Sponsored content: Victoria Lee, head of claims for accident and health at Gallagher Bassett, explains how claims management has had to adapt to new challenges
As insurance policies and claims become more complex, Gallagher Bassett has had to transform how its accident and health division triages new claims.
I have seen significant change over a decade in the industry and my team has quadrupled in size, reflecting growing volumes of claims and the demand for nimble, personalised service.
Recently, the team’s approach to service has shifted to meet the needs of an increasingly challenging sector.
With new regulations, such as the Consumer Duty Act, and heightened customer scrutiny, claims resolution is becoming more technically challenging.
In response, we have created dedicated technical referral roles to support our front-line claims handlers. These are our most experienced managers, who quickly identify and triage urgent or sensitive claims to specialist handlers.
We have also deepened our ongoing training in areas prone to change, including: policy wording, recoveries, subrogation and industry reforms.
New developments, new challenges
Developments such as the FCA’s renewed focus on customers’ best interests, the explosion of generative AI tool availability and overall higher service expectations are compounding to drive operational change across the industry.
This has meant we have implemented measures to ensure our team is at the forefront of this change.
In the face of these challenges, Gallagher Bassett’s accident and health division set the goal of improving claims outcomes and customer satisfaction.
We have moved away from rigid call targets and instead are concentrating on case ownership, encouraging our handlers to proactively contact customers, personalise their communications and offer direct dial access. The feedback we have received so far from customers and clients is overwhelmingly positive, even as claims volumes continue to grow.
The role of the third party administrator is fundamentally changing, so we must adapt accordingly.
As consumers adopt generative AI to interpret dense policy documents and prepare for claims, process transparency is at an all-time high. With empowered customers, the customised service provided by GB has perhaps never been more critical, ultimately requiring a more nuanced, regularly reviewed approach.
- For more information about Gallagher Bassett’s accident and health claims, click click here.
