Making Travel Insurance Claims a Breeze

Customer satisfaction is key especially in the competitive and dynamic non-life insurance industry.  After all, it’s the customer’s safety we look after and we provide emergency services, especially to travelers in dire straits.

At Standard Insurance, we have been streamlining the claims processing experience for our customers. Given the increasing number of Filipinos embarking on both domestic and international journeys, we have witnessed a surge in travel-related incidents occurring worldwide, such as flight cancellations, trip delays, lost baggage, and medical emergencies.

Upsurge in travel claims has presented challenges in managing work efficiently for frontliners. If not addressed, this will result in many customers getting frustrated, damaging the company reputation as well as their trust and loyalty to the company.  But how can insurance companies like us, make things easier for customers to file a claim? How can we address the customer pain points and how can we simplify claims requirements to make each claim a positive experience for customers?

In this article, we will explore some of the best practices and strategies available and the ones which have been adopted by Standard Insurance, especially when it comes to providing emergency services.

1. Consistent support across multiple channels

If you call the hotline number (02) 8845-1111, you will be attended to as if you bought the policy from the one you’re speaking to. Access to a common customer file via our I-Insure system makes it easier for the one providing service to identify you and your policy.  In so doing, it will be easier to address your concerns and link you up to someone who can help when you are in the middle of a crisis or an accident requiring emergency services.

Whatever your claim, be it for a car accident, a travel mishap, a property ruined by fire or natural disasters, a capable claims team is ready to provide assistance. Help is available through the company’s hotline number or via the branch claims team in your locality or city.

Perhaps you have access to wi-fi or the internet and it is more convenient for you to file your notification of claim via our website. You can be assured your report will be attended to for as long as you provide complete information, including your updated contact details. The claim notification form in the website can be reached via this link https://standard-insurance.com/claim.html#/claim-form

Perhaps you prefer to communicate via messenger, viber or What’sApp, you can be assured there is a 24/7 Customer Service support ready to take your call or message. It does not matter where you are in the world, what time of the day it is, someone will take your call and they will reply to your messages.  To most of our customers who found themselves in need of help, an accommodating voice at the other end of the line matters a lot.

2. Using the right tools and processes to manage travel insurance claims

Voice system interactions with customers are recorded, same with email and Viber notifications. All these customer touchpoints are recorded and entered into our Customer Service Platform called CSP, to make it easier for the team to go back to the case file and pick up the correct information.

Every claim filed has a routing sheet so no one is left unattended.  By using automated processes, details are captured from the customer filing the claim so that the claims team’s job will be focused on what they should be doing: reviewing the claim according to the contractual obligations and the company’s mission of providing peace of mind to its customers.

Our Company’s Claims Assistance Mobile App (Standard Insurance Claims Assist- Value-Based Adjudication or SICA-VBA) enables our policyholders to file their travel insurance claims on flight and baggage delays and have their claims assessed and approved real-time.  The SICA-VBA also allows our travel clients to upload images of their claim documents such as receipts or invoices of their expenses as a result of the delay. What’s more, the mobile app facilitates the automatic crediting of the approved claim payment to client’s preferred bank or Gcash account.

3. Developing a clear understanding of the customer to set the claims review objective

Contrary to what most people think of insurance companies, our Customer Service associates are trained to enable the customer to give honest, accurate details of the incident so he can be paid. They achieve this by asking you to detail the incident in writing.  They actively listen so they do not miss out details or cues from someone in need of help. Their years of experience enable them to handle customer claims proactively, providing clear instructions to someone in trouble.

The core principle is to assist in filing a claim based on verifiable facts. Going above and beyond to ensure customer satisfaction lies at the heart of our claims team's mission.

4. Automating customer support

Some companies use bots to reply to customers.  We do not do this.  Instead, Standard Insurance use bots to automate the support needed by our Customer Service associates in delivering excellent service to our policyholders.

The investment made by Standard Insurance on Infobip, a digital cloud contact center solution, can provide personalized omnichannel support. Through one of its products called Conversations, our business connects with customers across all channels, including SMS, WhatsApp, Voice, Viber Business, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, In-app messaging, Google's Business Messages, Apple Messages for Business, and more.

Our Customer Service associates can pick up where a peer left off.  In so doing, he can continue the conversation when a customer calls back or when a follow-through call needs to be made.

5. Assembling the right team for claims reviews

Not all claim cases are simple and straightforward.  Some cases require a more thorough review, taking into account a full understanding and accounting for the impact of the case on the insurance program signed for. When this happens, Standard Insurance has the capacity to assemble a team of experienced adjusters, international service providers and claims professionals to review the case to facilitate a decision on the claim and provide the necessary assistance to our customers wherever they are in the world.

6. Customer Service Associates Equipped to Manage Frustrations

Since not all claim cases receive approval for payment, our Customer Service associates are well-prepared to effectively address customer frustration and, in some instances, anger. Their goal is to provide a clear and thorough explanation of the claim's merits, the company's contractual obligations, and the meticulous review process carried out by our claims team. Customers won over, even with a negative decision on their claims cases, are celebrated.

Technology that works:

Chat bots, Machine Learning, Optical Character Recognition (OCRs),  Artificial Intelligence tools,  whatever new technology is available, Standard Insurance is at the forefront of early adoption. We are committed to customer experience that is seamless and supportive.  After all, it’s not about the technology.  It is about how it helps us achieve customer satisfaction.

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If you need to file a travel insurance claim, please download the SICA app at the Google Playstore or at the Apple Store.  You may also leave the details of your claim notification via this link https://standard-insurance.com/claim.html#/claim-form