The Australasian Life Underwriting and Claims Association (ALUCA) has revealed the finalists for this year's Life Insurance Excellence Awards, which celebrates and recognises excellence in life insurance claims and underwriting.
The finalists for the leadership award – which acknowledges an individual life insurance leader who has demonstrated excellence by driving successful life insurance strategies with strong customer outcomes – are Sheridan Barrett (AIA Australia), Rob Daking (TAL), Arleen Hatton (MetLife), and Mitch Lasorsa (TAL).
The finalists for the underwriting award – which acknowledges an individual life insurance underwriting professional who has demonstrated excellence via their achievement of key underwriting business and customer outcomes – are Mervyn Lam (AIA Australia), Clare McLean (AIA Australia), Leigh O'Malley (Zurich), and Sonya Strachan (MetLife).
The finalists for the claims award – which recognises an individual life insurance claims professional who has demonstrated excellence via their achievement of key claims business and customer outcomes – are Zoe Butcher (QInsure), Balram Dabhade (QInsure), Paula Ramsay (MLC Life Insurance), and Victor Tran (MetLife).
The finalists for the rehabilitation award – which acknowledges an individual life insurance rehabilitation professional who has demonstrated excellence via their achievement of innovative rehabilitation business and customer outcomes – are Melissa Colonna (MetLife) and Hussein El-Khansa (TAL).
The finalists for the rising star award – which recognises a life insurance individual with less than three years in their role who has demonstrated excellence in a life insurance claims, underwriting, or rehabilitation role over and above business as usual – are Senthil Baladhandayutham (TAL), Adam Foster (AIA Australia), Nicholas Laurie (MetLife), and Phoebe Macleay (TAL).
The finalists for the David Mico Education award – presented to an ALUCA member who has excelled in their ongoing professional development in life insurance via education over and above business as usual and can demonstrate this for the last 12 months – are Brad Barker (MetLife) and Matthew Parsons (MLC Life Insurance).
The finalists for the underwriting team award –presented to an underwriting team that can demonstrate a combination of some or all of the following over and above business as usual – are Group Underwriting (AIA Australia), MetLife Australia Underwriting Team (MetLife), and Technical Underwriting and Governance Team (MetLife).
The finalists for the claims team award – presented to a life insurance claims team that can demonstrate some or all of the following over and above business as usual – are Swiss Re L&H Claims Team ANZ (SwissRe), TAL Rest Claims Team (TAL), MetLife Claims Leadership Team (MetLife), and OnePath Mental Health Team (Zurich OnePath).
The finalists for the customer service team award – presented to a life insurer, reinsurer, or service provider team setting new standards in customer service and engagement over and above business as usual – are Customer Service Team (EMLife), Strategy and Recovery Team (MetLife), and Guardian Exercise Rehabilitation (AIA Australia).
Lastly, the finalists for the innovation team award – presented to a life insurer, reinsurer, or service provider team setting new standards in life insurance innovation over and above business as usual in process, product, service, technology, data, media, etc. – are Claims Rules Engine (OnePath & SCOR Global Life), TAL Financial Health Team (TAL), TAL Member Engagement and Innovation Team (TAL), Cancer Support Program with Valion Health (Zurich OnePath), and MetLife 360 Health Team (MetLife).
MetLife, which was named a finalist in all 10 categories, said the nomination demonstrated its operations team's strength – who responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring that its customers received the “best possible experience” and support through their health journey.
MetLife chief operations officer David Campbell, commented: “The last year has been one of disruption, and our operations teams have continually stepped up to ensure we look after our customers.
“We have been innovating across our business, from the new business and underwriting functions right through to claims and recovery. Being shortlisted in every category in this year's ALUCA awards is a testament to us living by our purpose of building a more confident future for our members. We're really pleased to be recognised in this way.”
ALUCA will announce the winners at an awards event on June 10, 2021 (Thursday) in Sydney.
