The annual Insurance Times Awards took place in December 2014 at the Battersea Evolution and as always, was the event of the year for both insurance companies and brokers. Winning one of the prestigious Insurance Times Award is regarded as a highly-prized badge of success.
The gala ceremony recognises the greatest achievements in 28 different categories throughout the UK general insurance industry over the previous 12 months and this year the presentation, hosted by Comedian Rob Brydon was attended by nearly 1,400 of the Country’s most accomplished insurance professionals.
Locks Heath based Knightsure had been shortlisted along with the three other finalists -including international brokers Willis Insurance Group – for the Excellence in Commercial Broker E-Trading category, recognizing use of technology to develop the business for the benefit of customers.
A panel of industry experts including the Allianz Insurance CEO and UK Commercial Managing Director of RSA had independently judged every entry but the names of the winners had remained a closely guarded secret until the big night
Having nervously sat through the first 18 awards of the evening, MD Tony Knight heard Rob Brydon announce that Knightsure’s category was next to be announced with the trophy to be presented by Chris Guillaume, Group CEO of sponsor Power-Place Insurance Services. After the names of the 4 finalists had been announced, Saxon East, Insurance Times Editor explained that the Judges had felt that the winner of the category had “really adapted to the commercial electronic trading world to offer a very slick service to its customers”
After receiving the trophy, Tony was asked whether there was still a place in the insurance industry for the smaller broking firm. He commented that:
“Small firms are an essential part of the industry. Big firms cannot compete with the local service because they cannot offer local broker service to their community and that is so important as people want to deal with a face they know.”