Insurers asked to strengthen focus on customer service for injured people
The State Insurance Regulatory Authority is raising the bar on customer service for people making a CTP or workers compensation claim.
Under proposed Customer Service Conduct principles released for consultation today, insurers will be required to strengthen their approach to customer service.
The people of NSW value good customer service, especially at times when they most need support.
More than 100,000 people each year are injured on the road or at work and make a claim for compensation through an insurer.
When it comes to personal injury insurance, quality customer service helps people recover quicker, and poor service is linked to more costly claims and disputes.
In most cases, injured people don’t get to choose which insurer they deal with when making a claim. This is about making sure that they have a positive experience that contributes to their recovery regardless of which insurer they deal with.
NSW Government is setting clear expectations for insurers dealing with workers compensation, CTP and home building compensation claims. SIRA will be measuring their performance against those expectations and publishing the results.
Customers will have the chance to provide feedback on their experience quickly and easily.
Under the proposed Customer Service Conduct principles, insurers will be required to attest to meeting these five principles:
1. Be efficient and easy to engage
2. Act fairly, with empathy and respect
3. Resolve customer concerns quickly, respect customers’ time and be proactive
4. Have systems in place to identify and address customer concerns
5. Be accountable for actions and honest in interactions with customers.
SIRA will also commence publishing comparative data on CTP insurers later in the year, including the timeliness of claims decisions, and the volume and nature of complaints.
Submissions to the consultation close on 19 August 2019. Submissions can be made online at www.sira.nsw.gov.au/consultations or email [email protected]