Shepherds Friendly has joined the Protection Distributors Group (PDG) Claims Charter, which sets out standard best practice based on its experiences helping clients with their claims.
The Claims Charter incorporates a number of pledges, many of which the mutual already meets. Pledges include having a dedicated claims team to handle all telephone-based claims alongside a process for claimants to submit and manage their claim throughout.
It also includes committing to offering a named point of contact for the claimant’s journey with the insurer, with regular updates provided at least every two weeks, unless agreed otherwise, to keep them informed of progress.
Ann-Marie O’Dea, CEO at Shepherds Friendly, said: “We are pleased to join the Protection Distributors Group and signing up to its Claims Charter reiterates our commitment to a robust and supportive claims process that has our members at its heart. As a financial mutual that is built on fairness, everything we do is for our members, not shareholders.”
Alan Knowles, managing director of Cura Financial Services and dhair of the Protection Distributors Group, added: “On behalf of all of the PDG, I’d like to thank Shepherds Friendly for committing to the standard of the claims charter. The customer should always be at the heart of what we do, and when making a claim this becomes even more important. Committing to the charter can make a real difference to people when they need our policies the most.”
It was recently announced that Shepherds Friendly has also signed up to the “Explaining Underwriting Decisions” agreement which is the product of a collaboration between insurers, reinsurers, advisers and charities on the Access To Insurance Underwriting Working Group.
The aim is to improve the transparency of underwriting processes and practices around chronic health conditions and disabilities for consumers, supporting consumer groups and charities. The agreement will come into force at the end of 2021 but many insurers, including Shepherds Friendly, have signed up already.