PMR.africa’s sparkling awards

A random national sample of 120 directors, senior managers and short term underwriting managers were selected from short-term broker firms and short-term insurance companies and interviewed telephonically during September, October and November last year to arrive at the results.

In this sense, the PMR.africa Awards are a little bit different to other industry awards – for one thing, a peer-review process is undertaken and the awards were introduced so that the personnel and staff of a business, from cleaners to CEOs, could receive acknowledgement.

The respondents were asked to rate companies based upon 11 attributes: adaptability; attitude; competence; confidence level of the underwriter; financial strength of the underwriter; full authorization to accept/agree claim; innovativeness; know-how of advisors; quality; reputation (that is, perception of the company’s brand, integrity, CSI and so on); and speed.

The awards use the following criteria to distinguish categories of excellence: the Diamond Arrow Award goes to the firm/company ranked 1st overall and rated at least 4.10 out of 5.00 (the equivalent of outstanding); the Gold award goes to a firm/company 1st or 2nd overall and rated at least 3.75 (excellent); and the Silver/Bronze award goes to a firm/company 1st, 2nd or 3rd overall and rated at least 3.40 (very good).

The 2013 PMR.africa survey of Underwriting Management Agency (UMA) produced a slew of award-winners and the awards ceremony was held at the Hyatt Regency in Rosebank.

 

MUA Insurance Acceptances was named the leading UMA for Specialised High Value Executive Vehicles, receiving a Diamond Arrow Award for achieving a score of 4.30 out of 5.00 in the survey of 120 companies, conducted among short-term broker firms and short-term insurance companies throughout South Africa.

 

Aquarius Underwriting Managers were named the best General, Personal and Commercial UMA while AC&E Engineering Underwriting Managers were recognised as the most outstanding engineering underwriter in the country.

 

One of the Hollard Insurance Group’s partners, Astra Maritime, achieved an excellent score in the category of Marine Liabilities (including charters) and took the prestigious Diamond Arrow Award. (Another of Hollard’s partners, Scintilla Underwriting, took a Golden Arrow Award as best Engineering Risks underwriter).