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by PR 01/07/21 Category: Latest News

THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING WRITTEN ENTRIES HAS NOW PASSED

To enter this year’s awards please submit your entries in Word format via email to Jo Miller ([email protected]) 

All entries should be no longer than 500 words and must include a sourced testimonial from a third party – such as a customer or adviser.

When putting together a written entry please use ‘Two stars and a wish’ – Two things you or your company has done over the last year plus one thing you would like to do or improve and how. In previous years the ‘wish’ element of some entries has been very generic – please try to be specific where possible (and note that sometimes judges may refer to previous wishes to see if these have been progressed).

Entries are a maximum of 500 words unless otherwise stated within the criteria (written entries only – no supporting information is required and entries should not include videos, links, graphics, PowerPoint slides, images, sales aids or any other materials)  except for ‘Best Care and Support Experience’ – see entry details below.

For most categories we typically expect entries to be from the customer/adviser facing organisation (i.e. insurer, adviser etc) however any companies can enter any relevant category as appropriate. Where the award is open to a specific type of organisation this is indicated on the award criteria.

We pride ourselves on the robustness of our overall judging process and aim to uphold integrity at every step.

Our judges this year are Roger Edwards, Kevin Carr, Jo Miller Peter Le Beau and Andy Couchman. In addition, we expect to have a different guest judge for each category.

They will decide the winners by considering your votes, written entries where appropriate, their industry knowledge and any other relevant information they pick up along the way. The aim is for the results to be as independent as possible – but the real test for us is not the process, but whether the best people and companies win.

Timescales

Voting and entries open – Thursday 1st July
Voting closes – Friday 27th August
Deadline for ALL written entries – Friday 3rd September
Judging day – 30th September
Shortlists announced after judging

Categories to enter:

Innovation Award
Underwriting & Claims Award
Protection Intermediary of the Year
Individual Protection Adviser of the Year
Best New Product/Enhancement
Young Achiever Award
Health Insurance Adviser of the Year
Doing it Better Award
Unsung Hero Award
Best Care and Support Experience
Best Adviser Marketing by an Insurer
Best Use and Promotion of Health and Wellbeing Support Services by an Adviser

Categories that do not require a written entry:

Personality of the Year
Protection Journalist of the Year
Organisation of the Year
Lifetime Achievement Award

Awards Criteria

Innovation Award

LAST YEAR’S WINNER: DEADHAPPY

Which company has been the most innovative across the protection and health market over the last year? Which company has shown the greatest desire to move the industry forward through innovation? Please supply details of which innovation(s) you are referring to when entering.

Underwriting and Claims Award

LAST YEAR’S WINNER: AIG LIFE

We have combined underwriting and claims into one category to recognise and reward innovation and improvements in underwriting and claims management. Which provider has the best underwriting process? Which providers are making the best use of technology in a positive way? Which providers are underwriting fairly and paying claims quickly? Which providers make it easier to write new business? Which companies provide quick and easy access to underwriters? Which companies make fair and appropriate underwriting decisions on a consistent basis?

Note: All entries in this category must also include the most recently available claim statistics including paid %s by different product lines (e.g. Life, CI, IP) and the number and/or value of claims paid during that year. Any entries that do not reference claims statistics will be discounted.

Protection Intermediary of the Year

LAST YEAR’S WINNER: CURA

This category is for companies, rather than individual people. Which protection intermediary has done the most to drive the industry forward? Which adviser firm is considered to be the best in the market? Which firm would you recommend to friends and family and which one stands out above all others as the protection intermediary of choice?

Note: All entries in this category must also include product splits (e.g. % of business written that is Life only, CI, IP etc) and also the % of business written as indemnity vs non-indemnity.

Individual Protection Adviser of the Year

LAST YEAR’S WINNER: ALAN KNOWLES, CURA

This category is for individual advisers, rather than companies. When voting please think about which individual adviser is not only an excellent protection adviser for their clients but also does more than most to drive the industry forward as well as helping other advisers?

Best New Product/Enhancement

LAST YEAR’S WINNER: SCOTTISH WIDOWS

Which new product or product enhancement, has made the biggest improvement to the industry over the last year? Which has helped customers the most? Which is helping to grow the market the most? Which has helped to raise standards across the industry? We will only consider products or enhancements launched after 1st September 2020 for this award.

Young Achiever Award

LAST YEAR’S WINNER: CAMILLA HOSKISSON, AIG LIFE

This award is open to anyone working in the protection or health insurance industry who is under 30 at the time of entry. The person should show an outstanding level of knowledge and commitment in their field, supplemented by any notable achievements over the last year.

Health Insurance Adviser of the Year

LAST YEAR’S WINNER: ASSURED FUTURES

Which company has done the most to drive the health insurance industry forward? Who provides the best PMI advice to consumers? Which adviser would you recommend to friends and family for any health insurance related matter?

Doing it Better Award

LAST YEAR’S WINNER: NATIONAL FRIENDLY

Our aim is to recognise the company that's getting it right, not only with their products and customer service, but with their commitment to diversity, corporate responsibility, culture, charity, local community and the long-term health and well-being of their people. Entries that demonstrate a strong commitment in many or all these areas will stand a good chance of winning.

Unsung Hero Award

LAST YEAR’S WINNER: STEVE FALLON, LEGAL & GENERAL

We are looking to recognise those people making a real difference to consumers and advisers every day who aren’t in senior management, aren’t in the media or public eye, and aren’t well known in the industry. Entries that demonstrate a truly important role in the customer or adviser journey that is making a really positive difference will stand a good chance of winning

Best Care and Support Experience

LAST YEAR’S WINNER: TELADOC HEALTH

This category is for insurers only to enter and includes the growing range of added value services that are available to customers through their life and health insurance policies. Everything from GP services and second opinions, through to counselling, rehabilitation and more. How have you engaged advisers and customers to showcase the value and increase take up of your care and support service? How have your services made a difference to customers’ lives? How would you quantify the success of the experience you offer? Please also evidence the success of your experience with user data rather than percentage of service take-up.

You can reference more than one service but must clearly state who provides the service. The entry from the insurer must not exceed 500 words including a testimonial (no videos) and up to two service providers can provide a maximum of 200 words each as supplementary information.

Best Adviser Marketing by an Insurer

NEW AWARD

This award is for the insurer who provides the best marketing support to adviser firms in the protection market. This can include any broker focused marketing activity including marketing, advertising, broker consultant support, websites, apps, social media, PR and any other relevant marketing literature. The judges will be looking for strong evidence of any activity from insurers that helps advisers but is not related to products, price or underwriting.

Best Use and Promotion of Health and Wellbeing Support Services by an Adviser

NEW AWARD

This award seeks to recognise financial adviser firms that understand, recommend, and promote care and support services to their clients and beyond. How has your firm championed added value services (such as remote GPs, second opinions, counselling services and more) to your customers and the wider industry? Tell us about a customer wellbeing initiative(s) linked to increasing the use of care and support services that has helped your customers to get maximum value and support from their protection insurance. How has promotion of these services made a difference to your clients’ lives?

The following awards are decided by votes only and do not require a written entry:

Organisation of the Year 

Protection Journalist of the Year 

Personality of the Year 

Lifetime Achievement Award

Timescales

Voting and entries open – Thursday 1st July
Voting closes – Friday 27th August
Deadline for ALL written entries – Friday 3rd September
Judging day – 30th September
Shortlists announced after judging