ASIA, Oct. 6--Bernama-AsiaNet/InfoQuest JLT Asia Named Asia’s Broker of the Year for a Record Fourth Time Panel of 22 judges acknowledge new risk management system that takes into account the diverse language and geographic needs of Asia’s insurance buyers as well as JLT Asia’s swift response to the Asian Tsunami. Asia, 6 October 2005 — Within 48 hours of the tragic events of 26 December 2004, Jardine Lloyd Thompson (JLT) Asia, through its specialist claims consultancy subsidiary Echelon had mobilised a response team and established a project office in Phuket to provide on the ground support and advice to clients/organisations that had suffered losses. The quick speed with which JLT Asia responded was one of the key considerations that a panel of 22 judges from across the Asian insurance industry took into account in naming JLT Asia the Broker of the Year for 2005 — for a record fourth time in five years. Since the Asia Insurance Industry Awards started in 1997, no other nominee across 14 categories has received the same award four times. “The judges were particularly impressed with the pro-active role that JLT Asia played in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean Tsunami, to ensure that the industry responded promptly, professionally and positively to the crisis,” Sivam Subramaniam, the chairman of the judging panel and Editor-in-Chief of Asia Insurance Review said. A citation from the judges added: “It is said that no other broker took such a proactive approach to managing disaster.” In addition to JLT Asia’s Tsunami efforts, the Asia Insurance Industry Awards panel of judges considered several other contributions and achievements: Innovative, customisable risk management solution: Given the diverse needs of Asia’s insurance buyers, JLT Asia last year launched iRIS — a multi user, multi-currency and multi-language web-based insurance and risk management information portal. iRIS enables risk managers to identify and quantify risk exposures and to gather, manage and interpret data including survey reports, claims reports, underwriting data and other policy documents. Pioneering solution for the Malaysian Bar Council: JLT last year secured one of the biggest Professional Indemnity projects in Asia — covering 14,000 lawyers in Malaysia. The appointment by the Malaysian Bar Council to manage their compulsory insurance was innovative in several respects: i) a web-based system to gather underwriting information and issue insurance certificates; ii) the introduction of an integrated claims management process and iii) a dedicated legal risk manager at the bar to raise the profile of risk management and best practices across the legal community, through print and web mediums Enhancing knowledge on corporate governance and Directors’ & Officers’ Liability: Since 2004, JLT Asia has conducted several surveys in the region to assess perceptions and awareness over directors’ & officers’ (D&O) liabilities and corporate governance issues. Through this survey — the only one of its kind conducted by an insurance broker, JLT Asia has revealed valuable findings about prevalent perceptions, thereby helping companies understand their risk environments better. Commitment to innovation and service Mr Mike Methley, Managing Director of JLT Asia, said: “I see this Award as a very significant mark of approval from the industry for JLT Asia's focus on providing unparalleled customer service, in creating innovative products and above all, understanding our customers and delivering solutions that address their unique needs.” He added: “The spate of natural catastrophes in recent times as well as emerging risks and terrorist threats have had a market changing impact. These developments make JLT Asia’s responsibilities in terms of continuing to educate and innovate all the more imperative. Subramaniam said: “That JLT has won the broker of the year award four times in the past five years underscores its consistency in innovation and service to the clients despite all the changes that have been challenging the industry. This is one of the more hotly contested categories in a market where the influence and role of the broker is said to be increasing.” -- END -- About Jardine Lloyd Thompson Asia Jardine Lloyd Thompson (JLT) Asia, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group, is a market leader in insurance & reinsurance broking, risk management and consultancy services. Employing over 500 industry professionals across 10 Asian countries, JLT Asia’s technical abilities and knowledge span a wide range of industries and specialist areas. Our insurance specialists are renowned for their innovative approach to developing integrated insurance, reinsurance and alternative risk transfer solutions that address the complex risks inherent in Asia. Integrity is a hallmark of the JLT organisation. We believe that our quality and compliance regimes are the most thorough in the industry. You can obtain more information about JLT Asia at: www.jltasia.com Enquiries: K. Dorai Raja Corporate Communications Manager Tel: +65-6430-4570 Email: [email protected] Website: www.jltasia.com SOURCE: Jardine Lloyd Thompson Asia --Distributed by AsiaNet (www.asianetnews.net)--