Willis

London, UK, December 03, 2010 – FINEX National, a division of Willis Group Holdings (NYSE: WSH), the global insurance broker, was named “Broking Team of the Year” at the Insurance Day London Market Awards last night for leading the way in providing insurance solutions for Directors & Officers (D&O) Liability, Professional Indemnity (PI), Commercial Crime and Financial Institutions cover.

The awards were judged by a panel of seven experts from the insurance industry and were presented at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane, London.

Based in Ipswich, London and Manchester, FINEX National comprises over 30 Associates specialising in all aspects of financial and executive risk. Some of the team’s recent highlights and achievements include:

• The launching of a new initiative from its well-known VEAGIS offering which provides specialist PI insurance services to property professionals including valuers, estate agents, auctioneers and surveyors.
• Forming a global Hedge Fund Practice Group earlier this year comprising over 1,000 hedge fund clients with over USD 150 billion in assets under management.
• The rollout of an electronic trading platform which revolutionises the placement process and supports full binding authorities, providing small and mid-market UK businesses with direct access to leading D&O, PI and Crime products and insurers.
• The provision of a market-leading scheme and wording for Intellectual Property insurance.
• Connectivity to the vast Willis network with a focus on key areas of cross-sales for SME businesses.

Paul Richards, Co-Practice Leader of FINEX National said, “It is an honour to be recognised by our peers with this award. We have created something unique withFINEX National, offering clients a dedicated and highly experienced service team combined with the resource and assets that only a global broker like Willis can provide. Such resources include our contracts advisory team to assist in the development and creation of broad policy coverage, unique tools like the Willis Quality Index designed to assist our clients with insurer selection, and claims service where one in four FINEX Associates are claims handling professionals.”

Roland Avery, Chairman of FINEX Global, added, “We are responding to the evolving needs of our clients and the market through initiatives like e-trading, industry practice groups and facilities. All of these initiatives have helped position FINEX National as an innovator and a leading service provider to financial institutions, commercial organisations and professional services firms. This award is recognition of the hard work and effort of all FINEX National Associates.”

FINEX National specialises in providing PI, D&O, Employment Practice Liability (EPL), Pension Trustees Liability (PTL) and Crime insurances for professionals, financial institutions and commercial businesses in the small and mid-market sector through dedicated specialist service teams. The team’s value proposition is built on the pillars of innovation, boutique service, industry experience, transparency and expertise.

Willis Group Holdings plc is a leading global insurance broker. Through its subsidiaries, Willis develops and delivers professional insurance, reinsurance, risk management, financial and human resource consulting and actuarial services to corporations, public entities and institutions around the world. Willis has more than 400 offices in nearly 120 countries, with a global team of approximately 17,000 employees serving clients in virtually every part of the world. Additional information on Willis may be found at www.willis.com.