Laurence Hillman
Icon Brands Category Winner badge 2024
1Life wins the Life Insurance/Savings & Investments Category
1Life Insurance, a licensed life insurer and financial services provider, has won the 2023/2024 Ask Afrika Icon Brands™ award, for the Life Insurance/Savings & Investments Category - for the second consecutive year. 1Life got to celebrate its winning status at the virtual awards ceremony, hosted by Ask Afrika on Monday, 5 February 2024.
"We are so proud to have won the Ask Afrika Icon Brands™ award yet again and we believe that this stands testament to the fact that we continue to provide products that not only change people’s lives but that meet their unique lifestyle requirements and ever-changing budgets. It also demonstrates our ability to map consumer needs and to truly meet these in dynamic market conditions,” says Laurence Hillman, CEO at 1Life Insurance.
The Ask Afrika Icon Brands™ initiative celebrates brands that South Africans are most loyal to. Being the largest benchmark of its kind in South Africa, the survey measures brand loyalty across 194 product categories and nearly 1 000 brands – truly setting the industry leaders apart from the rest. These are brands that are distinct because customers build a lasting emotional connection to them.
“It is an honour for our team to receive such a prestigious award, more so in such a volatile and competitive environment where brand loyalty is very fragile. Being able to show up for our clients each day is what we strive for – be that in new products, claims, or service. To be acknowledged by South Africans as a brand that lives up to this is significant to us,” adds Siphelele Sokhela, Brand Manager at 1Life Insurance.
Just recently, in October 2023, 1Life Insurance was listed as one of the coolest insurance brands at the Sunday Times GenNext Awards - yet another significant milestone for the brand, given its aspirations and efforts to grow within this market. Furthermore, 1Life received the 2023 PWC SA Insurance Index Report award for achieving a high positive net sentiment – a second year of recognition in these awards; and providing further testament to the strides the brand is making in the local market when it comes to consumer sentiment.
1Life Insurance's mission is simple - to change lives, by providing customers with affordable, and personalised financial plans and services that allow them to create generational wealth. The journey, from consultation phase, is about more than just securing new business, it is about customer satisfaction and ensuring that every customer's needs are met, according to their unique requirements.
It is through this approach that the brand has managed to come up with several valuable innovations such as offering straightforward, convenient, and fully tailored, comprehensive life, funeral, dread, and disability insurance online in less than 15 minutes, offering up to a 40% discount on monthly premiums.
“The world has become so fast paced and demanding. That is why, for us, it is important that we meet our customers where they are. From simplifying the process of getting cover, to continuously staying in touch across our digital and traditional platforms. This means that we walk with them all the way – ensuring that their journey to building wealth is an easy one,” Sokhela explains.
Further to this, the brand has been intentional about helping South African’s take charge of their finances through initiatives such as 1Life Insurance's Truth About Money – a program that offers free online financial education courses – setting customers up for financial security, literacy, and generational wealth.
“Customer-centricity is at the forefront of our innovative approach. As such, these accolades validate that we are moving in the right direction as a business. Not just as a premium insurer, but also for our ethos of helping our customers remain secure, attain financial freedom, and build wealth, despite the current economic challenges, “concludes Hillman.
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