Website: http://www.icwi.net/

In 2004, ICWI celebrates its 35th anniversary of demonstrated excellence in the business of general insurance.

ICWI was incorporated on 6th November, 1968, and launched on 21st May, 1969. At the time, most general insurance business in the West Indies was transacted through agencies for foreign insurers, with most of the income generated being remitted to overseas head offices, with limited benefit derived locally.

The ambition which fuelled the Company's establishment, as well as the business insight and dedication which have powered it through, have made insurance synonymous with ICWI, demonstrative of the integral role the Company plays as the first all Jamaican general insurance company.

From the inception, it was determined that the development of ICWI in Jamaica and the region would be best achieved through a policy of growth by acquisition. Thus, over the past thirty-five years, there has been a realization of this through the acquisition of a number of established companies in the insurance industry. This facilitated expansion into the Bahamas, Haiti, Cayman Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, the US Virgin Islands, and the Windward and Leewards Islands.

In Jamaica and the Cayman Islands the name "Road Angel" has become a part of the vernacular thanks to ICWI's recognition since 1970 of safety conscious female motor drivers, a worldwide first. Annually for the past 15 years we have been the sponsors, in Jamaica of the world's leading women's polo tornament.

Society formulates its demands on the insurance industry by legislation and other forms of regulations. This touches upon most aspects of the business; its legal arrangements, the wording and validity of insurance policies, the provision of reserves, the taxation of the business as well as of individual policy holders and the investment guidelines for funds held in trust.

Regulatory change is sweeping through every country in which we operate, all of which will impact our future operations, some more than others. ICWI's Board of Directors has taken a positive view of these changes, as apart from helping to assist the regulators, the disciplines they demand will contribute to better informed management decisions and have other profound business benefits.

The need of insurance reflects the need of economic security. We beleive in a development where ICWI, in the light of its experience in providing service, will shoulder greater responsibilities in attending to various forms of security and service, all as complementary to the measures of society. Examples of areas for efforts of this kind include the traffic and residential environment, rehabilitation and schooling. Our social responsibility role recognizes that employees significantly contribute to the welfare of communities through volunteerism and the ICWI Group Foundation demonstrates our dedication to the development of human beings as the region's most valuable resource, through support for education.

Proper business practice requires that great attention should be paid to satisfying the customer, our relations with one another and society at large. Against this background, the Company's operations are guided by a Code of Ethics which provides general guidelines for professional behaviour.