Former AMII chairman, Stephen Walker, stresses the importance of image in the PMI sector
For many years the private medical insurance (PMI) industry has suffered from bad press - usually based on rejected claims. And, irrespective of whether there were valid reasons for those claims to be rejected, the national press tended not to differentiate between valid and invalid claims.
For some time, the Association of Medical Insurance Intermediaries (AMII) executive committee had been considering a PR exercise to address this situation, improve the industry's image and reputation and make a concerted effort to communicate the importance of the industry's role in helping to provide a 21st century health service.
What AMII wanted to do was to endeavour to help rebalance the situation regarding negative consumer press and highlight the positive sides of the sector.
This aspiration came through in November 2005, when AMII engaged PR consultants, Concise, to orchestrate a generic PMI PR campaign to promote the value of PMI and highlight the value of using a specialist intermediary. This campaign was spearheaded by Concise director, Martin Wood, who had worked in the financial services healthcare sector since 1990 and had orchestrated a successful and cost-effective campaign for OHRA UK over a 10-year period.
Martin, together with Brian Reynolds, who was a journalist for 25 years, developed a strategic PR programme for AMII, including key objectives, key messages, spokesperson development and media training.
Through Concise, AMII has started to increase consumer awareness of the value of PMI. It has met a wide range of consumer journalists to discuss a number of diverse topics associated with medical insurance. In addition, it has issued regular press releases and notes to national newspapers, leading regional newspapers, consumer magazines, broadcast and online media, trade press and specialist freelance writers.
Topics AMII has addressed over the last 18 months include private sector support of the NHS, changes taking place in healthcare provision and the affordability of PMI - equating it to the cost of a daily cup of coffee.
Campaign
A sustained PR campaign has an accumulative effect over a period of time and the AMII initiative is no different in that respect. It is now producing a steady, but as yet modest flow of enquiries for its members via the AMII website. As the campaign progresses and public awareness builds, the number of enquiries will increase and the market will grow.
The medical insurance industry must make a combined effort to publicise further the benefits and affordability of PMI.
The key ingredient for the majority of journalists is the availability of case studies to demonstrate the advantages of PMI. The industry needs to establish a library of such case studies that will, ultimately, benefit all those involved in the industry, both collectively and individually.
According to Bupa's annual Health of the Nation survey last September, while only 13% of people have PMI, more than two-thirds of those questioned felt there were good reasons to take it out.
The desire to be treated in a clean hospital is currently the main reason for people choosing private healthcare, while affordability has been the major obstacle preventing an increased uptake of PMI.
However, with the product developments that have taken place over the last two years, PMI is now more affordable than ever before, at a time when it is more of a necessity for an increasing number of people. NHS waiting lists cost the self-employed an average of £1,560 a year in lost income - and if that is the average then how much are they costing some individuals?
At the end of 2005, a number of insurers put their heads together and launched the first phase of a national advertising campaign to raise the profile of PMI, but the second phase that was due in March 2006 never materialised.
Now is the time for the industry to unite and resurrect that initiative and to deliver a sustained and positive PMI message.
Good PR is a powerful tool and the industry should be making a more collective and concerted effort to broadcast a positive message in order to achieve the tipping point that is now within its reach; the tipping point that will see PMI sales begin to gather momentum across the board and eventually snowball, making inroads into the 87% of the UK population that does not, as yet, benefit from its services.
Stephen Walker is the former chairman of AMII and managing director of Medical Insurance Services
