Context
The Association of British Insurers announces they have joined forces with consumer group Fairer Finance who have produced guidance to help insurers and long-term savings providers further improve their customer communications.
Key points to note
The survey asked 2,000 adults about their experiences in dealing with government departments, local authorities, energy suppliers, insurers, banks, mobile phone networks, broadband providers, online retailers and supermarkets.
Long call waiting times was the top frustration, with 30% citing it as their pet hate and 61% putting it in their top three annoyances. Next came automated phone systems (46% in their top three annoyances), then unhelpful staff (34% in top three annoyances).
A third of the people who took part in the survey find it a struggle to understand the terms and conditions of products and services. Of those people, regarding insurance specifically, over half (57%) said they felt confident in getting the best deal. However, 48% said that they found it difficult to fully understand insurance terms and conditions, with 37% saying that clearer, simple documents would be the one single change that would improve their dealings with insurers.
Fairer Finance’s ‘A Guide to Clear Communication’ covers all aspects of insurer communications with customers, including email, text, and policy documents. It includes references to good practice by insurers and long-term savings providers. The ABI is encouraging firms to incorporate the guidance into all aspects of their consumer communications.
Next actions
None – for information and awareness.