Moneyfacts Consumer Awards 2017 – winners revealed

The winners of the Moneyfacts Consumer Awards 2017 were announced last night at an exclusive ceremony held at the Lancaster London Hotel. Hundreds of industry professionals gathered at the event, which was hosted by comedian Ivo Graham, to hear the results and find out who would be crowned "best in class" in their respective sectors. So, who took home the coveted awards?

The awards

Our awards showcase the very best of the consumer finance industry, highlighting the providers who excel in customer service and offer products that can't be beaten. They draw on the assumption that the best product isn't always the cheapest, and that benefits can sometimes be overlooked, which is why the results are based on a combination of honest customer feedback, taken from our annual survey – which saw record levels of participation this year – together with in-depth analysis of individual products by our dedicated research team.

The end result? Awards that are presented to those who truly outshine the competition by offering products that are not only technically elite, but also come with customer approval; the ideal combination. Crucially, this means that the winners can be certain their products meet consumers' needs – and customers can be confident that, if they spot a product with one of our coveted winners' logos, it's a product they can trust.

"This year saw the largest ever response to our survey, with almost 118,000 individuals wanting to have their say," said Nick Lawler, director of Sales at Moneyfacts. "Their honest feedback, alongside our technical knowledge, means that this year's Moneyfacts Consumer Awards assuredly recognise the best products and services. This year's finalists and winners should all be proud of their achievements."

Best in class

The winners are providers whose products are able to combine technical appeal with strong customer feedback – something that isn't easy to achieve in today's market – and every guest at the ceremony was eagerly awaiting to hear who'd be victorious in each of the 27 categories.

These categories covered the length and breadth of the personal finance market, from the Car Insurance Provider of the Year to Best Customer Service, covering mortgages, savings, travel money, online banking and all categories of insurance along the way. There were plenty of well-known names doing the rounds, as well as several lesser-known providers that fought their way to the top, leaving their high street rivals in their wake.

Nationwide was one of the big winners on the night, taking home two awards and coming Commended or Highly Commended in five others. Halifax also won two awards and came Highly Commended in two others, while first direct and Legal & General both went home with two apiece.

The full list of winners can be seen below, but it isn't only the providers we want to talk about…

The winners aren't just the providers!

Every year, our consumer survey is filled in by thousands of people who want to have their say on the products and services that matter to them, but we don't expect something for nothing. Everyone who takes part in the survey is entered into a prize draw to win one of three £1,000 prizes, so it isn't just the providers who win with these awards!

We've already pulled our three winners out of the hat and have put the cheques in the post, but we thought we'd have a little chat with some of them to see what they intend to spend all that lovely money on.

Well, it understandably came as a bit of a shock, so much so that some winners didn't quite believe it was real! Yasmin Simpson from Perth thought it all seemed too good to be true, but was happy to be reassured that it was genuine: "the money will go towards a holiday as I have a special birthday this year!"

Happy Birthday Yasmin!

Then there's Naomi Guild from Berkshire, who was thrilled to be a winner: "I never win anything like this, so I was thrilled when I was told that I was one of the prize winners! I am still having a think about what I will do with the money. It will most likely go into my savings for my next holiday!

"I never thought I would win anything like this and would recommend others to complete these surveys as I am proof that you can win. Thank you to the team at Moneyfacts!"

It sounds like they've got some fantastic plans for the money, and we hope they enjoy their winnings. All that's left to say is congratulations to all our winners, providers and consumers alike, and we'll see you next year!