Home accident claims are a frequent risk with economic stakes often impacting how the insurance sector is viewed by the public. To better understand the expectations of policyholders following a home accident, we conducted a customer satisfaction study in France, in partnership with the Argus de l'Assurance. We included a panel of policyholders and measured the satisfaction of the insured at the time of the subscription of their contract, during the management of a home claim, and throughout the process. In this blog, we highlight some key observations from the study.
Would the level of understanding and expectations about digital home insurance contracts be comparable to that of digital healthcare tools? Even if insurers have their own net promoter score (NPS) measures, an independent benchmark can be useful to monitor digital trends in customer experience and satisfaction. The results would display how customers feel about the support received when they enter a contract, at the time of a loss, and when an expert intervenes during the repair. Here’s what we found from our 2022 study:
Lessons
When it comes to underwriting, the French are increasingly resorting to a mix of digital and direct channels. Even for clients who would typically travel to an agency or their broker, they are depending more on the Internet. But at the time of subscribing, the notion of working with a human remains an important factor. In the event of a claim, an increased need for contact is also felt at the time of the declaration.
Of the 1,000 individuals surveyed, overall satisfaction with the digital claim experience after a home disaster was rated a 7.5. This score demonstrates the need for insurers to continue to improve — particularly in terms of information sharing and management deadlines. Without a clear vision of the stages of his or her file, our survey showed that consumers are dissatisfied with the overall quality of the service delivered. Quite simply, the consumer compares the experience to that of ordering a product online: confirmation of the transaction, estimated date of sending, effective date of sending, etc.
Dialogue
Satisfaction ratings increased with the time experts spent with the insured. Regardless of the channel, all surveyed customers shared that the connection to the assigned expert in the management of a claim remains central. We must continue to make progress on the segmentation of consumers to offer them — according to their profile — a method of expertise that will meet their expectations.
The direct dialogue between the expert and insured also makes it possible to weigh the advantages of in-kind repair, a method of claim settlement increasingly adopted by the French. By introducing a Réparateurs En Nature (REN) network of craftsmen and building contractors, this service makes it possible to shorten the repair times in advance of funds. Since entering the landscape in recent years, in-kind repair has led to an increase in confidence. We welcome the efforts of the REN networks to move upmarket, with particular attention paid to both the speed of intervention and the quality of the repairs.
Action
This study reinforces our conviction: industry experts must meet expectations of the customer, regardless of the channel. Processes must be adapted to the typology and profiles of the insured, while offering them a personalized path. The use of online, 24/7 reporting tools to manage large-scale events makes it possible, for example, to keep the insured aware of the management of his or her claim, and to shorten management times.
Sedgwick plays a role in creating a seamless customer experience for all parties involved in the claims process – from creating information channels to ensuring transparency. To build awareness of the challenges that come with measuring and increasing customer satisfaction around insurance and claims, Sedgwick intends to use the results of this survey to benefit customers in France and around the world.
For more information, visit our website or access the survey results.