ILC ARTICLE

Accidental Claims at Christmas Time Increase

10th December 2019

In 2018, approximately 36% of all our claims made were for accidental damage of some sort, and at Christmas time, claims for accidental damage are even higher.

Through technology and automation, leading repair company to the insurance industry – Plastic Surgeon is supporting insurers in reducing costs and driving down the claim lifecycle for accidental damage by up to 80%.

The company reports that in 2018 alone, it saved 16 tonnes of items in the home: flooring, worktops, sofas and many more, from going to landfill as a result of accidental damage. 

Accidental Damage Repairs

Head of insurance Chris Edwards explains: “There are almost too many areas of accidental damage at Christmas time to mention!  From burns caused by candles being left lit, stains on upholstery from an exuberant party goer, to leaking Christmas trees causing damage on wood or tiled flooring, the list is endless. 

“These types of claims are considered small and low value and can therefore often be overlooked as insignificant by insurers.  However, what is often neglected, is the work that is involved if these items are replaced rather than repaired. 

“Replacing a new floor for instance, is huge, and costly, particularly if it is solid wood, or original flooring, which is really irreplaceable.

The impact that this puts on the policy holder cannot be underestimated, making an insurance claim at any time can be stressful for a policy holder, at Christmas, it can be even more upsetting.

“Compare this to our approach where the damage is repaired within a matter of hours at a fraction of the cost and with a very low impact.  Our finishers are available throughout the Christmas period, ensuring that customers can have a positive result as quickly as possible.”

Automation Tools for Accidental Claims

Plastic Surgeon has invested heavily in automation technology to enhance the process for low value accidental claims, and this is even more useful at Christmas time, to assist with increased workflow and lower staffing levels.

Chris continues: “By automating the process through the use of technology it reduces the amount of human interaction required and speeds everything up.”

Plastic Surgeon’s Automation Approach

Many of the country’s leading insurers working with Plastic Surgeon are seeing claim lifecycles reduce by up to 80% as a result of using this leading technology.  The automation process includes:

• Triage– a quick assessment tool by Plastic Surgeon’s team of expert claim’s handlers, assessing whether damage can be repaired and how that compares to a replacement option, if the item is irreparable Plastic Surgeon will work with the insurer to coordinate replacement.
• Self Survey – customers can quickly assess their damage in real-time, providing images, sizes and other details uploaded straight to their own portal, saving a huge amount of processing time.
• Our specialist claims handling system, Visibility – enables insurers to quickly access journals on all jobs, observe before and after images and track spend on individual claim types. This again saves unnecessary time on the phone or chasing for updates.

Insurers are realising other huge advantages in addition to the reduction of the claim lifecycle and subsequent costs through the use of automation for accidental claims.   The improvement in customer satisfaction and the lessened impact on the environment are some of the major benefits.

Continued Chris: “We are working closely with insurers in helping them realise the value of using Plastic Surgeon for accidental damage claims.”