F I A AWA R D S 2 0 1 0
Interviews with the Winners of The FIA Awards 2010 CIA CIA (Commercial and Industrial Acceptances), acting on behalf of the Compass insurance company, won the award in the new category of Underwriting Management at last night's FIA ceremony in Johannesburg. Says Andre de Vaal, MD of CIA: “This award would be recognition of the hard work and dedication we have put in during the last ten years, to achieve our main goal of providing excellent service and creating demanding customers. “We have always placed a great deal of emphasis on our professional advice and availability, from management down through the ranks, as well as on our integrity. But the most important factor is the level of service clients receive from us. Turnaround time in the insurance industry is core and we try to achieve instant turnaround times. We seek to create a situation where our brokers are empowered to do their job better – so that they don't have to wait days or weeks before they can go back to their clients with a solution.” Underwriting managers are specialists in their specific fields, De Vaal adds. CIA, for example, have chosen to specialise in the field of building insurance, which includes aspects such as sectional title insurance, among others. “There are many intricacies in the insurance of buildings – it's not just a question of standard user policy for clients. Underwriting managers provide technical knowledge and one of their main attributes is that they are required to provide a level of service that is even higher than that provided by traditional insurers. In this manner, both brokers and clients get the best technical advice and service.” While it has been a particularly tough trading year for the insurance industry in general, De Vaal notes: “We are fortunate in the building insurance sector in that buildings are invariably one of a client's biggest assets. They can't afford not to have those assets insured. So we have escaped the worst effects of the recession. “In fact, we have grown during the downturn in that people have realised that they should rather cut back in other areas, and ensure that their buildings are insured, so that they don't lose a valuable asset in the unfortunate event of a fire, for instance.” The company also undertakes risk management surveys as part of its service offering. “In many instances, we are also able to point out to customers where they may be falling foul of Occupational Health and Safety regulations and advise them to give attention to this.” De Vaal says the role of the FIA in the underwriting management sector is “vital.” “They are the link between the insuring client, the consumer and ourselves. As much as we provide technical knowledge to brokers, they provide the best possible advice to clients. They do a risk analysis for them, try to understand their insurance needs, assess the exposures – then offer appropriate classes of insurance to insure that exposure.”- courtesy David Jackson & Business Day
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