Going beyond the settlement: The human side of property claims

But according to Eddie Bremner, who leads Zurich's attritional property claims team, some of the most meaningful claims are often among the smallest.

His team handles property claims valued at under £150,000 across a diverse range of customers, from Commercial real estate and corporate properties to schools, housing associations and small businesses.

And while major losses may make headlines, Eddie believes the industry's focus should also be on the thousands of everyday claims that can have a life-changing impact on customers.

"Sometimes it's not about the value, it's about the impact that it's having on customers and their communities," he explains.

The claims that keep organisations moving

Property claims touch almost every corner of the economy.

A claim might involve a block of flats, an office building or a university campus. Just as often, it's a local hairdresser, barber or corner shop dealing with unexpected damage.

For many SMEs, recovering quickly from a flood, escape of water or fire isn't just about repairing a building. It's about protecting livelihoods.

"We probably don't do enough to highlight the cases that are smaller in value but just as important to our customers," says Eddie. "To us, that's our bread and butter, but to a customer that could mean the difference between paying staff that week or not paying their staff."

It's a perspective that reflects a broader shift taking place across the insurance industry. While speed and efficiency remain critical, insurers are increasingly being judged on the outcomes they create for customers, not simply the size of the cheque they write.

Modern claims handling and customer expectations

Historically, insurance claims were often viewed as a transactional process: assess the loss, confirm cover and issue payment.

Today, customer expectations are very different.

For Eddie and his team, supporting customers through a difficult experience is just as important as settling the claim itself.

Working with housing associations, councils and other public sector organisations often means helping people whose homes and possessions have been affected. In those situations, the emotional impact can outweigh the financial one.

"We've had some really good customer feedback recently," says Eddie. "It's not been the financial support, it's been the emotional support our teams provide as well."

That support can range from regular communication and reassurance through to referrals to Zurich Support Services for customers who may need additional help. Eddie points out that a relatively small burglary claim involving someone's home can sometimes be far more distressing than a large commercial loss.

"If your house gets broken into and it's a £1,000 claim, that's probably more upsetting for that one individual than a big corporate factory loss," he says.

It highlights an important truth about modern claims handling: empathy has become a core skill, not an optional extra.

Speed still matters

While emotional support is important, customers also want rapid action. Across the insurance industry, reducing settlement times remains a major priority, particularly when businesses are unable to trade or residents have been displaced from their homes.

Eddie's team continually looks for opportunities to settle claims more quickly, make early decisions on policy coverage and, where appropriate, issue partial payments before all aspects of a claim have been finalised.

"We call it fast track settlements," he says. "Can we make a quick decision on policy cover? If we can, how quickly can we make that payment to help our customers?"

Communication is equally important. Alongside email and telephone updates, teams increasingly use digital channels to keep customers informed about progress. For customers facing uncertainty after a property loss, knowing what happens next can be almost as important as the settlement itself.

Investing in expertise

For all the advances in technology, property claims remains a people business.

“Every building is different and every customer situation is unique.”

A listed building presents different challenges from a modern office block, while a housing association property requires a different approach from a commercial premises.

That's why Eddie is focused on expanding specialist learning opportunities for his teams through industry-recognised qualifications and property-specific training.

The goal is simple: develop deeper technical expertise while improving the service customers receive during some of the most challenging moments they might face.

Beyond the claim value

Property claims will always involve financial settlements, but Eddie believes the real measure of success lies elsewhere.

Whether helping a small business recover after flooding, supporting a tenant through a distressing loss, or ensuring a school can remain open and minimise disruption for children and working families, our purpose remains the same: helping people, businesses and communities recover and move forward.

Because ultimately, the most important property claims are not necessarily the biggest ones.

They're the ones that make the biggest difference.