EDITION 3 | NOVEMBER 2021
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workers or have zero-hour contracts . The pandemic has had such an impact on those that are self-employed , the furloughed or even those that have lost their jobs . These types of policy ensure that , if they ever need to make a claim , they do not need to fret about a drop in income affecting their financial evidence . They can still claim the maximum amount without the need to prove how much they have earned or how many hours they have worked .
Technology has also played a part in the claims process becoming more streamlined . Providers have created dedicated claims portals where all documentation can be sent , stored and viewed , making it easier for customers to receive claim forms and updates at the touch of a button . Even the providers that aren ’ t quite so advanced have adopted ‘ send and sign ’ software . Customers will not be required to send back a wet signature and , unless they want anything in hard copy , they can keep everything in their email on their phone or computer . There is still some work to be done to be able to get GP reports back more quickly and , hopefully , with the advancements of the NHS app during the pandemic , we will be able to build on that , but for now
The pandemic has had such an impact on those that are selfemployed , the furloughed or even those that have lost their jobs . These types of policy ensure that , if they ever need to make a claim , they do not need to fret about a drop in income affecting their financial evidence .
the customer has complete control of their paperwork .
Providers have also improved the way in which they request information from GPs . Some have adopted the full disclosure method where they send a Subject Access Request and surgeries will need to come back with every note for the customer . This helps for customers who have long and complex health issues , and will help providers see the full picture as quickly as possible . For customers who may have a specific illness , a Targeted Report may be requested , which will speed up the process as the claims handlers will not have to trawl through unnecessary information . The key point here is that they no longer have a blanket solution for all customers .
During the pandemic , I took some time from my usual job to support the claims team in my previous business . Technology is great but , in my opinion , nothing beats being able to speak to someone and get the reassurance that you are looking for when it comes to being able to claim during a difficult period in your life . I am usually adviser-facing and getting back on the phones to support customers meant that I was dealing with financial , emotional and sometimes psychological issues . The complete change of pace made me realise how much the claims team are right at the core of the business and have a set of completely different skills to any of the sales , new business or even underwriting departments . They are compassionate , caring and patient , and put customers right at the heart of what they do . Nearly every claims team will have been overrun during the pandemic , but most will still have supported every customer in the way they needed .
AT EASE
Having a dedicated claims handler can make the world of difference to a customer . Having one point of contact to be able to refer to , rather than having to repeat yourself to a member of a large call centre , puts that customer at ease during a time when they already have enough to worry about . A lot of providers have specialist team members for different illnesses , and this only strengthens the claims process . Claims handlers have more control and are taking a more common-sense approach to sometimes complex cases . Gone are the days where we can treat everyone the same , and rightly so . Customers place their premiums with providers to take care of them when they need it most so , with more focus on claims in the past few years , providers are making headway to make sure everyone is treated as an individual .