Executive Director, Technical, Anchor Insurance, Adebisi Ikuomola
BY NKECHI NAECHE-ESEZOBOR-The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Anchor Insurance Limited, Ebose Augustine on Wednesday urged media practitioners in the country to continue to sensitize and educate the public on the benefits of insurance services, deepening the risk landscape through their pivotal role in communication.
Newly elected executives of National Association of Insurance and Pension Correspondents.
The Anchor boss disclosed this at the inauguration ceremony of the new executives of the National Association of Insurance and Pension Correspondents (NAIPCO) in Lagos that with the new normal thrown at our faces by the Covid-19 pandemonium, it is the duty of the Journalists to constantly educate the public on the new ways of doing things and business. It is the social responsibility of the Journalists to ensure that as the light of the public, no one is left in the dark about new realities.
Speaking on the topic: “The Role of Insurance Journalists in Emerging Realities” Ebose who was represented by the Executive Director, Technical, Anchor Insurance, Adebisi Ikuomola, said that the media has got a pivotal role of constantly educating the public on the new ways of doing things and business.
He noted that importance of insurance journalism has not been fully maximized in the new reality. I dare say that to further reinvent their reporting skill, they should as a matter of priority build network and affiliations with sister bodies and organizations across the globe to enable them continue to play valuable role to the society.
“The new global realities have more than ever before imposed an onerous responsibility the journalists to continue to update their skills by developing new capacity, a paradigm shift in the way we see things, report issues objectively to achieve balanced perspective and stand point.
“The Insurance Journalists must know the challenges the insurance practitioners are facing and therefore, learn to be on the part of ensuring growth for them rather than embark on any destructive journalism. Afterall, what will the Insurance Journalists gain if an insurance organisation sinks as a result of your reportage? The Insurance Journalists must know that they have something to publish today is because the companies exist. If they die as a result of your negative analysis, you are also running your beat, your column and job out of relevance in the media scheme of priorities.
On recapitalization in the insurance industry he said, it is the duty of the Insurance Journalist to offer regular well researched analyses on how companies can go through the processes with ease, the advantages the process to the insurers, shareholders, the insured and the workers. It is not a time for the Insurance Journalists to begin to watch to know who will sail through or not.
He noted that the new reality poses new levels of risks globally, overwhelming health infrastructures and developing economies are more hard hit.
He said that most advanced countries entered into the pandemic with historic loan and public debts on average higher than they have been over the years.
He further said that impact of the pandemic on the insurance services could be felt in areas like high claims demand, credit risk exposures from businesses facing possible default, lack of sales from travel insurance, less use of face to face marketing channel, surge in demand for health and business interruption insurances.
