In a year that has been a vulnerable one for businesses everywhere, Hollard is delighted to have been voted FIA 2016 Corporate and Commercial Insurer of the Year, for the second year in a row.
The double win was announced at this evening’s Financial Intermediaries Association of Southern Africa’s (FIA) annual awards dinner and is another very welcome endorsement of Hollard’s unique brand of innovative, needs-driven and people-centric insurance.
“With underwriters, brokers and clients in the insurance industry all feeling the pressure of a tougher economic climate, it’s been a challenging year, “agree Hollard Broker Markets’ joint MDs Pierre Geyer and Nash Omar, “but that’s when we get the opportunity to show what we’re made of and it feels good to know we’re still delivering what the market needs and expects.”
Risk management
Top among those needs have been advice and support in a low-growth, cost-cutting environment where there’s a temptation to reduce – or sometimes even terminate – cover. “No one likes a soft market but, in times like these, helping clients and brokers manage risk effectively takes centre stage. Our 22 Risk Managers across the country are dedicated to appraising risk and working with our brokers to provide counsel on the exposure businesses face, guarding these businesses against the dangers associated with inadequate cover.
People business
Underpinning Hollard’s risk management strategy is its real interest in the clients it serves. “Insurance is really a people business,” says Omar, “and, along with growing our own business, we’re motivated by helping our partners, brokers and clients to grow theirs too.
“We pride ourselves on our strong, flexible business relationships and have learned that ease of access to Hollard’s decision makers makes a huge difference to the way brokers see us. Our ‘local is lekker’ approach puts real authority in the hands of the people with whom our brokers deal on a day-to-day basis. This enhances our broker partners’ ability to service their customers quickly and efficiently.”
Agility
Hollard’s culture has a big role to play in the way it does business. From small beginnings, we may have grown into a large organisation, but we believe that our entrepreneurial roots play a significant part in finding sustainable solutions for our policyholders and broker partners. Our DNA is deeply rooted in partnerships and we believe strongly in a win-win-win approach to everything we do – Hollard and its partners and customers must always all “win” when we provide solutions.
The things Hollard is looking to do, in the year ahead, are predictably many and tonight’s awards will spur the team on, says Omar. “Our specialist Centres of Excellence enable us to offer a one-stop insurance facility for niche business needs and we’re eager to explore the growth potential there.
“We’ll continue to invest in our people and technology, including IT systems and big data solutions that will enable us to make better decisions and better products for our clients. And we’ll keep working with brokers to help them prepare for changing legislation so they stay relevant and sustainable as the industry transitions.
“In a nutshell, we’ll keep doing whatever we can to improve customer satisfaction, and retention, and make it easier to do business with us.
“We are humbled by and thankful for this double win,” agree Geyer and Omar. “The first time was sweet but this is sweeter and we would like to say a huge thank you: to the FIA and all the brokers who have supported us and kept us on our toes; and to our reinsurers, without whom no insurer would be able to do business. But most of all we’d like to thank the more than 3000 Hollardites who every day go the extra mile to make awards like these possible.”
