Season 2017

It’s a wrap! The final episode of The Insurance Apprentice 2017, ‘Announcing the winner’, sponsored by PWV Insurance Brokers, sees Kabelo Paile, Relationship Manager at Santam, crowned as the winner of the third season….

Task six was quite challenging. The contestants were ‘employed’ by the FSB and they had to consult with the industry on the proposal that Commercial Binders to brokers, who also give advice, should be prohibited. Commercial Binders would only be permitted to be awarded to UMA’s or non-mandated intermediaries who do not give advice. The task required the contestants to consult with various industry role players to obtain alternative views on the pros and cons of prohibiting commercial binders.

Inseta decided that they would like the contestants to go to Ekurhuleni West College, Boksburg, which is a TVET College, to talk to students of whom some already have a qualification. The audience was tough and probably did not cooperate the way the contestants envisaged it… it makes for some interesting viewing.

The contestants had to come up with an innovative insurance solution for insuring assets being transported in ships, trucks and aeroplanes. So, with spare capacity, it’s normally an empty spot but the load will be shared with others also transporting their own goods. Who insures what, what if there’s no insurance and what is the liability around the whole shared economy concept?

Sasria truly put the contestants through the ringer by asking them to design an app which will give Sasria a bit of a heads up in terms of riots taking place. The intention of the app is to also warn the general public about the riots taking place, so that they can avoid the areas in which it is taking place.

In this task the contestants had to identify the next big disrupter in the industry. They drove to several locations to learn more about the short term claims process and the critical role each party plays in the value chain. The product could be a new innovation or an enhancement on Discovery Insure’s current product offering. The contestants had to come up with this innovation while also trying to maintain a four star rating in the Johannesburg traffic, through the Discovery Insure Drive Safe program.

The contestants were required to deal with a difficult client who had not complied with the requirements set out in his policy document. The client was notified that his insurance would be cancelled unless he implements those requirements as a matter of urgency, but the challenge was that the client did not have the funds to do it immediately. What follows is a difficult conversation many brokers have to deal with on a regular basis…

In episode one of The Insurance Apprentice 2017, you will meet eight bright, young industry professionals. You will also hear from Simon Colman, Head of Commercial Solutions for SHA, who is the new head judge, and Vuyo Lee, independent consultant and third year judge on what they will be looking for throughout the tasks and what they believe the qualities are of a winner.