Insurers hiring specialists to improve service

In life insurance, insurers are looking at hiring counsellors to help policyholders at the time of a death claim

Insurance companies are hiring specialists to not only meet the needs of the business but also to deal with policy-servicing requests of customers.

Being a long-term product, insurers are required to deal with requests at all times including assistance during the policy tenure and at time of claims.

In case of health insurance plans where claims are to be paid either as cashless or reimbursement. Here, doctors are being hired to assist policyholders.

Amit Bhandari, head- Health & Agricultural Insurance, Underwriting & Claims, at ICICI Lombard said that they have brought doctors on board who also help customers get a second opinion if they are not satisfied with the diagnosis done by their doctor.

Most of these services are usually part of the policy as a value-added component intended to provide more than just insurance cover.

Both public and private general insurers are increasingly hiring doctors in their team not only for health claim but also for complicated cases. So even if a disputed claim has to be resolved at the Ombudsman office, the doctor is present to give information about the medical terminology.

Apart from insurers, third party administrators who handle health claims as well as insurance ombudsman office take help of doctors.

For instance, insurance companies provide road-side assistance in motor insurance. This provides assistance during motor vehicle repairs, damage on roads. For this, insurers like ICICI Lombard have hired engineers who can suggest basic solution to motor repairs based on description provided by customer over phone before a professional from nearby garages can come and provide assistance.

In the life insurance space too, insurers are looking at hiring at specialists like counsellors who can come of help of policyholders at time of death claim.

Going forward, these niche professionals would be available round to the clock so that whenever any grievance comes up, they are able to handle it in a timely manner.