Honouring Claims Promise for Complex Losses
The insurance industry has invested heavily in technology designed to transform the claims experience, with artificial intelligence, fraud detection, automation, and digital workflows promising faster decisions and improved communication. According to Liz Latter, chief executive at Qlaims, customers expect a claims process that is responsive, transparent, and easy to handle.
However, while technology continues to evolve, there is a danger in viewing claims solely through the lens of efficiency, as a complex loss can have a significant financial and operational impact on an individual or business.
Complex Loss and the Human Context
A complex loss is often a stressful and uncertain experience, and insurance is ultimately a promise that is tested during the claims process. For commercial customers, where losses can affect cash flow, operations, and business continuity, the quality of support provided during a claim can shape perceptions of insurers, brokers, and the wider insurance process.
Claims are rarely just about financial recovery, as businesses need to restore operations, protect customer relationships, and minimize disruption. The claims experience has an impact that extends far beyond settlement values alone, making it one of the defining moments in the insurance relationship.
Improving Claims Journeys
The industry has focused significant attention on improving claims journeys in recent years, with advances in digital technology and artificial intelligence playing a role in helping insurers improve efficiency and protect against fraud. However, the claims experience is about more than just these key performance indicators.
Customers want to understand what is happening, what comes next, and what support is available to them, and they want confidence that their claim is being handled fairly, transparently, and with an appreciation of the challenges they may be facing as a result of the loss.
Related: French broker expands into UK with Leicester deals
This is particularly true within commercial insurance, where claims are often the moment when relationships are tested across the value chain. Policyholders want confidence and clarity, brokers want to know their clients are being looked after, and insurers want to deliver fair outcomes while maintaining trust and managing costs effectively.
Recognizing the Human Touch
When those objectives align, the claims experience can strengthen relationships for everyone involved. However, when they do not, it can quickly undermine confidence that may have taken years to build. Faster processes are valuable, but clear communication, transparency, empathy, and expert guidance remain central to how customers assess the quality of the support they receive.
Technology will undoubtedly continue to reshape claims handling in the years ahead, but the insurers, brokers, and claims professionals that stand out will be those that recognize a simple truth – claims are not merely operational events, they are relationship moments, and the human touch matters. The opportunity for insurers, brokers, and claims professionals lies in recognizing that claims experiences have become one of the most powerful drivers of trust in the insurance value chain.
As Liz Latter notes, the claims experience may be one of the last true competitive advantages available, as price may win the customer, but claims experience wins the relationship. By prioritizing the human context and recognizing the importance of clear communication, transparency, and empathy, insurers can build trust and strengthen relationships with their customers.
Insurers should look to healthcare cash plans for examples of how clear value is communicated to policyholders, a strategy that helps differentiate providers in a crowded market.
Commercial clients also require specific expertise, particularly in specialized sectors like property and casualty. The expansion of brokers into these markets demonstrates the importance of having local knowledge and tailored solutions.
