JUDGING CRITERIA

Please read the judging criteria carefully before completing the entry form. Your entry should clearly demonstrate how you have met all of the points detailed in the relevant category criteria.

ACCOUNTING SPECIALIST - NEW
Open to all accounting firms or internal divisions serving the UK captive market. Judges will pay particular attention to examples of efficiencies in areas such as GAAP, auditing and tax reporting. They will also look for firms that can show a clear understanding of their client's specific and unique requirement.

ACTUARIAL FIRM OF THE YEAR
Open to all actuarial firms or internal divisions serving the UK captive market. The award looks at firms who demonstrate excellent service, meeting clients’ needs and satisfaction. Judges will be looking for companies whose customers hold in high regard their loss reserving, risk modelling, business planning, forecasting and the development of early warning systems. Specific contributions to professional organisations and specific mention of participation in discussions with regulators to support (or resist) regulatory developments.

CAPTIVE HEALTHCARE SPECIALIST
Open to firms who specialise in healthcare captives or healthcare risks. The Judges are looking for examples of firms showing true signs of innovation and depth of understanding of the sector, the client’s needs and regulatory requirements. Contributions and involvement in professional organisations and/or regulatory developments. Specific service offerings, service levels and overall success of the business over the last 12 months.

CAPTIVE MANAGER
This award is open to all captive management firms who currently manage business for UK parent companies. Awarding excellence in all areas of captive management we are looking for evidence of business growth by revenue, client numbers, service offering and head count and above all client satisfaction. Judges will look for applicants to demonstrate their diverse product offering and solution based services, advances in use of technology, accessibility to clients, initiatives developed/implemented in the last 12 months and overall business growth.

CAPTIVE PROFESSIONAL - NEW
This award is presented to an individual who demonstrated exceptional performance within the captive insurance industry during the last 12 months, whether through the development of the organisation they work for, or the broader captive industry. The winner could be someone who has led significant change within a business through their vision and application, or has helped the sector through their engagement with stakeholders, regulators and politicians to effect a positive change. We encourage firms to nominate candidates they think fit this criteria and the judging panel will determine the winner. 

CELL CAPTIVE
This award is open to all functioning protected or incorporated cell companies that are owned either by an insurance manager or a corporate. Judges will be looking for growth within the cell company over the last 12 months as well as an innovative use of the structure to most efficiently and effectively organise the risk financing. Case studies and examples of specific types of risk and insured placed in the cell company are encouraged in this category.

CELL COMPANY INITIATIVE
Open to all cell companies and captive managers facilitating cell captives. The judges are looking for one specific and truly unique use of a cell company to suit a clients' bespoke needs. It may be an initiative made particularly tricky by the regulatory environment of the insured or due to a new type of risk. Cited examples can also include the evolution of a cell company into a single parent captive, although nominations should be clear to only choose one example to submit.

CLAIMS MANAGEMENT - NEW
Open to any claims management firm or claims handling division of a business who service captives. Judges will be looking for exceptional quality of service given to claimants whether through routine claims service or following complex issues for specific claims. Developments and use of technology will be considered by our judges.

COLLATERAL SERVICE PROVIDER
This award is open to any firm that is providing collateral to the captive in any capacity. The focus is on customer care, client relations, tailoring services to the client’s needs and accessibility. Judges will look for the breadth of service offering, efficiencies and benefits the client has achieved by working with the applicant. Evidence of business growth and increase of market share is also an important factor for our judges to understand. Client testimonials are encouraged for this category.

CUSTOMER CARE IN CAPTIVE MANAGEMENT - NEW
The focus of this award is on the captive management firm demonstrating how its service offering has improved its clients’ business functionality, access to information and reporting. Judges will look for evidence of valued customer care, improved efficiency and knowledge, expertise and accessibility of the team. Client testimonials are encouraged for this category.

CUSTOMER CARE IN FRONTING - NEW
This award will focus on client satisfaction with their fronting provider. The fronting company should demonstrate, excellent business functionality, customised arrangements, ease of access to information, reporting, communication and the team and multi-national/state capabilities. Judges will be looking for companies to demonstrate their multi-state/international capabilities, improved efficiency and customer care, expertise and accessibility of the team. Client testimonials are encouraged for this category.

CUSTOMER CARE IN INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT - NEW
Open to asset managers and investment advisors. This award will be presented to the firm that best exhibits unrivalled customer care and satisfaction. Delivering strong results through balancing investment risk and return. Evidence of a clear understanding of clients’ specific and unique requirements is essential. Client testimonials are encouraged for this category.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS SPECIALIST - NEW
Open to all firms advising on or structuring employee benefits programmes for UK parented captives. Judges wish to identify firms who excel in their field through excellent planning and engagement with the client and all divisions across the client's parent divisions. Examples of integrating risk management and human resources, reducing benefit costs and innovation in driving this area of the captive industry are also welcomed.

EUROPEAN DOMICILE
This award is open to all on- and offshore European captive domiciles housing UK parented captives. Submissions should be able to demonstrate their ability to deliver an efficient service, while not compromising on sound and thorough regulatory practices. Active engagement with their domestic captive industry as well as with the broader European scene will also be looked upon favourably.

ILS SERVICE PROVIDER - NEW
This award is open to all service providers including law firms, insurance managers, actuaries and risk modelling agencies working within the ever-growing insurance linked securities (ILS) space. Judges will be looking for innovative use of ILS structures, company diversification in the space and sound practice in an increasingly complex arena. Submissions should include examples of specific deals the provider has played a part in during the last 12 months.

INDEPENDENT BROKER - NEW
This award is open to all independent brokers that DO NOT have a captive management division. Judges will be looking for a demonstration of extensive captive knowledge and experience with evidence of the delivery of suitable captive solutions to clients from the last 12 months. Case studies and client testimonials are encouraged in this category

INDEPENDENT CAPTIVE MANAGER
Open to self-managed captives and captive managers that are not related to a larger parent company. Our judges will be focused on activity over the last 12 months and will be looking for the highest standards of customer care and satisfaction, excellent reporting process and access to the team, innovative ways of managing your clients risk and insurance structures and clear examples of efficiencies. The judging panel would also like to see evidence of business growth and key staff playing an active role in industry discussions and setting the agenda for the broader industry.

INNOVATION IN FRONTING
This award is open to all insurance companies providing fronting services to captives. Judges will be looking for specific examples of problem solving and tailored fronting programmes to suit the needs of clients. The demonstration of international capabilities is important, however this category is seeking to highlight initiatives that set fronters apart.

INNOVATION IN INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
Open to asset managers and investment advisors. This award will be presented to the firm displaying true innovation excellence in investment strategy, unique solutions and services and exceptional performance tailored to individual client’s needs and expectations. New use of technology for reporting and market analysis, particularly if white-labelled will be considered.

INSURANCE COMPANY - NEW
Open to all insurers acting specifically within the captive market. The winner of this category will demonstrate excellence across all its captive related services, consistent customer satisfaction, profitable growth, innovation in product delivery and services, setting agenda for major industry issues and a willingness to address the unique needs and challenges faced by clients.

MOST INNOVATIVE USE OF AN ART STRUCTURE
Open to all firms who design/manage/consult on ART structures. This award will showcase firms who have displayed creative and innovative design while ensuring effective cover. Evidence of cost benefits, efficiencies, complexity or simplicity of the structure and use of alternative markets such as the capital markets or using the structure as a profit centre will all be considered.

OFFSHORE LAW FIRM
Open to law firms in ‘offshore’ jurisdictions servicing UK parented captives in the last 12 months. The award recognises contributions to the captive market through legal expertise and innovation, strategic vision and business winning client care. Specific contributions, participation in discussions with regulators to support (or resist) regulatory developments.

ONSHORE LAW FIRM
Open to UK law firms servicing captives in the last 12 months. The award recognises contributions to the captive market through legal expertise and innovation, strategic vision and business winning client care. Specific contributions and participation in discussions with regulators to support (or resist) regulatory developments.

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION BY AN INDIVIDUAL
The winner of this special award will be presented to an individual who has made extraordinary contribution to the success of the UK captive industry through their illustrious career. We are not accepting entries to this category. However should you wish to nominate an individual, these will be considered by our panel of judges.

RISK CONSULTING INITIATIVE - NEW
Open to any firm conducting risk consulting services. The driver behind the award is to identify innovation in risk consulting over the last 12 months. Judges will look to identify KPI’s from the following: innovation from a particular transaction or deal, developments within new markets/risks, new product development and industry lobbying.

RUN-OFF SPECIALIST - NEW
Providing an innovative and efficient approach to managing or acquiring captives in run-off, entrants should be able to demonstrate to the judges a proven track record of disposing or transforming insurance companies no longer wanted. Management approaches and relationship with the end client will also be considered, as well as success stories. Client testimonials are encouraged for this category.

SOLVENCY II INITIATIVE
This award is open to any service provider or domicile that has delivered a specific product or educational campaign that is aimed specifically at easing captive owners' transition into a Solvency II compliant world. Judges will be looking for innovation as well as the provision of an efficient and easy-to-use concept. Client testimonials are encouraged for this category.

TAX ADVISORY FIRM
Open to all tax advisory firms. The judges will look for excellence in technical tax advice, tax reviews and compliance. Use of software products and capabilities, particularly white-labelled will be considered by our judges.

TECHNOLOGY FIRM
This award will focus on business, administrative processes and innovation. It is open to any firm in the captive insurance market - insurer, intermediary, service provider and technology specialist - that can demonstrate that the application of new software, hardware or information and communications technology has enhanced the quality, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of managing insurance risk placed in a captive, running a captive company or captive management firm. The judges will be looking for evidence of greater efficiency, customer service, lower error rates and effective implementation within agreed budgets and timetables.