The Managing Director, NICON Insurance Plc, Mr. Emmanuel Jegede, has blamed the poor economic situation in the country for the low insurance patronage.
He said this during an interview on the sidelines of the maiden edition of the Nigeria Consumers’ Award, where NICON was voted the best insurance company.
The NiCA was organised by the Consumer Protection Council to re-energise the Nigerian market place for healthy competition, which is capable of increasing consumer satisfaction from interactions between them and providers of products and services.
Jegede said, “Insurance is just like any other product in the service industry. It is expected that any reasonable adult or person who is exposed to risk will insure.
“But, because of the economic situation in the country, patronage is not as we have in other countries of the world. It is not that they don’t know the benefit of insurance.
“But while you are still battling to feed and to have something in your stomach, you may not think of protecting your assets. But in actual fact, it is very necessary. As much as your food, education and other things are necessary, we must always take insurance seriously.”
The NICON boss said the award was in recognition of the company’s numerous services to its clients, stressing that it would further spur it to perform better.
He said, “I feel it is in recognition of our numerous services to our clients. When you are recognised, you cannot but be happy within yourself that you are doing the right thing and this is what we have seeing.
“We have no choice than up the scale in our drive to satisfy the yearnings of our clients. The clients are expecting more from us. Nigerians are expecting more from us. We have no choice than to do more.”
Jegede explained that the company had designed special packages for its clients for the 2013 financial year.
For instance, he said NICON had come up with a special product for its customers in the directors, officers and executives cadres in both full-time and the part-time capacities.