10 Things Insurers Can Do To Keep Customers

I have recently had two clients pull their insurance from their insurer and place it with a different company. Both clients were very dissatisfied with the service they received for the payment of their cars and their medical bills. (Both ended up going with Jackie at Warren Bender & Co.)

In both situations, the insurer subsequently called to ask what they could do to keep the business. Both clients told them that the poor customer service was the reason for the cancellations. So, if the insurers want to know what to do to keep their current clients, here are a few ideas:

1. Start treating people with respect.
2. Hire adjusters with a college degree. No disrespect to those without a college degree, but handling insurance claims requires a certain skill set that people learn in college.
3. Pay claims timely.
4. Don't nickel and dime your insureds on their claims. If you owe $2,500, pay $2,500 not $2,450.
5. Make fair and reasonable offers on total losses. Why is it that my last three total losses my clients have almost doubled the offer of their own insurer? Pay the fair market value of the car, not what some company tells you it is worth.
6. Get rid of your complex phone systems. It shouldn't take me entering 25 digits to get to someone.
7. Start writing letters in plain English. (Wow, another group who could use Party of the First Part. [I wonder if I may get commissions from the publisher at some part since I think the book is so good!])
8. Don't ask what you can do AFTER someone leaves. Be proactive in keeping your customers happy.
9. Stop forcing your insureds to be sued because you don't want to settle a claim.
10. Stop hiding your tactics. In this day and age, there is enough information available that people see what you are doing. Don't hide it. Just be honest with people.

Now, I know some of these will never happen. But, some of these are common sense ideas. It would be nice to see insurers go back to trying to keep their own customers happy, at least.