Claims Management Strategies 2002: A Delicate Balance
January 1, 2002 Vikki SpencerThe insurance industry is at a crossroads, with rates rising, but continuing to be outpaced by claims costs. Technology is a relentless force, offering promise, but also upping the ante on customer service expectations. A survey of top insurer claims staff shows that today’s adjusters walk a fine line between the increasing demands of the customer and the need to reduce costs, between technology’s potential and its potential downfalls. CU asks the experts what new forces threaten this delicate balance moving forward.
Chubb tops FSCO claims survey
November 15, 2001 by Canadian UnderwriterOnce again Chubb has taken top spot in the Financial Services Commission of Ontario’s (FSCO) claims satisfaction survey. The survey, which uses a random sample of insurer auto claims files, also shows that 85% of respondents were very or somewhat…
Honing Web-Based Broker Tools
October 1, 2001 Grace Webster, of Royal & SunAlliance Insurance Co. of CanadaThe combined impact of increased customer expectations and the shifting competitive landscape is driving significant change in the Canadian service industry. More than any other factor, it is the ability of insurers to work closely with brokers in a true partnership relationship, driving out costs and delivering true value to the customer, that will determine the success of the players.
System Breakdown: shortage of “e-covers”
August 1, 2001 George Cooke and Anne MacKenzie of Dominion of Canada General InOne of the biggest challenges insurers face is dealing with the non-tangible and borderless world of e-commerce. Reinsurers have already imposed strict cover limitations, and insurers are finding it extremely difficult to offer their customers effective risk solutions. However, if the industry plans on retaining its customer base and growing it as the business environment increasingly moves toward e-commerce, then cyber risk solutions will have to be found.
Customer Relationship Management: Who is your customer?
June 1, 2001 Vikki SpencerWith the advent of Internet sales and service, building a solid relationship with customers will become more important than ever. Not only does the Internet bring the opportunity for high-tech customer relationship management (CRM) solutions, but it also gives consumers…
CRM ON TARGET
June 1, 2001 Martin Power of Editorial Edge Inc.In the final climactic moment of the television series “Survivor”, the host on handing out the $1 million prize noted that, “this game is all about relationships”. The physical challenges, the starvation and other forms of deprivation, and in the end, it all came down to building solid and lasting relationships. This should not a surprise revelation for marketers and sellers of complex products including insurance. The key to being a winner is always the same – the establishment of loyal relationships, in this case with your customers.
HEALTHCARE CLAIMS MANAGEMENT gets the Internet treatment
June 1, 2001 Brenda Rusnak, CEO, ACTIVE Health Management Inc.Compounded by consumer needs and stiff competition within the industry, insurance companies are forced to find new and innovative ways to differentiate themselves from their competitors. It is no longer enough to improve the efficiency of internal administration, insurers must…
Collision Repair: Fast Lane to the Future
May 1, 2001 Sam Malatesta, vice president marketing & insurance relations atThe past decade has been a time of transition for the collision repair industry, marked by a shrinking market and consolidation. Now the industry is seeking new alliances with the insurance industry in the drive to improve efficiency and increase customer satisfaction. As both industries head into the next decade, the pressure and the potential for success is increasingly dependent on the strength of those alliances.
UNLOCKING B.C.’S AUTO MARKET
May 1, 2001 Sean van Zyl, EditorAt the time of writing this article, less than two weeks remained before voters in British Columbia will be asked to choose a new provincial government. And, in the lead-up to B.C.’s provincial election set for May 16, polling results suggest that the current ruling New Democratic Party (NDP) will likely garner less than 20% of the popular vote, while the opposition Liberal Party seems to be favored by 80% of the province’s voters. As media reports in B.C. point out, it is not a case of whether the Liberals will win, but by how much. What does this have to do with the insurance industry? A change in government in B.C. this year – particularly with the Liberals in the driving seat – could herald the beginning of deregulation of the province’s $2.6 billion “basic auto” insurance marketplace which for the last 27 years has been legislatively protected and underwritten by the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC).
A NEW ORDER VALUE OR LOST OPPORTUNITY?
March 1, 2001 Sean van Zyl, EditorComing years will see increased attention being brought to bear on the service performance of the claims management side of the insurance business, delegates who attended the recently held Canadian Insurance Claims Managers Association and Canadian Independent Adjusters Association joint…
Insurers and Collision Shops: Driving Partnerships Forwar
October 1, 2000 Vikki SpencerCARSTAR’s annual conference brought insurers and collision shop owners onto common ground to repair the once adversarial relationship that plagued both sides. In the name of improved customer service and hence higher profits, all agreed the time has come to forge new partnerships.
Rallying Ontario’s Brokers
October 1, 2000 Vikki SpencerIncoming Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) president Dan Danyluk is no stranger to “selling passion”, he says. And, in a time of intense regulatory change, e-commerce explosion and swift market shifts, he intends to sell insurers, brokers and the…