Mutual & Federal takes employees on a SAIA Code of Conduct educational journey

Viviene Pearson, SAIA general manager for Sustainability

Mutual & Federal, one of southern Africa’s leading short-term insurers, has used the months of August and September 2010 to roll out an awareness and education campaign to teach its employees on the newly signed South Africa Insurance Association’s (SAIA) Code of Conduct.

The SAIA Code of Conduct promotes good business practices within the short-term insurance industry and is aligned with the principles of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) and the Financial Services Board’s (FSB) initiative of Treating Customers Fairly.

“As a member of SAIA, we have warmly welcomed the Code of Conduct and its high standards of service excellence”, says Sedick Isaacs, executive general manager for Claims at Mutual & Federal. “We have now taken practical steps towards implementing it internally for the benefit of the industry and our policyholders”, he continues.

Mutual & Federal recognises the Code’s importance and benefits to its employees and their day-to-day roles, especially those qualified to give advice to brokers and

end-consumers.

“Customer service is very important to us”, continues Isaacs. “We see the SAIA Code as a guideline that will ensure that we continue to treat customers in an honest, fair and transparent manner”.

The Company has been driving a massive programme to help everyone understand the Code and its impact. The first phase of its two-pronged approach included an educational campaign that was supported by a series of communication messages aimed at all Mutual & Federal employees, even those based in Botswana and Namibia.

The second phase of the campaign will comprise Computer Based Training (CBT), specifically aimed at personnel who handle customer and broker queries on a daily basis.

“We are pleased with how Mutual & Federal is making the Code accessible to its employees”, says Viviene Pearson, SAIA general manager for Sustainability. “Efforts such as these will benefit the entire short-term insurance industry in the long run”, she concludes.

Mutual & Federal is a member of the Old Mutual Group.