It is based upon criteria including the insurer's commitment to service in dealing with complaints, speed and thoroughness in responding to correspondence from the Ombudsman's office, application and promotion of the principles of fairness and equity and the spirit of cooperation and promptness in implementing the Ombudsman's recommendations and suggestions.
The Ombudsman and his professional team rate each insurer, which is a member of the Ombudsman's Office, based upon the abovementioned criteria, over a period of a year. Three finalists are then chosen and an adjudication process selects the overall winner. Standard Insurance was the runner-up and Relyant Insurance took third place.
According to Tom Creamer, MD of Auto & General's holding company, Telesure Investment Holdings, "Over the years we have implemented a number of initiatives to ensure that we live up to the undertaking of the Ombudsman and resolve short-term insurance complaints fairly, effectively and impartially. To be recognised as an insurer that is committed to consumer excellence is the ultimate assertion that we are on the right track."
The Ombudsman for short-term insurance, Brian Martin, concludes, "I would like to congratulate our finalists for our award in 2010. Competition for the award has become very intense with only a few points separating many insurers. All the finalists exhibited an above average level of commitment to the resolution of complaints received by our office and in the application of our principles of fairness and equity which represent the cornerstone for the assessment of complaints.
"Our overall winner has invested substantial resources into improving the manner in which complaints and disputes are resolved. This has resulted in a significant reduction in the number of complaints received by the Ombudsman against the company and in complaints being resolved within the shortest possible time. In 2010, complaints against the company were resolved efficiently and without the necessity for a single formal ruling being made. This is an achievement and one which will hopefully become the benchmark for the entire insurance industry."
