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I am excited to present a summary of the inaugural
results from the first global Willis Carrier Evaluation
Survey. This is a groundbreaking project in which
over 2,500 Willis Associates benchmarked carriers
across a range of activities such as underwriting,
policy administration, claims handling and service.
The results of the Carrier Evaluation Survey will be
crucial to us going forward. We are committed to
placing our clients’ business with those carriers who
best meet their needs. We will use the results to
enhance our services to our clients working together
with insurers to raise the standards of performance
– theirs and ours. This goes to the principle, close to
my heart, of clients having confidence and faith in
our industry and moving Willis forward into our next
chapter.
The Carrier Evaluation Survey is part of a wider
initiative, the Willis Quality Index®, which will be
launched later in 2007. The Index has been designed
to enhance both our and our clients’ ability to make
more informed decisions. It consists of a unique
blend of feedback from our Carrier Evaluation
Survey and, critically, additional quantitative
information. This will include premium volume
metrics and other information collected by Willis,
such as systems driven claims settlement and policy
administration metrics.
In this briefing note we present the results of our
inaugural global Carrier Evaluation Survey carried
out during Spring 2007. In the future we intend to
conduct the Survey at Willis biannually and will feed
the results back on a timely basis to our clients, the
carriers and at a high level to the market in general.
In the meantime, I trust you will find these first
results illuminating, interesting and even
challenging!
The Willis Quality Index is a market leading initiative
from Willis which we believe will help to drive
forward improvements in service across the industry.
This is a clear win-win for our clients and for the
carriers we work with.
gçÉ=mäìãÉêá
táääáë=dêçìé=`Ü~áêã~å=C=`bl
táääáë Carrier Evaluation Survey 1
 qÜÉ=táääáë=`~êêáÉê=bî~äì~íáçå=pìêîÉó
The results of the Carrier Evaluation programme are hÉó=ÑáåÇáåÖë P
based on a survey of Willis Associates carried out
over the period 19 February 2007 to 11 March oÉáåëìê~åÅÉ= Q
2007. Associates were asked to rank carrier groups,
on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest), against four kçêíÜ=^ãÉêáÅ~=oÉí~áä R
categories. Within these categories were a total of
23 questions. fåíÉêå~íáçå~ä=– ^ëá~=m~ÅáÑáÅ= S

The categories and areas of questions within each fåíÉêå~íáçå~ä=– `çåíáåÉåí~ä=bìêçéÉ S

are illustrated below:
fåíÉêå~íáçå~ä=– i~íáå=^ãÉêáÅ~ S
• Underwriting e.g. commerciality, coverage and
responsiveness. fåíÉêå~íáçå~ä=– rh=C=fêÉä~åÇ=oÉí~áä T
• Policy administration e.g. timeliness, accuracy
and quality of their information systems. bãéäçóÉÉ=_ÉåÉÑáíë T
• Claims e.g. attitude, settlement and technical
support. péÉÅá~äíó=_ìëáåÉëëÉë U
• Service e.g. loss control, risk assessment and
post placement services. cçê=ÑìêíÜÉê=áåÑçêã~íáçåW

We have not weighted the results from the survey in táääáë=nì~äáíó=fåÇÉñL`~êêáÉê

any way. bî~äì~íáçå=pìêîÉó
p~ääó=_ê~ã~ää
Individual responses were received from 2,550 Willis Managing Director
Associates globally. Generally, respondents were Telephone: +44 (0)1473 223954
highly experienced with 62% having been in the Email: sally.bramall@willis.com
insurance industry for more than 10 years.
mêÉëë=~åÇ=mìÄäáÅ=oÉä~íáçåë
Sufficient responses were received on 80 carrier fåÖêáÇ=_çëÅÜ
groups for inclusion in this research paper. Group Communications
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7481 7182
Email: ingrid.bosch@willis.com

© This report is for general information purposes only and is not intended to
be relied upon nor is it intended that any action based be taken on or in
connection with any information contained herein. Willis Limited and its
holding, subsidiary and affiliate companies assume no responsibility or duty
22% in tort, contract or otherwise to any party in respect of this report. The
35% 20+ accuracy and completeness of the information and opinion expressed herein
is not guaranteed. No warranty or representation of accuracy or
16-20
completeness is given. This publication speaks only as to the date on which it
11-15
was created and Willis Limited and its holding, subsidiary and affiliate
6-10
16% companies shall have no obligation to update or amend any information or
0-5
opinion contained herein. This document is not prepared for and should not
be construed as providing investment advice or services and Willis Limited
14% 13% and its holding, subsidiary and affiliate companies do not guarantee or
otherwise warrant the solvency of any insurer.

Willis Carrier Evaluation Survey –

Experience of Respondents (Years)

2 táääáë Carrier Evaluation Survey

hÉó=ÑáåÇáåÖë
• In general, the Willis Carrier Evaluation Survey • In contrast, the range of scores in all other
offers encouraging results for the carriers categories was greater evidencing a much
ranked by Willis Associates. On a scale of 1 to wider variation in opinions about the
10 all carriers were ranked above the mid- performance levels of carriers. As a result,
point. Although nearly half of the 80 carrier the overall aggregate scores for Policy
groups received a mean score of 7 or greater, Administration, Claims and Service were
none scored more than 8. There is clearly slightly lower.
opportunity for carriers to further differentiate
themselves through service and performance.
High Low
Underwriting – Coverage 7.17 Service – Risk Assessment 7.17
• Our research demonstrates that most carriers Underwriting – Contract Certainty 7.12 Service – Loss Control 7.12
perform reasonably consistently across all Underwriting – Continuity 6.97 Policy Administration –
Information Systems 6.97
surveyed question categories – either
consistently well, or less well. There are,
Highest and Lowest sub-Category scores – Willis Group
however, more examples of considerable
variation between a carrier’s scores in different
sectors – for example geographically or in a • Analysis by Willis’ business unit suggests that
specialist field. our Associates in Employee Benefits, Specialty
areas and Reinsurance rate the performance of
their carriers most highly. Associates in Willis’
8 international offices had the least positive
7
6.98
6.70 6.72
views in relative terms about their carriers.
6.62

5 _ìëáåÉëë=råáí pÅçêÉ
Mean Score

4
Employee Benefits 7.23
3 Global Specialties 7.21
Willis Re 7.15
2
Willis North America 6.98
1 Willis International - UK & Ireland Retail 6.79
0
Willis International - Scandinavia 6.68
Underwriting Policy
Administration
Claims Service Willis International - Latin America 6.67
Willis International - Continental Europe 6.46
Overall Category Scores – Willis Group
Willis International - Asia Pacific 6.44

• Underwriting was overall the highest rated
category, with a mean score of just under 7.
Two elements, Coverage and Contract
Certainty, were the highest scoring activities
across the whole survey. Underwriting scores
were tightly clustered demonstrating little
perceived differentiation between carriers in
this activity.
• There is some evidence that carriers in more
specialist areas, for example those offering a
more focused range of products and services,
demonstrate better overall performance than
some more diversified groups. We will evaluate
this viewpoint in more detail as the results
from future surveys become available.

táääáë Carrier Evaluation Survey 3

 oÉáåëìê~åÅÉ
Reinsurance includes responses from our offices in Australia, Europe, Ireland, Japan, Latin America, UK and
the US, including specialty areas of Marine, Aerospace and Retrocession.

• Reinsurance markets were generally scored
slightly higher by Willis Re Associates than by
other parts of the Group. Although evident
across all categories, this was most marked
Policy / Contract Administration and Claims,
and least in Underwriting.
• Reinsurers also scored slightly higher on
aggregate in the Policy / Contract
Administration than in any other category.
Responses from the Far East were however an
exception to this, where they scored
companies significantly lower in this activity.
• The highest scoring individual carrier across
Willis Re received the top ranking in three of
the four categories demonstrating consistency
of performance.
• In terms of carrier domicile, the results were
well spread and showed little difference
between entities based in US, Bermuda,
London, Asia or Europe.

• There was quite a wide variation in views

geographically on Claims performance. Latin
American respondents viewed Claims services 8
7.27
7.11 7.18
more positively than those from other 7
6.98
6.70 6.72 6.62
6.98

geographical regions. 6

5
Mean Score

• The mean score given to reinsurers across all

4
categories by Willis Re US Associates was
slightly lower than that achieved by carriers 3

outside the US. 2

• Willis Re’s international based associates

0
ranked reinsurers more highly for Service than Underwriting Policy
Administration
Claims Service

US based respondents. Mean Scores Willis Group versus Willis Re

Willis Group
Willis Re

4 táääáë Carrier Evaluation Survey

kçêíÜ=^ãÉêáÅ~=oÉí~áä
This includes teams serving the North American markets from the USA, Canada, Bermuda
and London.

• Opinions across the North American regions

demonstrated clear differences regarding how 8
7.16
carriers operate at local levels. This is 7
6.98
6.70 6.88 6.72
6.67
6.62
6.98

illustrated by the broad range of scores across 6

the 17 carrier groups surveyed. This spread
5

Mean Score
was twice that seen by Willis globally.
4

• Compared with the overall, carriers scored on 3

average slightly higher in North America in all 2

categories with the exception of Claims. 1

0
• The highest ranked carrier in the US scored Underwriting Policy
Administration
Claims Service

consistently well across all categories, and Mean Scores Willis Group versus WNA
particularly in the Service sector. Willis Group
WNA

• Willis Associates from the North East US

Canada
had the most positive views on their
carriers, particularly relating to
West
Underwriting and Service.
New York
• Our research indicates that Associates
Northeast
Central based in London experience better Claims
service than in other regional offices in
North America.
Southeast

• The least positive views were expressed by

Willis associates from our Bermuda and
Canada offices, who provided some of the
lowest scoring results for Claims world-
wide.

`~å~Ç~ `Éåíê~ä kçêíÜ=b~ëí kÉï=vçêâ pçìíÜ=b~ëí tÉëíÉêå içåÇçå _ÉêãìÇ~

Underwriting 6.82 7.15 7.38 7.21 7.23 7.10 7.33 6.51

Policy Admininstration 6.41 6.77 7.11 6.88 7.08 6.94 6.86 6.36

Claims 6.32 6.56 6.91 6.74 6.84 6.48 7.06 6.18

Service 6.45 6.85 7.24 7.07 7.09 7.02 6.94 6.37

táääáë Carrier Evaluation Survey 5

 táääáë=fåíÉêå~íáçå~ä
Willis operates in 74 countries globally. For the purposes of this research we have concentrated on 4
geographical regions: Asia Pacific, Continental Europe, Latin America and UK & Ireland.

^ëá~=m~ÅáÑáÅ
8

7
6.98
6.70 6.72 6.62
• Carriers in the Asia Pacific region overall scored relatively low
6.57 6.44 6.39
6.16 across all four categories, compared with Willis’ global results.
6

5
Mean Score

• 5 of the 12 ranked carrier groups are headquartered in the

4
Asia Pacific region, although many operate in other territories.
3

2
• Willis Associates in Asia Pacific were least satisfied with
Service, which scored lowest globally based on our research.
1

0
Underwriting Policy Claims Service
Administration
8
Mean Scores Willis Group versus Asia Pacific
6.98
Willis Group 7 6.68 6.70 6.72 6.62
Asia Pacific 6.44 6.24
6.26
6

`çåíáåÉåí~ä=bìêçéÉ Mean Score

5

• Respondents in Willis’ Continental European 3

offices were more critical of the carriers with 2

whom they operate than many other parts of the 1

Willis Group.
0
Underwriting Policy Claims Service
Administration
• The most positive views related to the Underwriting Mean Scores Willis Group versus Continental Europe
section although they were still lower than the Willis Group

aggregated results elsewhere. Continental Europe

• The lowest scoring category on aggregate was 8

Service, which was significantly lower than for Willis 7

6.98
6.75 6.70 6.72 6.70
6.62 6.62
globally. Compared with North America, 6.49

6
Continental Europe’s mean score was nearly 10%
lower and was amongst the lowest across the 5
Mean Score

survey. 4

• Associates in our Scandinavian offices generally 2

rate their carriers higher than those in the other
1
parts of Europe, particularly in Underwriting and
Claims capabilities. 0
Underwriting Policy Claims Service
Administration

Mean Scores Willis Group versus Latin America

i~íáå=^ãÉêáÅ~ Willis Group
Latin America

• The mix of carriers in the Latin American region

were evenly split between locally headquartered although their scores were still below those
and international groups. achieved in other sectors/geographical regions.

• The international groups scored noticeably higher • The results of the top 4 carriers in this region
than the local carriers across all categories, were extremely close, across all categories.

6 táääáë Carrier Evaluation Survey

rh=C=fêÉä~åÇ=oÉí~áä
UK & Ireland Retail includes Associates servicing small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and larger
commercial businesses.

hÉó=cáåÇáåÖë

• Overall, scores for carriers in UK and Ireland 8

were broadly consistent with results for Willis 7

6.98 6.96
6.70 6.68 6.72 6.62 6.62
6.58
Group as a whole. However, there was a wider
6
range of scores towards the lower end.
5

Mean Score
• The top scoring carrier group in the UK sector, 4

which operates in the Lloyd’s market, scored 3

consistently highly across all categories. 2

1
• There was some disparity in the views of
0
Associates servicing different sectors. For Underwriting Policy Claims Service
Administration
example, carriers servicing SME segment Mean Scores Willis Group versus UK&Ireland
performed better than those focused on larger Willis Group

commercial businesses. This is particularly UK&Ireland

noticeable in our Service category.

• Respondents from Willis’ Irish operations 8

7.30 7.29 7.18
generally gave less positive feedback on their 7
6.98
6.70
7.07
6.72 6.62

carriers’ performance. 6

5
Mean Score

bãéäçóÉÉ=_ÉåÉÑáíë 3

1
Willis Employee Benefits teams specialise in life and
0
health fields, and are based in offices in the UK, US Underwriting Policy
Administration
Claims Service

and the rest of the world. Mean Scores Willis Group versus Willis Employee Benefits

Willis Group

hÉó=ÑáåÇáåÖë Willis Employee Benefits

• Carrier groups in the employee benefits field were

viewed by Willis associates consistently higher
than the Willis Group mean across all categories.
• As employee benefit carriers typically provide
specialist services, this necessitates consideration
of whether specialist carriers, by their very
nature, are able to offer superior performance.
Over time we hope the Willis Quality Index will
provide answers to this question.
• Underwriting and Claims categories both
received high aggregate scores from Willis
Employee Benefits teams, and indeed scored
highly in comparison to other territories and
business specialisms.
• There was least variation between the top and
bottom scoring groups in the Underwriting
category and the most variation in Service.

táääáë Carrier Evaluation Survey 7

 péÉÅá~äíó=_ìëáåÉëëÉë
Specialty Businesses includes Aerospace, Construction, Marine, Energy, Financial & Executive Risks, Fine Art,
Kidnap & Ransom and Bloodstock.

• Two thirds of the carriers, which were ranked

8
by the Specialties teams, operate in the Lloyd’s 7.34
7.01 7.19
6.98 6.98
market indicative of the nature of risks insured 7 6.70 6.72 6.62

in this sector. Lloyd’s related entities ranked 6

relatively evenly with other markets. 5

Mean Score
4
• The overall results suggest Associates in Willis’
3
Specialties businesses have a more positive
view on the performance of their carriers 2

compared with Willis generally. 1

0
Underwriting Policy Claims Service
• The results were particularly close for those Administration

carriers dealing with our Specialty businesses. Mean Scores Willis Group versus Global Specialties

Indeed a different carrier achieved top spot Willis Group

Global Specialties
overall and in each category. Critically, all of
these top scoring carriers operate in the Lloyd’s
market.

• Results in Marine were consistently high across

all categories.

• Carrier groups operating in Niche markets, for

example Fine Art and Bloodstock, scored
particularly well in Underwriting as did those
operating in the Construction market.

Willis Group Holdings Limited is a leading global insurance broker, developing and delivering
professional insurance, reinsurance, risk management, financial and human resource consulting and
actuarial services to corporations, public entities and institutions around the world. Willis has over 300
offices in some 100 countries, with a global team of approximately 16,000 employees serving clients in
some 190 countries. Additional information on Willis may be found on its website www.willis.com.

8 táääáë Carrier Evaluation Survey