capacity provider/s. This should be coupled with evidence of a proven track record of profitability with a clear strategy to deliver future growth, either in existing or new markets.

Claims Initiative of the Year

Sponsored by

Open to any claims department or section of an FSA regulated insurer, Lloyd’s syndicate, or firm offering claims handling and management services to the insurance industry, including loss adjusters, assessors and claims management companies. The judges will be looking for quality of service offered to claimants, whether through a routine claims service or following research into particular claims issue(s).

The Major Loss Award

Sponsored by

Open to the claims departments of insurance companies, Lloyd’s syndicates, loss adjusters and all firms engaged in responding to major loss. Entrants should use a case study(s) to demonstrate how they have responded to a major loss, which will be defined as any claim the size and scope of which takes it well beyond the routine. Examples might be single incidents that give rise to a large and complex claim (eg a fire in a chemical plant) or an incident that gives rise to multiple claims in a single location (eg a major flood). The judges will be looking for entries that demonstrate ability to respond to such incidents, utilising the company’s own resources and co-ordination of those provided by third party suppliers.

Service Provider of the Year

Open to any organisation providing a professional, advisory or technical service directly to the general insurance market or to the supply chain. Entrants must be able to demonstrate they have responded innovatively to the demands of the market and must provide evidence of consistent levels of service and customer satisfaction, whether those customers are in business-to-business or business-to-consumer relationships. Entrants will also need evidence of enhanced business success through their relationship with the insurance market.

Customer Care Award

Sponsored by

The winning company in this category will have clearly demonstrated an excellent level of customer care backed by clear standards and validated monitoring of performance. In particular, the judges will be looking for proof of the impact of an innovative customer care strategy on retention levels and client satisfaction. Open to any firm operating within the general insurance market or offering products or services to the market.

Marketing Initiative of the Year

Open to FSA-registered insurers, underwriters and intermediaries, the winner of this award must be able to demonstrate – within the context of an overall marketing strategy – how their organisation has used a range of marketing techniques to improve market share, enhance customer loyalty or break into new markets be that in the business to consumer or the business-to-business area. A successful campaign could include the use of social media techniques, radio, TV, print or other means. It will be particularly important to demonstrate the achievement of results against targets.

Business Transformation Deal of the Year

Open to all businesses operating in the UK general insurance industry, this award recognises the importance of business deals and partnerships, be that a major affinity/ white-label deal; an outsourcing/insourcing arrangement; a major hire/s; or a transformational acquisition. The judges will be looking for a company that can demonstrate how this partnership, business deal or hire/s has delivered on its objectives, and that all the concerned parties have benefitted from the arrangement.

Investing in the Profession Award

Sponsored by

The winner of this new award must be able to demonstrate how their organisation and staff have successfully championed the development of professionalism and adoption of the chartered agenda across their business. This could include implementation of training across the business or to meet a specific need, the adoption or pursuit of chartered status as a business or by individual staff, and the spread of best practice and strong professional values throughout the business. The judges will be looking for evidence of the strategic role of any programme together with evidence of benchmarking against external standards. Entries should also highlight how any initiatives have contributed to business success. Open to any firm operating within the general insurance market.

Young Achiever of the Year

Sponsored by

Open to anyone working in the insurance industry under 30 on 1.4.2011. This award will go to the person who has made significant strides in their professional development over the past year, clearly demonstrating their contribution to the team or department in which he or she works. Evidence of commitment to pursuing relevant professional qualifications will be required. All nominations must be made or supported by the person’s departmental manager.

Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative of the Year

Open to all. The judges will be looking for a company or project that can demonstrate how they have embraced the principles of business sustainability within their operations - be that using resources and energy as efficiently as possible, promoting social inclusion, sustainable communities and/or well being. This could be an international, national or local project, programme or initiative and should demonstrate a coherent and integrated approach. The judges will be looking for evidence of the delivery of policies in action, and a clear statement of how any initiative is aligned with the company or organisations strategic and business goals.

General Insurer of the Year

Sponsored by

Open to all UK authorised companies. The judges will be looking for a company that can demonstrate a commitment to meeting customer needs and delivering a high quality of service across all its activities as part of a broad strategic vision. This should be coupled with a proven track record of success in terms of innovative and profitable expansion, either in existing, or into new, markets.

The Achievement Award

Sponsored by

This special award will be presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the success of the insurance industry. Previous winners include Peter Wood, Victor Blake, Sir David Rowland, Allan Bridgewater David Prosser, Scott Bell, Simon Bolam, Robert Hiscox , Walter Merricks, Lord David Hunt, Patrick Snowball, Gerry Loughney, David Slade and Ashton West.