ILC ARTICLE

ILC Breakfast News – Wednesday 16 March

15th March 2022

Motor

Register now…     

1.30pm 30 March 2022 webinARC: Vehicle Technology   

In this webinARC we hear from vehicle manufacturer, repairer and service provider to explore the ever-evolving world of vehicle technology and what it means for repair management.   

Featuring:   

– Andrew Hooker, Head of Technical, Solus Accident Repair Centres   

– Franco Iannotta, Bodyshop Development Manager, Volkswagen Group UK   

– Phil Peace, Managing Director (International), Repairify Inc   

Aviva deal supports Zego scale-up  

Zego has signed a multi-year partnership with Aviva to provide bespoke fleet policies to trades and haulage businesses.  

The partnership brings together Zego’s data and telematics capabilities with Aviva’s fleet underwriting knowledge, enabling Zego to offer usage-based and flat rate policies to UK fleets of between five and 500 vehicles.  

Verisk expands Ford partnership  

Verisk has agreed a deal with Ford to integrate data from connected Ford vehicles in Europe with its own solutions.  

That means it will be able to provide even more comprehensive telematics solutions to insurers, enabling them to develop accurate, usage-based policies that also reward customers for safe driving.  

The service, which is already available in America, will be available in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.  

Fraudulent claims on the rise  

Insurance services group Markerstudy has announced that it prevented upwards of 2,500 fraudulent motor claims last year alone, saving the industry about £25m.  

However, it warns of an upsurge in motor fraud driven by the rising cost of living. It is urging insurers to make use of technology to provide greater protection against false claims, such as GPS location software and dash-cams.  

Allan Peak, Head of Claims Counter Fraud at Markerstudy, said, “New technology is providing irrefutable evidence.”  

AkzoNobel cuts ribbon on Slough R&D hub 

AkzoNobel has opened a new £10m global research and development centre in Slough. The site, which will host 120 technical specialists, is one of a growing list of similar facilities and underscores AzkoNobel’s commitment to innovation, particularly in decorative paints.  

AkzoNobel CEO Thierry Vanlancker said, “As well as marking the start of a new chapter in the UK, it’s also a clear signal of our ongoing commitment to keep pushing boundaries as part of our People. Planet. Paint. approach to making a genuine and lasting difference to customers, communities and the world around us.” 

Plans for Motor Claims Showcase Event revealed

ILC’s Motor Claims division and ARC360 have joined forces to bring a whole new event experience to life for 2022.

Focusing on best practice across the supply chain – specifically the accident damage sector – the Motor Claims Showcase Event will offer a host of engagement opportunities from hands-on exhibitions and in person networking, through to insightful keynote presentations, open panel discussions, ILC key partner insights and much more.

Home

Watch now…  

The first webinar in the series, building up to the ILC Environmental Challenges of Property Claims Conference, titled: Automation, Environment & Process.   

Featuring:   

– Will Quibell, Head of Supply Chain (household), Admiral   

– Ian Marsh, Head of Technical Claims, Saga Group   

– Brian Ford, Management Consultant, GTEC Partners   

– Marco Marambe, Managing Director, Procurato  

WTW names new climate change chief 

Willis Towers Watson has appointed David Singh into the newly-created role of Head of Climate Analytics and Exposure Management for its Insurance Consulting and Technology business. 

Based in London, Singh will be responsible for developing innovative solutions to help insurers respond and adapt to climate change. 

He said: “I am delighted to be joining the team at WTW, which has been at the forefront of innovation around understanding and managing climate risk. By harnessing WTW’s unique skill set and cutting-edge climate analytics capabilities, we are well-placed to help insurers understand and manage their exposure to climate change, transforming their business models to drive innovation in underwriting and product design, delivering significant value and reduced corporate risk.” 

ABI appointed Race to Zero champion 

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has been named as an official Accelerator of the UN-backed Race to Zero campaign. 

Race to Zero is a global initiative supported by businesses, academic institutions, investors and cities that commits signatories to helping to halve emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050 at the latest, while publicly reporting progress in the interim. 

As an Accelerator, the ABI will encourage members to sign up to Race to Zero by raising awareness of the campaign and supporting partner initiatives.   

Zurich turns spotlight on sustainability 

Zurich Insurance Group has published in 2021 Annual Report and Sustainability Report, which for the first time also includes the steps it is taking to implement sustainable solutions and working practices across its entire business. 

Through the newly-created integrated sustainability disclosure (ISD), Zurich has also shared its first climate risk scenario analysis, which examines the challenges and opportunities presented by climate change and assesses the Group’s resilience to associated risks. 

ClaimsTech

SightCall secures virtual assistance partnership 

SightCall has agreed a new partnership with London-based QlaimsTech that it hopes will make augmented reality-powered remote virtual assistance solutions more accessible to insurers. 

QlaimsTech insurance integrated the SightCall platform with its own claims handling solution earlier this year after reporting a 60% saving on operational costs during the pilot, while the company itself resells it to smaller businesses throughout the insurance sector on a pay-as-you-go basis, providing a cost-effective entrance into the virtual assistance space. 

PwC creates practical pathway for apprentices 

PwC has broadened the path into a career in technology by expanding its Tech Degree Apprenticeship. 

Working with Ada for the first time, the National College for Digital Skills, the new programme puts the emphasis on practical learning with apprentices spending 80% of their time on work-based technology projects.  

The 50 new apprentices will be PwC employees from day one, earning a salary while they learn.   

MIB accelerates digital transformation 

The Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) is accelerating the process of replacing legacy technology with new digital solutions following a new partnership with global technology and consulting business Wipro. 

The new partnership will support the transfer of the Motor Insurance Database (MID) and Motor Insurance Anti-Fraud and Theft Register (MIAFTR) onto a new cloud-based platform which will provide a single view of the customer and real-time data, while also enabling on-demand and self-service functionality. 

Market News

Sedgwick continues counter-fraud investment  

Tech-enabled business solutions provider Sedgwick has appointed Laura Horrocks as head of fraud technology and intelligence for its UK-based investigation and services division.  

She will oversee the development of Sedgwicks’ fraud detection solutions following the recent agreement with Shift Technology to integrate its artificial intelligence-enabled fraud detection solution into its own software.  

Customer attitudes offer green opportunities 

The insurance and financial services sectors have been challenged to tap into changing customer attitudes by making sustainable options the default, with customers having to opt out rather than opt in. 

Research by Britain Thinks found that climate change and pollution is now the number one concern for UK customers, overtaking the NHS, Covid-19 and the economy, with more than half (57%) of respondents to its national poll stating they would choose sustainable products even if they cost more.  

Britain Thinks says this gives insurers an opportunity to proactively promote sustainable solutions among customers, such as in travel and heating.  

Listen in…  

In this episode of the ARC360 podcast we catch up with Amy Brettell, Head of Customer, UK Claims, Zurich Insurance UK where she provides us with an insight into why she loves what she does; discusses the forever changing dynamics in satisfying customer wants and needs; and explores the role technology has to play in the claims process now and into the future.