American Equity Wins Bronze Stevie Award For Innovation In Customer Service

American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company recently received a Bronze Stevie® Award for Innovation in Customer Service in the sixth annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service for their Client Appreciation Events. As a way of saying thank you to clients, American Equity invites policyholders to attend a client appreciation lunch in their communities hosted by Executive Chairman David J. Noble and President Ronald J. Grensteiner.

The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service are the world’s top sales awards, contact center awards, and customer service awards. The Stevie Awards also organizes several of the world’s leading business awards shows including the prestigious American Business Awards ^SM and the International Business Awards ^SM .

“Excellent customer service and sincere appreciation of our clients have been cornerstones of American Equity since the day the company was founded in December 1995,” Noble, said. “I am extremely proud that we have received this award because it recognizes our longstanding commitment to customer service and our determination to continue to provide the highest levels of service in the years to come.”

Since the luncheons began in June 2010, the company has hosted more than 7,500 policyholders in 39 cities. American Equity started inviting policyholders to client appreciation luncheons in their communities because of their concerns about the economic downturn, volatile stock market and historically low interest rates.

“We believe these folks are seriously concerned about the economy and where their retirement dollars are,” Noble said. “We sell sleep insurance. They can wake up in the morning and feel good that their assets are going to be there.”

American Equity’s client appreciation luncheons were featured in the February issue of Best’s Review , a respected trade publication in the insurance industry.

“The most important thing we say at these events,” Grensteiner said, “is thank you for entrusting us with your money. Second, we tell them who we are, what our business philosophies are and how we are different. We personally greet them at the event. We think the fact that we are there makes us different in a positive way.”

At each luncheon, policyholders are reassured that; their company is being managed by senior managers who have worked together for at least 15 years; American Equity maintains strong financials, high-quality investments and top ratings; and that annuities are smart choices because they offer benefits such as guaranteed income for life, tax deferral and avoidance of probate.

About American Equity

American Equity is a full service underwriter of a broad line of fixed annuity and life insurance products, with a primary emphasis on the sale of index and fixed rate annuities. Founded just 16 years ago in West Des Moines, IA, American Equity has grown rapidly and now ranks third in sales of indexed annuities in the United States with approximately 400 employees. www.american-equity.com .

About The Stevie Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in four programs: The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevie’s recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about The Stevie Awards at www.stevieawards.com .

Copyright Business Wire 2010