Claims Rage

You've heard of road rage but what about claims rage ...?

A survey by the Society of Claims Technicians (that's loss adjusters or claims handlers to you and me) gives a good insight into jobs in the insurance claims frontline.

As far as they're concerned there's definitely an epidemic of claims rage out there...

Swear words

According to the survey:

• 10% of the public become abusive and use swear words when making a claim.
• 75% of handlers feel that policyholders have expectations relating to their insurance claims higher than those of other service providers.

When it comes to the total honesty of those making claims, SCT members felt that a very high percentage is exaggerating their claims (bad faith insurance claims).

Porky

The vast majority feel 20% or more of us tell at least the odd 'porky' ('pork-pie' = lie) when making a claim while nearly 50% feel that more than half of policyholders don't tell the whole truth.

"The public has very little understanding of insurance" according to one hard-pressed claims handler.

"They do not read their contract and make little effort to understand what is and what isn't covered. They just assume."

Threaten

Another says, with feeling:

"Due to the increasing popularity of consumer programmes such as Watchdog people making a claim now feel they have unlimited power over their insurance company.

"They'll threaten you with adverse publicity and if there are any problems increasing numbers will seek legal compensation or threaten the involvement of their solicitors."

If you're one of the millions out there who have ever so slightly exaggerated your claim, you may feel a slight twinge of conscience at this poor chap's viewpoint -

Bad Faith Claims Don Not Help

"On the whole people do not see that they are acting immorally or fraudulently viewing the exaggeration of claims as 'fair game'.

"They have also learnt that he who shouts loudest is more likely to get results."

Promises

But the following thoughts of a frontline claims technician will no doubt strike a chord with many a hard-pressed premium payer out there -

"The perceived promises in some advertisements of insurers put us at a disadvantage."

Bev FitzGerald, Chairman of the Society of Claims Technicians, says, "There is a growing gap between what the public expect or believe they are entitled to under the insurance policy and the true position.

"In this gap our members increasingly find themselves with a very difficult bridging task."

Society Of Claims Technicians

The Society of Claims Technicians was created in 1999 by the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters to meet the need for a specific qualification for people working in the increasingly technical world of claims handling and processing.

It changed its title in June 2004 to the Faculty of Claims through a joint venture of the Chartered Insurance Institute and the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters.

With regulation by the Financial Services Authority coming into place in January 2005 it's hoped that all claims handlers will pursue the examinations of the Faculty of Claims, which will include specialist disciplines akin to those of the SCT.

Chartered Insurance Institute

The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) is the leading professional organisation for people working in the insurance and financial services industry.

It aims to promote higher standards through the provision of relevant qualifications for employees at all levels and across all sectors of the industry.

The CII has 70,000 members and has been at the forefront in setting professional standards for the insurance industry for over a century.

There are 2 trade associations for people with jobs as loss assessors - the Corporation of Professional Loss Assessors and the Institute of Public Loss Assessors.

For more help and information click on www.cii.co.uk/claimsfaculty.

Institute Of Public Loss Assessors

For details of a loss assessor in your area, contact -