SuperFriend, a workplace mental health specialist, has been working with life insurance partner, MetLife Australia, to pilot a new program designed to provide enhanced support to customers navigating a claim.
SuperFriend developed the tailored program for Australian insurers and claims managers, which it states incorporated in-depth research from its extensive industry partnerships.
MetLife is the first insurance company to pilot an early release of the program, which will train MetLife staff with the aim to validate the approach, showing a demonstrable impact on improved customer outcomes.
MetLife confirmed the service will initially be available to its corporate claims teams but ultimately it intends to roll it out to all customers.
The program uses a Person-Centred Communication approach or ‘motivational interviewing’, which has delivered improved outcomes internationally for both customers and the claims management teams supporting them.
The program’s techniques equip the claims manager and the person on claim to develop personalised goals for optimal outcomes and an improved quality of life.
In a claims situation, this means the claims assessor partners with the claimant to understand their unique situation and collaborate to resolve the claim and help the person back to health.
MetLife Head of Health, Mark Raberger, added, “Claims are a moment of truth for us – this is where we really show what we mean by caring. We’ve been working with SuperFriend for many years now to deliver the best possible experience for our customers and support our claims assessors who play a critical role in that process.
He added, “It speaks volumes that SuperFriend have chosen to partner with us for this pilot – it’s exciting to be part of refining an approach to deliver best practice claims management.”
“This approach is designed to make the process a lot [more] ’human’ by empowering the person claiming…”
SuperFriend CEO, Margo Lydon, says, “Making a claim can be a really challenging and daunting experience and is the last thing many people feel like doing when they’re unwell or injured.
“This approach is designed to make the process a lot [more] ’human’ by empowering the person claiming and equipping the claims manager with a broader range of skills for enhanced engagement,” Lydon explained.
The pilot commenced in August and will run until early 2020, after which SuperFriend plans to roll out the program to other insurers.
