Since BT’s first-to-market launch of teleclaims in 2010, the proportion of claims that are processed over the phone has steadily climbed and now comprises 58% of all new claims received each month, across income protection, trauma, life and terminal illness policies. (For trauma and life, the proportion of all claims that are teleclaims is 55% and 82% respectively.)

The teleclaim process reduces the decision-making time – from notification of a claim to first payment into the customer’s bank account – by up to four weeks. The average time that customers spend on the phone with BT to discuss their teleclaim is a total of 45 minutes, if all information is provided to make a decision.

BT pays a benefit of up to $500,000 via teleclaim under life and terminal illness policies; $250,000 under trauma/living benefit; and $8000 per month under income protection.^[1]

Since launching its teleclaims service in March 2010, BT has assisted over 7,063 customers with assessing their claim over the phone without requiring a claim form, paying out a total of $398 million.

Neil Borthwick, BT’s head of claims, life insurance, said: “Over the years, BT has looked for opportunities to streamline life insurance processes, so we can improve the customer experience. From tele-interviewing people who are applying for life insurance, through to teleclaims and using medical ecertificates, we are always striving to make it easier for more Australians to protect themselves and their families.”

Case studies

Teleclaims are claims that require only simple proofs to result in a benefit payment; a typical example is where the client has received a cancer diagnosis.

Example 1 – A 43-year-old customer was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2019.  She contacted BT’s claims team in May 2019 to discuss lodgement of the claim; and 11 days later submitted the minimal requirements to process the claim, including a histopathology report, authority and identification. Her claim was assessed on the same day the information was received, and the decision to admit was made.  She subsequently received her benefit of nearly $200,000 into her bank account, within 48 hours of it being processed. The customer said to the claims team: “I am so grateful to you all; this payment will assist me so much, and will make my life that little bit easier.”

Example 2 – A 49-year-old customer was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July 2019 and had sadly been given a life expectancy of seven to 12 months. Within one week of being notified of the claim, BT assessed and approved it, paying a combined sum insured of over $4 million under terminal illness and trauma policies.

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[1] Amounts are a guide only, as claims are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

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The A rating reflects BT’s excellence in claims servicing and is the highest rating given by The Risk Store.  The ‘star’ rating reflects that BT offers a differentiated and unique claims experience with its tele-claim service that allows claims decisions to be made without forms or signatures on some income protection claims.

The Risk Store conducted a comprehensive analysis of the systems and standards which govern BT Insurance’s service to customers at claim time, using their “Claims Management Analysis Programme” or C-MAP.  This is a very detailed assessment of all aspects of claims processing and servicing.

Head of Life Insurance, Phil Hay, said BT’s life insurance solution covered the four pillars of technology, product, support and service.

“Service is where the rubber hits the road. The Risk Store’s independent acknowledgement of the outstanding experience BT Insurance provides to customers at claim time reflects the unwavering support our staff provide when customers need it most. We have invested heavily in staff and systems to make processing claims as effective as possible.

“I applaud The Risk Store for developing the C-MAP tool. It is a unique program designed to measure the true customer experience which a life claims team provides to an adviser and their client. A ranking of this nature is something our products are routinely subject to – having the same importance placed on our service offering is a good step for the life insurance industry.”

The Risk Store’s managing director Peter Wincott said: “The C-MAP methodology is intentionally unique by not mirroring any other measure offered to insurers. We applaud BT Insurance for caring enough for their claimants to open up their claims department to this scrutiny. We are therefore very pleased to award them the C-MAP Mark of Excellence as proof of their achievement.”

The ‘star’ ranking coincides with the AFA Plan for Life Risk Innovation Award received earlier this year for BT Insurance tele-claims services, providing further recognition of a unique and innovative, client-centric service solution.

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According to BT Insurance, more than half the applications have been underwritten, and submitted online and over 25% of income protection claims have been paid via the ‘tele-claims’ initiative – approved in a quarter of the time and without forms or signature required

In addition, more than half of the applications have been underwritten and submitted online using LifeCENTRAL+, a fast quote and electronic underwriting tool that can provide an on-the-spot decision in around 15 minutes with no signature required. This is a five-fold increase when compared with online submissions in the same period in 2010.

The first-to-market ‘tele-claims’ initiative that allows claims assessments to be conducted over the phone continues to see more than 25% of all income protection claims paid without the requirement of claims forms or a signature.

The early success demonstrates that BT Insurance’s focus on the advisers’ end-to-end process is being favourably received by the market.

BT Financial Group’s Head of Life Insurance Phil Hay said he was delighted with the results just three months after the launch.

“We are making it easier for our advisers and customers where it matters most.

“The very positive adviser response reflects the quality of BT Protection Plans and the close way in which the solution has been developed in conjunction with advisers.

“BT Protection Plans combines product, service, technology and business support and enables advisers to provide a better solution with flexibility, choice and value. We will continue to bring innovation to the market.”
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Mr Hay said the flexible solutions which allow insurance inside and outside of superannuation have been particularly popular.
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Since launch, more than one-quarter (29%) of lump sum policies within superannuation have an attached option through Flexible Linking Plus. Likewise, 50% of Income Protection policies within superannuation have an attached option through Income Linking Plus.
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BT Protection Plans was developed in partnership with advisers with features including on-the-spot decisions about client application with no signatures required; real time 24/7 access to client information; an in-house chief medical officer; flexibility for insurance inside and outside superannuation; and a ‘tele-claims’ service that facilitates assessment over the phone without forms and signatures as well as fee for service flexibility including an option for unbundled commission.

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