Delegates at the London Cover Forum were told pro-active management of income protection (IP) claims...
Delegates at the London Cover Forum were told pro-active management of income protection (IP) claims may mean more input from IFAs at the claims stage.
Will Kentish, Norwich Union's (NU) claims and disability services manager, said in a seminar on the changing IP claims environment, that NU is keen for IFAs to appreciate the changing claims environment.
'They are nearest to the customer and well placed to advise them, yet at the moment are not involved in helping claims,' he said.
As part of customer service, the IP protection market has become more proactive in recent years. 'We are no longer just ensuring a cheque falls on the doormat every month, and in order to create a win-win situation are willing to step outside the bounds of the contract,' said Kentish.
Early intervention in claims can shorten the claim period and insurers are now employing specialist medical and non-medicalstaff to achieve this goal. Visits may be made to the claimant's employers in some cases to help negotiate a return to work, either in a reduced capacity, or in a different position. At present, IP claims cost the industry over £20m per month.
