ILC
Better Tomorrow
GETTING IN SHAPE
FOR CLAIMS Home & Property Claims
Conference 2023 30 November 2023 Silverstone
iloveclaims.com
HEADLINE SPONSOR:
Home & Property Claims
Conference 2023 Headline Sponsor
Corporate Partners
ILC
iloveclaims.com
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Insurer Partners
Industry Body Partners
Insights Partners
Contents Getting in Shape
03
What role can supporting technology play in controlling cost?
04
Emma Bazard, Leah Davies, Manjit Rana & Carla McDonald
Alan Soutar
Tech enabled and the policyholder Daren Rudd
What shape is the claims process heading towards?
06
14
The benefits of collaboration between insurers and suppliers
16
Jacinta Jones & Suzanne Armstrong
Laura Lazarus, Connie Beasley, Angela Kelly & Tom Simpson
A green approach to alternative accommodation
08
10
Rob Stewart
What are the drivers dictating shape? Will Sher win, Joe Grafton, Mark McMullen & Andrew Henner
18
Steve Knight, Ian Hogarth, Owen Pugh & Mike Lenn
Caroline Findlay, Tim Goodman, Emma Stubbs & Kate Vernon
From paper pushers to pixel pioneers
Tech and trust critical to achieving common goals
12
Event feedback
22
ILC Events 2024
24
Summer Networking Event 2024
26
Contact ILC
27
DISCLAIMER Contributors The views and opinions expressed within Better Tomorrow are reported from live events and are those of the individual contributor/s. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the contributor’s employer, organisation, committee or other group or individual. ILC While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, ILC will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for consequences arising from reliance on information published. The opinions expressed in Better Tomorrow are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by ILC unless otherwise stated. COPYRIGHT All rights reserved. No part of the material contained within this publication may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without written permission from ILC.
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Better Tomorrow
Getting in Shape A L A N S O U TA R
Chair of Home & Property
Welcome to the latest edition of ILC’s Better Tomorrow magazine providing you with a recap on the discussions and insights shared during ILC’s Home & Property Claims Conference 2023. The event – themed Getting in Shape took place at Silverstone Race Circuit on 30 November 2023, and proved a major success with over 400 of the sectors’ key influencers in attendance.
Crucially, I must also thank our Corporate Partners who support us on an ongoing basis and across all ILC Home & Property activities – a big thank you to: Allied Universal, Clearway, Corelogic, DAC Beachcroft, Geobear, ICAB, Innovation Group, Sedgwick, and Verisk. The Home & Property Claims Conference annually brings together such a wide variety of people from all walks of the claims process: people that run businesses; people that go out onsite; office based claims staff; loss adjusters out in the field; and people that work at all levels within insurers. There truly is nothing like it – that I am aware of - that allows the sector to share such a breadth of information with the
Headline sponsored by Claims Consortium Group;
core theme of creating a ‘better tomorrow’.
Gold Sponsors Rainbow Restorations, Catalyst, Clearspeed, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, Perfect Group,
Over the following pages you will find insights
Polygon, Pulse, and Wiser Academy; and Silver
from the day which reference many of the ongoing
Sponsors Crawford, eVolution Claims Management,
‘shape changes’ across the industry currently such
Home Repair Network, ICEYE, Prime Disaster
as: inflation; Consumer Duty; environmental gains;
Response, Safeline Environmental, SD Claims and
cost challenges; changing customer profiles; and, of
Westone, the event provided delegates with access
course, decision making.
to some of the latest thinking from industry leaders during the conference as well as the opportunity to
I hope you enjoy this issue of Better Tomorrow and
explore some 50 exhibitor displays in the expo hall.
look forward to continuing supporting the industry in ‘getting in shape’ for the future.
A big thanks to all who supported the event. Kind regards
Alan
Home & Property Claims Conference 2023
3
Tech enabled and the policyholder
DA R E N RU D D Head of Business and Technology Consulting | UK Insurance CGI
New technology is changing the face of claims, but is it making the experience better for the customer? That was the question posed by Daren Rudd, Head of Business and Technology Consulting, UK Insurance, CGI, during his session, ‘Tech enabled and the policyholder’. Addressing more than 400 delegates, Daren suggested that the advantages of new tech are not being fully exploited to both improve processes and the customer experience.
Wow moments He explained that he recently experienced a water leak at his home, and from personal experience identified four instances – what he called ‘wow’ moments – when the journey could have been quicker and easier by better implementation of existing technology.
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He said, “A shower valve had been leaking. I
AI to extract all the relevant information? That
noticed it just before last Christmas and it took
would not only make the experience better for the
seven months before I got my bathroom back.
customer but accelerate the claims journey and
Every single person I dealt with was individually
reduce costs for the insurer.”
brilliant, but where it went wrong was in the handover between parties.”
Customer focus
The first moment, he explained, came after he first
Daren also urged delegates to focus on the
notified his insurer. After the initial conversation
customer when adopting new technology. He
with a helpful claims handler, he was then passed
said that while everyone he dealt with was using
on to five other people, all with different emails
new devices, none of it was aimed at making the
and different phone numbers.
customer’s journey better.
Daren said, “We need to think about the
“And,” he continued, “none of the technology was
technologies available to bring those different
joined up. We can use technology to ensure we
conversations together and then push it back to
each get the information we need in the way we
the customer as one single voice.”
need it, and that the relevant information is passed on to the customer in the way that they want.”
Communication
In conclusion, he urged insurers to not be
The second issue he noticed during the course
overwhelmed by the scale of the claims journey
of the claim was that almost every single
and make small changes where possible, and to
correspondence was via email. He said that apart
always remember who the technology should
from being an inefficient way to make a decision,
serve: “Focus on customers, because if you only
with emails being missed and left unread, not all
think of efficiency and not experience you will lose
customers want to correspond via email.
them.”
“Internally we use different communication methods but that hasn’t filtered through to the customer. I challenge you to ask the younger people in your organisation how they would communicate, because they look at it in a different way.”
Creativity He also said that in some cases the industry has not been imaginative enough in the way it uses technology and has simply digitised long-standing processes. He suggested that by using tech such as video and AI more creatively, information can be shared easier with all stakeholders, decisions can be made more quickly and we can rethink the customer experience. He said, “We have the opportunity to challenge the way we do things. Why do we produce a digital (paper) report when actually I can send a video, using voice to describe the issue, and then use
Home & Property Claims Conference 2023
5
What shape is the claims process heading towards?
L AU R A L A Z A RU S
CO N N I E B E A S LE Y
A N G E L A K E LLY
TO M S I M P S O N
Head of Home Claims Operations
Head of Home Claims
Managing Director, Home Claims Services
ACII Head of Technical Claims
Sedgwick International UK
NFU Mutual
Aviva
First Central Insurance
An insightful panel debate considered the factors influencing the claims process, and how technology, inflation and customer expectations will change claims in the future. Taking part in the debate – What shape is the claims process heading towards? – which was hosted by Home and Property Chair, Alan Soutar, were Laura Lazarus, Head of Home Claims Operations, Aviva; Angela Kelly, Managing Director - Home Claims Services, Sedgwick International UK; Connie Beasley, Head of Home Claims, First Central Insurance; and Tom Simpson ACII, Head of Technical Claims, NFU Mutual.
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Technology
With skills in such high demand
They agreed that AI is already and
challenge, she urged the industry
will continue to have a substantial
to promote the technology
impact on claims management,
employed within insurance to the
but warned against adopting new
next generation.
and attracting new talent a
tech for tech’s sake and focusing solely on efficiency gains.
“We will need a different skill set in the future,” she said, “but
Laura said, “We have to make
emphasising new tech and
sure we think differently when
delivering the training necessary
deploying tech to make sure it’s
to use it to handle more technical
solving problems and helping the
claims can help us in the war for
customer. Customer behaviour
talent.”
and expectations are changing, so we need to use tech to support their needs.”
Inflation Technology can also help insurers
However, with new tech comes
combat rising costs, from FNOL
new opportunities. The benefits
through to settlement.
around improved communication and quicker decision-making are
Tom said, “Generative AI is the
well known, but Angela pointed
biggest opportunity in the next
to another area where tech can
10 years to take waste out of the
enhance the sector.
process. It won’t all be efficiency
Better Tomorrow
Environmentalism
related, and keeping up with
of view are the ones who have a
rising customer service levels will
robust oversight of their suppliers.
provide a competitive advantage.”
But this can put a lot of stress
Another key influencer on insurers
on relationships and adds cost
is climate change. It is impacting
He continued, “Claims costs can
because we have to measure
both the severity and frequency
be better managed by deploying
everything. We do need to change
of claims – flood claims costs
technology at the front end to
the relationship with suppliers
are now the highest they’ve ever
empower claims handlers to ask
and trust each other, but at the
been and anticipated to continue
the right questions and make
same time there still needs to be
rising – while tougher regulations
informed decisions more quickly.
transparency about why we need
are ramping up the pressure
That’s where you can make a real
a level of oversight and audit.”
to employ more sustainable practices.
difference.” Angela agreed, but said that this Meanwhile, technology can also
is a difficult tightrope for insurers
However, better use of technology
be deployed to provide everyone
to walk. She said that on the one
can lower a claim’s carbon
involved with a single view of a
hand there is a need to measure
footprint by enabling better and
claim in real-time, cutting out
and monitor performance to
quicker decision-making and
expensive hand-offs.
ensure good outcomes, but on
reducing the number of site visits.
the other too much governance
Also, the quicker the response
Laura said, “The key focus is
can put even greater pressure on
the greater the likelihood of
moving claims through the
supply partners who are facing
restoration and/or salvage.
process more quickly. Every hand-
their own challenges around costs
off costs money but this is within
and labour.
Innovation is also making it possible to use more sustainable
our collective gift to solve. Getting the claim to right place quickly
She said, “Inflation is not just
or recycled parts in repair, and the
and making the right decision in a
affecting insurers, it is having a
panel urged insurers to structure
timely manner will undoubtedly
big impact in building contractor
greener policies and champion
save us money, but at the moment
networks. Material costs increases
them to consumers.
a claim is a bit of a relay race; we
aren’t coming down and there
need to put more focus on settling
is a huge labour shortage with
Laura concluded, “We get carried
the claim rather than just pushing
an ageing workforce and skills
away trying to think of the big
it to the next stage.”
moving to other industries. So
iconic actions we can take from
while insurers need to have
a climate change perspective,
Suppliers
control and governance over their
when the reality is it will be baby
supply chain, if they want too
steps for most of us. Having
Achieving this requires a much
much control then their suppliers
conversations around the smaller
closer relationship with the
won’t want to work for them.”
changes we can make will help
supply chain, but there is a fine
us untap the bigger steps we can
line between working with or
take.”
for someone, and the insurance sector has sometimes crossed that line. Connie explained, “Discussions about claims costs aren’t held monthly, but weekly or even daily, and any slight change is analysed to death. Insurers that are successful from a CFO’s point
Home & Property Claims Conference 2023
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A green approach to alternative accommodation
C A RO LI N E F I N D L AY
TI M G O O D M A N
EMMA STUBBS
K ATE V E R N O N
Managing Director
Managing Director
Director
Director
Rapid Relocate
ICAB
Temporary Solutions Group
Courtesy Kitchens and Bathrooms
Innovation is having a positive impact on both the demand for alternative accommodation and its associated carbon footprint, but there is still significant untapped potential. Taking part in a panel debate were Caroline Findlay, Managing Director, Rapid Relocate; Tim Goodman, Managing Director, ICAB; Emma Stubbs, Director, Temporary Solutions Group; and Kate Vernon, Director, Courtesy Kitchens and Bathrooms. They explained what their own organisations were doing to support more sustainable operations, while considering the wider green opportunities within the sector as a whole. Among the key innovations in the market now
for alternative accommodation altogether. This delivers convenience to the customer, carbon benefits to the environment, and cost benefits to the insurer. Emma explained, “We brought pods to the market in 2012. They were temporary kitchens or bathrooms but we’ve moved forward since then and now have a circular product that we can break down, walk into houses and then rebuild anywhere. This flexibility allows us to make something unique to suit each customer’s needs. It reduces the number of journeys necessary and obviously opensup the possibility of the customer staying at home, which reduces the overall carbon footprint.”
Demand This is even more valuable now with rental or shortterm accommodation in such short supply. Tim described the market as ‘very tough’, suggesting that there can be as many as 14 potential tenants for every property.
are modular design pods, which can be set up in the policyholder’s home to negate the need
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Better Tomorrow
“Parents need to still get to work and kids need to get to school,” he said, “so it’s obviously better
Responsible
to keep the policyholder close to where they live.
Caroline said that working with suppliers to be more
Plus, the longer the journey the greater the carbon
environmentally responsible was part of Rapid
footprint.”
Relocate’s ethos as a carbon literate organisation. It is also developing carbon literacy within its
To offset this, the panel agreed that building closer
own workforce, with every carbon literate person
ties with estate agents and independent landlords
reducing their carbon output by five to 10%, and has
was fundamental, and then working with them to
ensured that 85% of its suppliers are within a 50-
initiate greener strategies.
mile radius to reduce scope three emissions.
Caroline said, “The challenge with the rental market
Temporary Solutions Group has also been proactive
is finding somewhere that is suitably priced and
in following a greener strategy.
located. There are alternatives to finding new accommodation, such as pods, but when you need
Emma said, “There are three parts to your carbon
to find somewhere the decisions are largely driven
footprint – product, manufacturing and transport.
by price and convenience. We need to emphasise
As well as developing a circular product, we got
the green credentials of a solution and offer that
an environmental consultant in to look at our
to the customer. At the same time, we need to
manufacturing processes and there were lots of
encourage the hospitality sector which has been
small things we did to improve sustainability. But
slow to adopt green practices.”
you have to keep looking at how innovation can reduce your carbon footprint further. A lot of the
Kate agreed, saying, “There is definitely more
steps you can take will improve efficiency too, so
opportunity for pods to be used, especially in
cost doesn’t have to go up at all.”
modular builds, and at Courtesy Kitchens and Bathrooms we’re always looking at innovative
Meanwhile, ICAB has now been approved for
solutions to reduce costs and carbon footprint while
the Science Based Targets Initiative and is also
at the same time delivering a better service to our
introducing more electric vehicles to its fleet to cut
customers.”
carbon emissions.
On the day of the event, Courtesy Kitchens and
“We have to use eco-friendly practices as much as
Bathrooms demonstrated its capabilities and the
possible,” Tim said, “but the question for insurers is,
opportunities of this approach by constructing a
would they be prepared to pay more for sustainable
modular bathroom pod within the event exhibition
properties?”
hall.
Home & Property Claims Conference 2023
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From paper pushers to pixel pioneers
RO B S TE WA RT Head of Sales Claims Consortium Group
Although insurers face unique challenges, the rhetoric that traditional carriers risk being usurped by new tech and disruptive start-ups is way off the mark. Rob Stewart, Head of Sales, Claims Consortium Group, said that actually the industry has a proud tradition of moving with the times and it would do so again. He said it’s true building relationships with customers is more difficult now that it has ever been and adapting legacy systems makes it challenging for traditional insurers to adapt as nimbly as some of start-ups. But despite these obstacles, Rob was optimistic that the sector would remain not just relevant, but critical to customers.
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He said, “Insurance is cyclical. In 1985 DLG launched and they changed the insurance landscape by doing something completely different. Before them, customers had to get insurance through a broker. But DLG changed the game by dealing directly with customers and the rest of the industry soon followed suit.” Call centres and 24-hour helplines quickly followed, and one result of this evolution was a much closer relationship between insurer and policyholder. However, that relationship has waned since the rise and rise of aggregators. Insurance became transactional and price-driven, with many customers unaware even of who their insurer is and not having any contact with them at all until the point of claim. “This means there is a lot of pressure on insurers at the point of claim to get it right and serve the modern customer’s need,” Rob continued.
Legacy However, legacy systems often leave insurers trapped in the old ways of working. Instead of replacing them completely it’s possible to bolt new tech on to existing systems and build around them, but Rob suggested that it could time to rethink the claims journey completely. He said, “The claims process hasn’t changed much in last 40 years; maybe we need to think about what perfect looks like and then build that rather than build around what has always been there.” Fundamental to this, he said, was sharing data on an open and transparent platform, and attracting new talent able to bring in further innovation. He concluded, “Looking to the future, it’s not doom and gloom. We’re experts at adapting and innovating, and I think we will again. We’ll build things to meet our customer’s needs. But the secret to getting ahead is getting started – and that can begin with small steps.”
Home & Property Claims Conference 2023
11
What are the drivers dictating shape?
W I LL S H E RW I N
J O E G R A F TO N
M A R K M C M U LLE N
ANDREW HENNER
Senior CAT Head Household and Property
Managing DirectorChief Commercial Officer
Managing Director
Direct Line Group
The Perfect Group
Technical Claims Manager (UKGI - Property)
A panel debate turned the spotlight on the factors influencing the shape of claims and asked: ‘What is coming next?’ Taking part in the discussion were Will Sherwin, Senior CAT Head Household and Property, Direct Line Group; Mark McMullen, Managing Director, Rainbow Restoration; Joe Grafton, Chief Commercial Officer, The Perfect Group; and Andrew Henner, Technical Claims Manager (UKGI - Property), Ecclesiastical Insurance, who between them offered a range of different perspectives.
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Rainbow Restoration
Ecclesiastical Insurance
The economy, regulation,
and aviation, the customer
digitalisation, AI, and Consumer
is pretty clear what they’re
Duty were all identified as
going to get from a particular
significant influencers on claims
brand and the experts in those
now and in the future, while Mark
sectors deliver that with ruthless
also pointed to trust and the
consistency.
number of touch points in a claim as areas where real strides could
“But the insurance sector is not
be made going forward.
in that shape. Customers can’t differentiate between brands and
He said, “We currently have more
that means we are trying to be
than 70 touch points in a claim.
all things to all people – and that
I see them as junctions in a road
brings huge cost pressures.”
and at each one the person can potentially take a wrong turn. We need to reduce that number to
Consumer Duty
speed up claims and reduce the
Introduced to develop greater
risk of something going wrong.
trust through consistently good outcomes and fair value,
“The second fundamental thing
Consumer Duty is certainly well-
shaping claims is a debilitating
intentioned.
lack of trust. In retail, hospitality
Better Tomorrow
However, not everyone is
He said, “There is a fine line
fixated on established processes
convinced it is fully aligned with
between meeting customer
and KPIs. But it adds expense
what the customer really wants.
needs and going above and
in the long run, so you need to
beyond and being questioned by
get the triage right first of all,
the insurer for doing too much.”
and then deploy the necessary
Will said, “The intention behind it is positive and it’s important to
resources. That will also
drive the industry forward in a
Greater communication
deliver high levels of customer
consumer-centric way.
throughout the supply chain is
satisfaction, because they all
critical to establishing service
want the same thing in the
“In our industry there are a lot
levels at the outset, but in some
end – speed, but speed that is
of links in the chain and the
cases the progress made during
proportionate to the claim.”
customer experience is only
Covid has stalled, if not gone
as good as the weakest link.
backwards.
So it feels like there are more
With investors also increasingly putting a premium on sustainable
checks and balances now, but
Joe continued, “We’re a
practices, insurers have not been
over time I would expect to see
removals and storage company
slow to drive the green agenda.
more efficiencies in the claims
so are often the last people in
The challenge though is that they
process.”
the property before the work
are measured not only by their
starts, and the one thing we
own environmental credentials
However, Andrew said that
come across regularly is a lack
but by those of their suppliers.
Consumer Duty has been
of communication across the
developed to apply equally to the
supply chain. If everyone before
Will said that in some cases the
vast range of organisations with
us takes two days to respond to
infrastructure and products are
the insurance industry.
an email it can be add two more
just not there yet to support a
weeks before we get there.
zero-emission supply chain,
He said, “It’s not easy to regulate
Technology can facilitate better
but that doesn’t stop insurers
a diverse industry. With
communication and we made a
examining their own processes
Consumer Duty, we’ve moved
lot of progress during Covid, but
and doing what they can to
from prescriptive regulation
we seem to have fallen back into
remove as much waste from the
to an open-ended regulation
old habits.”
system as possible.
Environment
Mark concluded, “We talk about
comes back to the core function
Quicker and better decision-
We talk about cost restrictions
of understanding the customer’s
making is not just good for the
and about infrastructure
priorities and if you do that then
insurer, supplier and customer
challenges. These are real
you’re half-way there.”
– but it can play a huge role in
issues, but we should be having
reducing the carbon footprint of
conversations about what is
a claim.
possible, what can we do.”
focussed on outcomes. I think it encourages us to challenge our core processes more, but it
It is true though, that Consumer
what we can’t do way too much.
Duty means different things to different people.
Andrew said that Ecclesiastical Insurance deals with a number
Joe explained that at The Perfect
of complex claims, but using
Group the policy is to start with
technology to make triage more
the customer and then work
accurate was vital to a smooth
backwards, based on their
claims journey.
requirements. But that approach can strain budgets further up the
He said, “Complex claims can
supply chain.
lead to a lot of inefficiencies, especially if people are too
Home & Property Claims Conference 2023
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What role can supporting technology play in controlling cost?
EMMA BAZARD
LE A H DAV I E S
M A NJ IT R A N A
C A R L A M C D O N A LD
Strategic Client Lead
Director Client Success
General Manager
Restore Digital / Pulse
CoreLogic
Clearspeed
Director - Product Management
Keeping pace with technology can be a strain on resources in the shortterm, but applied correctly it can bring substantial cost benefits in the longterm. However, to make new tech work for your business requires a practical approach. Manjit Rana, General Manager, Clearspeed, explained, “We’re often too fixated on new technology and then trying to apply it to the industry. What we should do is identify the problem we want to solve and then look for the right technology to solve it. And that tech doesn’t have to come from our industry; there is a lot of innovative stuff outside the sector.” He was joined on stage by Emma Bazard, Strategic Client Lead, Restore Digital/Pulse; Leah Davies, Director Client Success, CoreLogic; and Carla McDonald, Director - Product Management, LexisNexis Risk Solutions.
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LexisNexis Risk Solutions
They agreed that integrating tech from triage to settlement can improve efficiency and reduce costs but said there were key trends driving change at the moment. One of them is self-service, although in the age of Consumer Duty delivering that consistently and in a way that results in good outcomes every time requires a huge technological effort. Emma said, “Our survey found that AI and self-service will drive the biggest changes in claims. This can lead to improved volume handling and quicker resolutions, and it can also reduce the resource needed per claim. That doesn’t mean cutting headcount but using your expertise more effectively to manage complex claims or surges.” Leah agreed, and emphasised that tech also needs to deliver a single version of the truth that is accessible to everyone throughout the claims journey. That requires trust and transparency between insurer and supplier, but it can bring efficiency savings.
Better Tomorrow
She said, “Sharing data so
She explained that data can help
emphasised that insurers should
everyone can follow the
underwriters manage risk by
not expect to be experts in every
claims journey in real time can
providing information about the
area, so finding the right partner
streamline the process, enable
property regardless of who has
was critical.
quicker decision-making and
lived there. This can highlight risk
reduce costs. It can also improve
factors and claims history.
supply chain relationships as it
She concluded, “Insurers need to stay in their lane and work with
means insurers don’t have to
It can also identify perils such
experts to provide solutions, and
chase their suppliers for data.”
as climate change, offering
they should take an agnostic
insurers insights into severity,
approach as to who they work
Data
frequency and geography, while
with in order to deliver a bespoke
also providing them with much
and often cheaper solution.”
It is this data, said Carla, that can
greater understanding of the
yield the greatest efficiencies.
policyholder and their claims
She said the insights that can
history across multiple lines.
be gleaned by collating and interpreting data can help the
Carla said, “Our research has
industry better understand the
found a correlation between a
customer, the journey, the risks
person’s motor claims history
and the product.
and home claims history, so the data can be invaluable in helping
She said “Data is not a crystal
insurers set pricing and combat
ball, but it is the next best thing
fraud.”
to a crystal ball. It’s about the three P’s: property, perils, and the
However, to make tech work
person.”
insurers need to be prepared to tap into outside expertise. Emma
Home & Property Claims Conference 2023
15
The benefits of collaboration between insurers and suppliers
JAC I NTA J O N E S
S UZ A N N E A R M S TRO N G
Supply Chain Manager | UKGI Claims Supply Chain
Deputy Head, UK Key Accounts
Aviva
Sedgwick
While insurers have made great strides in improving their relationship with the supply chain, there is still more ground to cover. Moving from a transactional relationship to a partnership is an integral part of developing a more seamless claims journey that delivers better customer outcomes, but not all insurers have embraced the mindset change completely. That was the view of Jacinta Jones, Supply Chain Manager, UKGI Claims Supply Chain, Aviva, and Suzanne Armstrong, Deputy Head, UK Key Account Manager, Sedgwick, speaking to delegates at the event. Jacinta said, “There is a shift in the industry and people are trying to behave differently, but the master-servant relationship still exists in pockets because that’s how it’s always been and people don’t realise it. “Trust is vital to developing strategic partnerships and you have to value the motivations and skills of each partner, but the benefits of collaborating are clear; sharing data offers a wider perspective and enables you to make much better decisions, more quickly.”
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Suzanne suggested that one of the issues preventing more collaboration was a fixed mindset among insurers. She said, “Collaboration is a mindset and the insurers that are driving change in the industry are the ones working more collaboratively with their supply chain. That comes from the leadership, and those who are doing it well often have more diversity in key roles.” She encouraged insurers to tap into the expertise of their suppliers when designing new processes and products. “That needs to happen the other way around too,” she added, “but there is still too much thinking in siloes instead of taking a more holistic approach. There are issues around sharing data, and often suppliers don’t understand what data insurers want and why they want it. But that goes back to trust and communication again and only by working together can we identify and solve the wider problems within claims.”
Home & Property Claims Conference 2023
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Tech and trust critical to achieving common goals
S TE V E K N I G HT
I A N H O G A RTH
OW E N P U G H
M I K E LE N N
Claims Supply Chain Manager
Managing Director
Chief Operating Officer
Director
Home Repair Network
Claims Consortium Group
Ecologia Environmental Solutions Limited
AXA UK
Technology advances mean a new, transparent and streamlined relationship between insurers and suppliers is within the sector’s grasp. Quicker decisions, improved customer service and lower costs could all be achieved if the industry took time to reimagine the claims process and exploit existing solutions to make it a reality. However, Owen Pugh, Chief Operating Officer, Claims Consortium Group, believes that getting there in today’s challenging environment is difficult as it means taking a long-term view in a time of short-term pressures. Speaking alongside Steve Knight, Claims Supply Chain Manager, AXA UK; Ian Hogarth, Managing Director, Home Repair Network; and Mike Lenn, Director, Ecologia Environmental Solutions, during a panel debate Owen said, “We’re all busy. It is hard work coming up for air and finding the time to do things differently and being brave enough to make a change.
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“We like doing what we’ve always
Steve agreed, saying, “With the
“There is so much opportunity to
done because then we get what
technology we’ve got now, I don’t
reduce overall spend by allowing
we’ve always got. But getting
understand why we don’t allow
suppliers to make decisions
what we’ve always got means
suppliers to continue with the
on the ground, and with the
we’re moaning about the same
claim and then we just manage
technology that’s available now
things we were moaning about 10
it at the back end. Doing it that
they should be able to justify
years ago.”
way, we would quickly identify
every decision they make.”
which suppliers want to develop
Collaborative
a long-term partnership with us
The panel agreed that trust is the
and which ones are just trying to
fundamental element in effective
However, the opportunity exists
make short-term profits.”
supply chain management,
to create a far more collaborative claims ecosystem based on
and only once that has been
Trust
established will the right data at
common goal of better customer
However, delegating authority
to deliver a more streamlined and
service.
to suppliers through the lifecycle
cost-effective claims journey.
trust, shared information, and a
the right time be shared openly
of a claim means giving them Owen continued, “A partnership
accurate information at the
Mike concluded, “Insurers need
needs to be about using and
outset, enabling them to make
to get to know their suppliers
working with someone who
informed decisions. But the
more. We’re specialists but
wants the same end-goals as you
quality of information passed
perhaps we’re not listened to
do. As insurers, we’re so careful
down the chain can vary
enough. Most of the delays we
about selecting our suppliers
significantly.
experience are about decisions
but then we handcuff them with
over cost but trust in us would
governance. There does need
Ian said, “We need accurate
speed up certain decisions and
to be governance, but it can be
information at the start of the
reduce costs.”
retrospective, after the claim.
process. We get big variances in the quality of data we receive,
“At the moment we’re elongating
which means we can’t always
the lifecycle of a claim with
do straight-through processing
legacy technology and trust
because we don’t know what’s
barriers. But trusting supply
happened, what’s been damaged
partners leads to cost, process
and what the insurer wants us to
and indemnity savings, so why on
do.
earth haven’t we done it yet?”
Home & Property Claims Conference 2023
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Conference 2023 GETTING IN SHAPE
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Event Feedback “An excellent opportunity to network with industry contacts and suppliers ” “Good content, excellent networking opportunities ” “The sessions were informative, educational and enjoyable ” “The best place to meet all our contacts ” ILC 22
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Event Feedback “The sessions and audience are great and deliver excellent value ” “A great day… so good to see the industry get together and discuss the issues we all face ” “A fantastic conference, wonderfully organised and hosted ”
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Contact ILC To discuss an ILC Corporate Partnership, as well as other ways that we can help in the marketing and brand awareness of your company at an ILC event, please contact:
Rachael Hunt
Alan Soutar
Nic Sproul
Events Director
Chair - Home & Property
Home & Property Sector Consultant
rachael@iloveclaims.com 07813 146944
alan@iloveclaims.com 07812 013915
nic@iloveclaims.com 07710 112292
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