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Customer satisfaction
We regularly conduct customer surveys in order to measure the satisfaction of our customers regionally and Group-wide; these are carried out both independently and, when it comes to certain markets, by drawing on the services of external market research institutes.
Since 2000, for example, we have conducted customer satisfaction surveys in our market department serving Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy in a three-year cycle with the goal of achieving continuous quality improvement and an associated boost in customer satisfaction. In Germany we offer a range of products and services through E+S Rück that is geared to the specific features of the German market. Market research carried out by an independent marketing institute in 2016 found that the views of more than 90% of our German customers can be summed up as follows:
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In our business group of Life & Health reinsurance we commission a market research agency to carry out an annual survey of reinsurance customers in the markets of the US, Europe, South Africa, Canada, Australia and Asia. The data give us a comprehensive customer perspective on the quality of our services as well as an assessment of the perception of the Hannover Re brand in the various markets. The favourable perception of our activities in the eyes of our customers on international markets remained stable in 2016. The intensive and wide-ranging dialogue that we cultivate with our clients has played a major part in this.
In addition, since 2012 the market research agency has also provided the Board members responsible for the Life & Health reinsurance business group with an annual global study on the development of different business segments, a dedicated perspective on life reinsurance markets and trends in primary insurance business, an area-wide analysis of market penetration and market perception as well as a profile of strengths and weaknesses from the customer's viewpoint. Most notably, in the financial solutions segment in the United States we are regarded as the market leader and "Best in Class". Our customers find us to be a business partner who is exceptionally pleasant and easy to work with.
Our direct approachability, flexibility and quick response times are evaluated particularly favourably by customers and considered a competitive advantage in comparison with our peers. Our regular analysis of the study's findings also enables us to measure the success of our strategy – and make adjustments as needed.
We process the results of our customer surveys and studies in-house so as to identify potential action fields. The steps that were taken not only served to improve the perception of our brand, they also made our services and products stronger. In recent years, for example, we have increasingly expanded our automated underwriting systems according to the wishes of our customers and we have brought new product ideas to market.
Awards and distinctions
Over the years we have regularly been recognised for our work. In the current year, too, we have received some highly notable distinctions: the respected UK insurance magazine "Reactions" crowned us "Reinsurer of the Year" in 2016 for the second year in succession. Altogether, this is the tenth time that our company has been honoured with this accolade. In addition, our Specialty Team was recognised in 2016 – again by "Reactions" – as "Reinsurance Team of the Year".
| Awards received over the past five years | ||
| Year | Award | |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Reinsurer of the Year (Reactions London Market Awards) | |
| 2016 | Reinsurance team of the Year: Specialty Team (Reactions London Market Awards) | |
| 2015 | Best Reinsurer for Client Responsiveness; GWP > $2bn (Intelligent Insurer North America Awards) | |
| 2015 | Best Reinsurer for Innovation; GWP > $2bn (Intelligent Insurer North America Awards) | |
| 2015 | Best Reinsurer for Expertise and Market Knowledge: GWP > $2bn (Intelligent Insurer North America Awards) | |
| 2015 | Reinsurer of the Year (Reactions London Market Awards) | |
| 2015 | Ulrich Wallin "Reinsurance CEO of the Year" (Reactions London Market Awards) | |
| 2015 | Best Colombia Reinsurer (Reactions) | |
| 2014 | Middle East Award: Best Reinsurer for Client Service (Intelligent Insurer) | |
| 2014 | Best Argentina Reinsurer (Reactions Latin America Awards) | |
| 2014 | Best Reinsurer in the rest of South America incl. Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay (Reactions Latin America Awards) | |
| 2014 | Hannover ReTakaful "Best International ReTakaful Operator of the Year", "ReTakaful CEO of the Year": Mahomed Akoob (International Takaful Summit) | |
| 2013 | Ulrich Wallin "CEO of the Year" (Obermatt / Zurich) | |
| 2013 | Ulrich Wallin "Outstanding Contributor of the year - Risk" (Insurance Insider) | |
| 2012 | Reinsurance Company of the Year (Insurance Day) | |
| 2012 | London Market Award: Reinsurance Company Team of the Year Casualty and Aviation (Reactions) | |
Pricing
It is crucial to our company's success that we are perceived by our customers as a preferred business partner. If we are to be considered the best option, we must offer prices commensurate with the risks, adequate capacities and a reliable value proposition. As a business-to-business service provider, the fair design of our products – i.e. of contracts with primary insurers – is an essential prerequisite for our business. We expect integrity from all our employees at all times in their dealings with clients and have enshrined these expectations on a mandatory basis in our Code of Conduct, which is applicable worldwide.