Advisers Divided on Improving Claims Quality

Our latest poll has revealed a mixed response from advisers about whether the quality of claims services has risen in recent times.

Responding to our question about whether the quality of life company claims services has generally improved in the last 12 months, 38% of advisers have agreed that claims quality has risen.

However, almost one third of advisers (31%) have said the quality of the claims experience has become worse during the last year, while another 29% indicated they have noticed no significant quality changes.

“… life companies are very difficult to deal with, even in simple life claims”

The results appear to indicate a lack of consistency across the industry, where some advisers and their clients have been subject to positive claims experiences, while others have experienced the opposite.  One adviser noted bluntly that:

“… life companies are very difficult to deal with, even in simple life claims.”

Meanwhile, referring to a trend in automating for the purpose of process improvements in the claims area, another adviser commented:

“… automating the process once a claim has been accepted is a disaster.”

Irrespective of whether advisers and their clients have perceived themselves to have been subject to a positive or negative claims experience during the last year, there are indications that most, if not all, life companies will be devoting significant funding and resources to this area over the next year and beyond.

In the meantime, our poll remains open for those advisers who have yet to make their voice heard on this question…