LAKE FOREST, Calif. — Portfolio, one of the nation’s leading reinsurance program managers for automotive dealers, has again been ranked as the first-place Diamond award winner in the Service Contract Reinsurance category in the annual Dealers’ Choice Awards national survey sponsored by Auto Dealer Today.

This is the fifth Diamond award for Portfolio, having also ranked No. 1 last year and in 2008, when the category was introduced, and again in 2009 and 2010. Portfolio has never been ranked lower than second place.

”Let me start by saying how honored we are that dealers have given us their vote of approval as the top reinsurance program once again,” said Portfolio President and CEO Brent Griggs. ”Being recognized by our clients in this way motivates us to do even more to make their Portfolio experience rewarding in every way.”

“I know our entire company comes to work each day with the goal of making the dealer’s decision to sign up with Portfolio the best decision he or she could make. Serving the dealer is a comprehensive mission,” Griggs added, “from handling a claim to funding the premiums weekly, and from helping install a new product to structuring a loan from the reinsurance company for the dealer’s business development goals. Everything we do is designed to deliver on our brand promise. Our people embrace this mission with trust and respect for our clients.”

“I share Brent’s sentiments, and would add my thanks to all of our agents who service our shared dealer clients. Their work in the stores every day contributes greatly to the dealers’ favorable view of the Portfolio program,” said Steve Burke, Portfolio’s founder and chief sales executive. “I am confident that we deliver the best reinsurance structure with its inherent ownership benefits, and I know how much good having a Portfolio reinsurance company has done for our dealers in both growth times and slow times the past 25 years.

“The personal wealth created has even kept some families in the dealership business for succeeding generations,” Burke added. “But I also know that without our local agents and reinsurance specialists engaging the dealer face-to-face regularly, we would never be worthy of this top ranking in the Dealers’ Choice Awards.”

The survey was conducted over four weeks during March and April of this year in an audited process in which dealer principals and other dealership personnel scored their satisfaction with providers in 29 categories of products and services. Survey respondents are asked to cast votes only for providers with which they have firsthand knowledge and experience.

In addition to identifying their primary providers in each category, respondents must rate their providers in four areas: (1) the product or service provided; (2) customer support and service; (3) the overall value for dollars spent; and (4) whether the dealer would recommend the provider.

Winners will be recognized in the July print issue of Auto Dealer Today and at a special awards ceremony at Industry Summit in Las Vegas in September.