Aviva has become the first insurer to publish car and home claims service reviews from customers on its website, allowing people to see exactly how others rate the insurer on their claims handling before making the decision to insure with them. The new claims reviews service has been introduced as part of Aviva’s ongoing commitment to improve customer experience.
Reading customer reviews before making a purchase has become commonplace for everything from TVs to toasters. However, for the insurance industry, customer reviews of insurance products are still in the early stages. Until now, people have been buying insurance without knowing what to expect during the claims process, which is when the policy matters most.
Researching the most suitable insurance cover and making sure the product is fit for purpose is often a step overlooked by consumers. According to research among 1,000 home and car insurance claimants*, consumers are twice as likely to read customer reviews before buying a car than when purchasing car insurance (73% vs. 37%). With four in five (86%) insurance claimants polled saying it would be useful to see how an insurer performed for its claims service before buying, Aviva’s customer claims reviews allow people to see first-hand and in a transparent way what level of service they can expect when they make a claim.
“Uniquely, insurance is a product most people buy in the hope of never having to use it but, if they do need to make a claim, a smooth and easy process is important at what is often a stressful time,” said Heather Smith, Marketing Director - Direct Insurance at Aviva.
When asked what the most important factor was during the claims process, the research found that over a third (36%) of insurance claimants said having a smooth and stress-free experience was important, followed by a quick claims resolution (28%) and being kept in the loop with what’s happening (14%).
Heather continued: “We understand that the claims process is an important part of many customers’ experience with us and that’s why we publish reviews, both good and bad on our website, so that people can make informed decisions.
“The feedback we get from customers helps us to learn and continuously improve our service. Providing customers with a dedicated personal claim manager, for example, so they are kept fully informed throughout the claim is one of those changes.”
With over 1,000 claim reviews on its website**, Aviva has scored an average rating of 4.2 out of 5 and 4.3 out of 5 for its motor and home insurance claims service, respectively.
To see the reviews, please go to http://www.aviva.co.uk/car/ and http://www.aviva.co.uk/home/
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If you are a journalist and would like further information, please contact:
- Erik Nelson: 01603 682264 or 07989 427086; erik.nelson@aviva.co.uk
- Joey Ng (Hill+Knowlton Strategies): 020 7973 5941 or Joey.Ng@hkstrategies.com
* Research conducted online by Populus between 17 – 21 January 2014 on behalf of Aviva with 1,006 respondents who had claimed either home or car insurance in the past three years.
** Figures taken from the http://www.aviva.co.uk/car/ and http://www.aviva.co.uk/home/ on 26 February 2014
About Aviva:
Aviva provides insurance, savings and investment products to 34 million customers worldwide.
We are the UK’s largest insurer with over 14 million customers and one of Europe’s leading providers of life and general insurance. We combine strong life insurance, general insurance and asset management businesses under one powerful brand. We are committed to serving our customers well in order to build a stronger, sustainable business, which makes a positive contribution to society, and for which our people are proud to work.
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