Sagicor Life Jamaica last Wednesday held its 39th Annual Corporate Awards at the Pegasus hotel in Kingston, where it recognised select employees, branches, subsidiaries and brokers for outstanding contribution to the firm’s performance in 2009.

Sagicor Life president and CEO Richard Byles in his address said 2009 was a very successful year for the company in which it achieved a number of significant milestones. He outlined among them:

*The integration of the Blue Cross health insurance portfolio into Sagicor — adding 80,000 insureds and doubling the size of the company’s commercial business;

*Taking over the Government of Jamaica health programme which involves another 300,000 lives;

*The writing of $1.7 billion of new business in the individual life division, which settled 50,300 new cases;

*The employee benefits division wrote a record $1.6 billion of new business; and

*A 30 per cent increase in policyholder payments from $7 billion to $10 billion

“We have so much to be proud of in this group,” said Byles, adding that “This performance was only possible because every single member of our team made a contribution, and we thank them sincerely for it.”

Byles acknowledged that challenging times are ahead against the background of a tightening economy. But he called upon employees to confront the tough domestic economic environment head on through increased customer service and efficiency.

“In brief, it is going to require each of us to improve in whatever we do, no matter how well we do it now,” he said.