The February freeze has arrived and with more harsh weather on the way, the time to prepare is now. After an unseasonably warm February, snowy weather chaos is expected to unleash across the UK over the next few weeks, so insurers will need to prepare now for a surge in claims.
With the right preparation and plans in place, insurers can best position themselves for what’s to come. We’ve outlined three key steps insurers can use to stay on top of claims this surge season.
- Review your resources
Insurers will need to assess their claims capacity. This means evaluating and strengthening current resources to determine if they have enough people and the right people to handle the increased volume of claims.
Staying up-to-date on your business’s cultural pulse will help ensure the team is adequately resourced and identify any areas that may need additional support. In a world where talent acquisition and retention are a real challenge, outsourcing to a third-party administrator can help alleviate this pressure. Building your team with claims professionals that have the experience and expertise to handle complex claims can be the key to landing on top after surge season.
- Test your plans and processes
Are your processes efficient and effective? Insurers should carry out a review of their plans and processes to ensure they’re ready for action. Testing, evaluating, and adapting your plans is the key to identifying any flaws or areas for improvement, so you can be confident in a real situation. This includes a thorough review and understanding of your Supply Chain’s CAT plans, through both discussion and site visits if required.
Reviewing your claims management technology is also a critical component of getting ready this storm season. Can your current software handle the increased volume of claims and provide the necessary data required? If not, it might be time to consider upgrading your claims management technology, data, analytics, and reporting tools. Investing in the right tools can be costly, but is crucial to ensure you have the right resources in place. Partnering with a TPA, like Gallagher Bassett, provides you with access to our award-winning data analytics programs and technology, so you can focus on other areas this surge season.
- Deliver superior customer service
Maintaining close contact with your customers is another important factor when it comes to preparing for surge season. Keeping your customer’s claims experience front of mind is the key to not only delivering on claims promises but can also mean you have a customer for life. Delivering transparent and regular updates is essential if insurers wish to maintain customer loyalty, reduce dissatisfaction, or cost blowouts.
Here at Gallagher Bassett, our team are dedicated and experienced claims professionals who have chosen to make managing claims their career. We have a team of surge specialists ready to work with you to review your plans, resources and support you in delivering superior customer service. With technical experts, claims adjusters and team leaders, whenever your business pivots, you can trust that we have the support for you.
Contact our team today to see how we can help you prepare this storm season.
