Friday, November 06, 2020 / 01:15 PM / By
Ekerete Ola Gam-Ikon / Header Image Credit: i-Sight
Suddenly, many more people are talking about insurance and
desiring to know how the insurance companies will deal with mounting claims
after the mindless destruction of private and public properties by violent
uninsured Nigerian protesters.
No one seems interested in those that had no insurance, not even
the insurers that may now have the opportunity to insure them; every medium is
focused on claims.
What Is Insurance Without Claims?
There are numerous individuals and businesses that have had
insurance policies for many years, they pay their premiums when due, but have
never had any claim reported to their insurers.
Sometimes, they have described their experiences as
"good" and their insurers have also considered such policyholders as
"very good", wishing all their clients were like these ones. However,
the question would be: "What is the essence of buying something and not
put it to use?" Or "Would you know the value of what you have without
using it?"
Insurance customers (policyholders) with minimal understanding
of the philosophy and principles of insurance have repeatedly and increasingly
queried the insurance system about not getting any benefit after the year(s) of
no claims. The simple response remains this: You have been contributing to the
relief of another policyholder who made a claim, someday it might be your turn
to make a claim!
Further explanation then usually follows but the enquirers are
left wondering if it makes financial sense. Only claimants that actually get
their claims payments promptly appreciate the essence of insurance and look
forward to the future with assurance.
Using Claims As A Marketing Tool
Traditionally, insurers had used "No Claims Discount
(NCD)" to encourage policyholders to remain loyal to them but unhealthy
and unprofessional practices have since removed this from marketing and sales
discussions within and outside insurance parlance.
For the benefit of those who might not know what NCD means, I
will explain:
Until 23 years ago in Nigeria, if you sought cover for your
vehicle, the insurance company representative will inform you that after your
first year as policyholder without any report of damage or loss, you will be
entitled to 10 percent No Claims Discount as you renewed for the second year;
20 percent the following year, 33.3 percent, 40 percent and as you are entering
the sixth year of your relationship, you will be entitled to 50 percent NCD!
So, if your premium was N200,000 at inception, after five years
of insuring continuously with an insurer without any claim, your premium would
have reduced to N100,000 where the value of the vehicle does not change, which
was unlikely as the insurers would insist on appropriate valuation.
Compared to the prevailing market practice, today, where the
sales representatives of ALL insurance companies offer you a rate or price
equivalent to what was given to the policyholder that had been loyal to an
insurer for six years, then you will understand why payment of claims continue
to be a critical part of conversations about insurance.
In Nigeria, policyhoders' loyalty to insurance companies is rare
and often impracticable because price, not even claims payment, determines
which company gets the deal.
What The Protests' Claims Have Taught Us
As the discussions on the resultant claims from the violent
protests continue, both insurers and policyhoders are learning the hard lessons
of ignoring the future benefits for immediate gains.
The "competitive" rates given by insurers to win the
unsuspecting policyholders to their side did not contemplate the volume of
claims payouts now estimated, so many insurers are biting their finger for
their poor aggressive decisions.
The policyholders, on the other hand, are going to ignore
whatever understanding they shared at the time of inception of the policy and
seek for settlement of the claims as the world desires to see.
Where the insurers see that they will lose and the policyholder
will gain, the arguments that are usually unimaginable to industry watchers
will begin, and you really cannot blame them because shareholders are not
willing to wait again before getting returns on their investments.
In an experience many years ago, my company once had a customer
who asked for a "no claim" policy, intended to fulfill the
requirement of a financial institution. Surprisingly, it was accepted. Shortly
before the expiration of the policy, the customer suffered a huge loss caused
by fire outbreak but could not approach us and we never knew how the issues
were resolved; meanwhile, the customer's business has since ceased to exist.
Yes, insurance is so much about claims because when
policyholders are promptly paid, they can return to business, retain people in
employment and families are saved while the government enjoys the tax revenues.
Delays and denials of claims have led to economic hardships that
the insurance industry have probably not imagined and the government that seeks
to reduce poverty are completely unaware of.
Non-payment of settled claims has become the (dis)ease of doing
business with the insurance industry in Nigeria and the seeming challenges
presented by these protests' claims are the opportunities to correct the
impression many have held for so long.
Easing the process of claims is the best indicator that the
insurance industry is ready to grow.
This is the time to know more about claims, that aspect of
insurance that either convinces or confuses the buyers and policyholders.
Only through claims is one able to ascertain that the insurance
policy you have is good.
The days ahead will determine whether the industry will earn its
name or receive calls for change of name.
About The Author
Ekerete Olawoye Gam-Ikon, MNIM, CPP, is a
management consultant with a specialization in Strategy and Insurance. You can
contact him via e:mail olagamola@gmail.com and mobile +234-806-648-1111
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