User:Tonylopessa/Telesure Investment Holdings

Telesure Investment Holdings
Telesure Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd (Telesure) owns and operates several of South Africa’s leading insurance brands.

Telesure was established in 1998 to house the South African interests of the Guernsey-based international financial services group, Budget Holdings Ltd.

The company stands out with its multiple-channel, multiple-brand strategy approach through direct sales, broker sales, aggregator sales and affinity partnerships.

All of the companies in the Telesure group target different segments of the insuring public. They are geared to assess the needs of the market they service and provide products and distribution channels to best suit those needs.

Telesure is recognised as one of the most profitable short-term insurance groups in South Africa and has never made an underwriting loss in its 24 year history. No other insurance group can make such a claim which is outstanding given the phenomena of the insurance industry’s boom and bust underwriting cycles.

In 2009, Telesure is voted the second best company to work for in the Deloitte Best Company to Work for Survey.

Associated brands and companies
The following brands are associated with or form part of Telesure Investment Holdings:

Short-term insurance
Auto & General Insurance: Auto & General Insurance has a proud and illustrious history of innovation and has been an influential player in the short-term insurance industry since its inception in 1985. Over the years, the Auto & General name has become synonymous with service excellence and affordable, innovatively-packaged and quality insurance products.

Budget Insurance Brokers: Since 1998, Budget Insurance Brokers has provided the South African public with low, low premiums on their motor and household insurance, by cutting the cost and not the cover. They also have great value added benefits including: Tracker installation, on qualifying vehicles; Home Assist which covers the call-out fee plus one hour’s labour for the service of plumbers, electricians, glaziers and locksmiths; Roadside Assist, which includes a towing service, emergency petrol delivery and many other benefits. The company also offers Business Insurance.

Dial Direct Insurance: Independent research shows that Dial Direct has the most comprehensive online policy management system in the short-term insurance industry. Dial Direct clients can amend their polices, and submit and track their insurance claims online. In addition Dial Direct’s Bucks Back Bonus was voted the most preferred rewards programme in the industry.

1st for Women Insurance Brokers: 1st for Women Insurance Brokers understands women’s unique insurance needs. 1st for Women offers car, home contents, buildings, business and life insurance as well as a host of unique value-added products. The company’s growth has exceeded all expectations which indicates that women welcome a short-term insurance offering that is tailor-made to meet their needs - not just a generic product in pink packaging.

Virseker: Virseker is South Africa’s first and only short-term insurance product aimed exclusively at the Afrikaans-speaking community. The product offers all insurance services and fulfilment in Afrikaans – from quote to sale. The insurance product has been developed to represent the culture, interests and the passion of Afrikaans speakers.

ibuyeco: ibuyeco is a car and home insurance product which enables people to make a practical contribution to help tackle climate change. The insurance product, which has enjoyed much success in both the UK and Australia, gives policyholders the opportunity to use their insurance to counter the damage done by their cars and homes to the environment by offsetting their carbon emissions.

Unity Insurance: Established in November 2004, Unity Insurance is a short-term underwriter which delivers specialist short-term insurance products to address the lifestyle needs of all South Africans. The company takes its products to market through various channels including a national network of brokers and affinity partners, thereby creating employment and contributing to South African business development.

Prosper: Prosper, a product of Unity Insurance, targets South Africa’s emerging middle class. Prosper offers motor and household insurance products as well as a wide range of value added products including a product called Like-New which was designed to provide cover to repair small scratches and dents that usually falls under the excess amount of a motor vehicle insurance policy. For the opportunity to keep your car in showroom condition and for more information on Prosper, please visit www.prospercover.co.za

Long-term insurance
1Lifedirect: 1Lifedirect was launched in March 2006 with the vision of transforming and improving the South African life insurance industry. 1Lifedirect’s clients can deal directly with their insurer – whether over the internet or via the state-of-the-art call centre – giving clients personal control of their life insurance needs.

Insurance aggregator
Hippo.co.za is a search utility that allows consumers to solicit insurance quotes from a range of financial services providers. Consumers enter their details once and receive multiple insurance quotes from a range of insurance companies in South Africa.

History
1985:	On 1 June 1985 Auto & General Insurance launches in the South African market.

1993:	Telesure Group enters the UK market.

1997:	Telesure Group enters the Australian market.

1998:	Auto & General’s holding company, Telesure Investment Holdings (Telesure), is created to house the South African interests of the Guernsey-based Budget Holdings Ltd.

1998:	Budget Insurance South Africa is launched.

2003:	Sister Company Dial Direct, an offshoot of Dial Direct in the UK, is launched in South Africa.

2004:	1st for Women Insurance Brokers, the country’s first female-focused insurer, is launched.

2005:	Unity Insurance is launched.

2006:	1Lifedirect, South Africa’s first truly direct life insurance provider is launched.

2006:	Affinity partnership with Insurance brought to you by Woolworths is established.

2007:	hippo.co.za - South Africa’s first insurance internet aggregator site is launched.

2007:	Prosper, a product of Unity Insurance is launched.

2008:	Dial Direct is named the most popular short-term insurance brand in South Africa in the 2008 Sunday Times Ipsos Markinor Brand Survey. 2009:	Affinity partnership with Insurance driven by the AA is established.

2009:	ibuyeco, an environmentally-friendly insurance product is launched.

2009:    Telesure is voted the second best company to work for in the Deloitte Best Company to Work for Survey.

2010:	Affinity partnership with Virgin Money’s Insurance like it should be is established.

2010:	1st for Women is voted as the top insurance brand in the Sunday Times Top Brand survey.

2011:	Virseker, an insurance product for South Africa’s Afrikaans speaking community is launched

2011:	Auto & General wins the coveted Isabel Jones Ukusizana Award from the Ombudsman for Short-Term Insurance

Achievements
Telesure has introduced a number of firsts in the South African insurance industry including:


 * An innovative Service Charter for clients and brokers with self-imposed penalty payments
 * Paperless and telephonic insurance
 * Scientific risk rating and electronic underwriting
 * Business Insurance for SMEs that can be arranged and underwritten telephonically
 * On-line quotes and claims, 24 hours a day, with claim tracking capability
 * A cash-back bonus, enabling Broker clients to get their first year’s premium back after four uninterrupted years of claims-free cover, or 25 percent of their premiums paid over the four years, whichever is the lesser
 * Direct short-term insurance
 * Direct long-term insurance (1Lifedirect)
 * Voice logging to keep records of contracts
 * “Cover with care” to the female market (1st for Women Insurance Brokers)
 * Plain Business Writing in all policy books
 * On-line aggregator site - hippo.co.za
 * An environmentally friendly insurance product called ibuyeco
 * An insurance product for South Africa’s Afrikaans speaking community
 * Affinity products with premium brands like Virgin Money, AA and Woolworths