Claims defence motor resources

There are plenty of ways to keep costs down when dealing with claims, such as:

• Using our approved repairer network - benefit from competitive repair rates and a courtesy vehicle while the car is being fixed
• Provision of low cost hire vehicles (if a courtesy car isn't suitable) by using the purchasing leverage of the Zurich group
• Offering injury management to third parties suffering musculoskeletal injuries in an effort to reduce both the severity and longevity of an injury
• Provision of private health care for carefully selected cases from a rehabilitation perspective to speed up recovery and reduce time off work
• Referral of complex medical reports to a 'peer review' panel of medical experts to raise relevant and technically detailed questions on the content and validity
• Application of 'anti-fraud' techniques to identify false or exaggerated claims.

Apart from the physical benefits attributed to prompt and effective claims reporting, there are also some softer benefits including:

• Administrative savings - sometimes a third party will directly approach us for resolution of the claim following an incident, which could include help finding the driver, filling out forms, or dealing with letters and calls. By telling us quickly, we're able to contact the third party and prevent this from happening
• Brand protection or enhancement - as brand image could be affected following drivers being involved in a motor incident, this creates the potential for adverse publicity. By reporting claims quickly, this enables us to pro-actively approach third parties to help minimise brand damage, especially if the third party is a customer

It's important when something happens that drivers collect as much information as possible - so we can sort out the claim smoothly and quickly. Here's a list of what drivers should consider and record following an incident:

• Report incidents to the emergency services immediately (if appropriate)
• Have pen and paper handy. Take a note of third party details including vehicle damage, telephone numbers and the number and names of the passengers in the third party vehicle, even if no injuries are apparent. If possible, take photographs of the incident scene/vehicle damage
• Ensure the Insurer is notified as soon as possible, via telephone where possible
• Use Insurer approved repairers - this reduces cost and repair times
• At no stage should you admit responsibility for an incident to a third party

Here are some tips to improve the quality and speed of reporting a motor claim:

• Ensure everyone knows what to do in case of an incident, i.e. drivers, accident management providers, transport managers, lease companies/brokers, so everyone understands their role and responsibility
• Simplify the process. The more steps involved in the claims reporting process, the less likely everyone will comply. 'One Call' solutions are the most effective
• Communicate a comprehensive claims management procedure to drivers covering all types of incident with clear and practical steps that are suited to both your business and the structure of your organisation
• Promote an 'open' culture in relation to the reporting of incidents for all drivers. Making it a 'sin' for drivers to have an incident, will dissuade them from notifying claims and admitting liability when they're at fault
• Educate drivers to understand the need to capture key data following an incident and provide it straightaway
• Equip drivers to provide key information with supporting evidence from the outset. The earlier evidence is provided the more opportunity there is to defend effectively or recover losses. The earlier an incident is reported, the more effectively the resulting costs can be managed
• Use the management information available to investigate whether drivers are adhering to guidelines and identify possible areas for improvement