In Insurance, Customer Service Is Tested When the Customer Has the Most to Lose
By Judith Atieno
There are literally millions of insurance companies registered around the world, but only several thousand continue to flourish. I know from experience that what sets some apart from the others is how they treat their customers, particularly at the point of claims.
Insurance is, as described on the bottle, insurance. It is meant to provide protection, shielding businesses, individuals, communities and even nations from the financial consequences of adversity. It gives people confidence that when something goes wrong, they will not have to face the consequences alone.
This is why the true test of an insurer is found much later after purchase, when something has gone wrong and the customer needs the promise behind that policy to become real.
Unfortunately, in a bid to maximise revenues, some insurers can become overly focused on finding reasons not to pay claims rather than finding ways to support legitimate claims. Many exploit technicalities and/or procedural requirements to shut down claims. While such practices may protect short-term financial interests, they end up eroding trust, which is the foundation of the insurance business.
In our experience, customers rarely judge a claims experience solely on the final outcome. They also remember whether the process was simple, whether communication was timely, whether someone took ownership of their concerns, and whether they felt supported throughout the journey.
Customers always want to know that you will be there for them when they need you. Being there does not simply imply how quickly a call is answered or whether an email receives a response within a particular number of hours. Those things matter, certainly. But they do not tell the whole story because customer service during a claim is also about empathy.
A claim is rarely just a transaction. Behind every claim is a person facing uncertainty. It may be an employee seeking medical treatment, a family mourning the loss of a loved one, or a business trying to recover after a loss. In these moments, customers are not simply looking for financial compensation. They are looking for reassurance, guidance and confidence that someone is helping them navigate a difficult situation
It is also about transparency because customers should not have to navigate a maze of technical language to understand what their policy covers or why a certain decision has been made. Even when a claim cannot be paid in full, the customer deserves a clear and honest explanation.
Then there is speed because when adversity strikes, delays have consequences. A business waiting for a settlement, for example, may struggle to replace damaged equipment, influencing its ability to recover. But perhaps the most important role customer service can play in insurance is advocacy.
Customers do not necessarily understand the intricacies of insurance. This is where professionals play a critical role. Customers should not be left alone to navigate complex policy wording, documentation requirements or claims procedures. They need advocates who can guide them through the process, help them understand their cover and work alongside insurers to ensure legitimate claims are resolved fairly and efficiently.
Ultimately, insurance is built on trust. Customers pay premiums for years based on the belief that someone will stand by them when adversity strikes. Every interaction during a claim either strengthens or weakens that trust. That is why claims remain the ultimate moment of truth in insurance. Long after a policy is purchased, customers remember how they were treated when they had the most to lose
The writer is the Customer Experience & Relationship Manager at Minet Kenya Insurance Brokers Ltd