Ensuring that claimants have a good experience is vital to any insurance company’s success. The fact that a claim has been filed means that something out of the ordinary has occurred for your claimant or that they have experienced a disruptive event in their lives. A claim can be an intense and intimidating thing for claimants since they are dependent upon you and your insurance company to help return them to their original state. In addition to the indemnification process, it is crucial for adjusters and examiners to ensure that the coordination of care and benefits improves the overall claimant experience since this can directly impact a claimant’s decision to renew their insurance policies with your company.
To illustrate the importance of the claimant experience, it can be helpful to visualize an example. In the case of a claimant injured in an auto accident, a hospital stay followed by the use of some type of durable medical equipment (DME), such as a walker, may be necessary for a full recovery. Once the claimant has a hospital discharge date and their medical providers have determined that a walker is necessary to help them fully recover after discharge, there are several details that must be properly coordinated.
Since in this example the claimant will require the use of a walker temporarily as they recover, it goes without saying that the walker needs to be procured immediately to prevent falls or other complications. As the adjuster assigned to the claim it is your responsibility to obtain the appropriate walker, ensure it is properly covered by their policy and that it is available immediately to the claimant upon return to their home after being discharged. Appropriate communication with the medical providers and regular communication with the claimant are additional vital components of the claim. When you are responsible for dozens of claims, this coordination of care and benefits can seem daunting due to the additional time required.
This is where an experienced third-party administrator (TPA) of auto no-fault claims become necessary. If your company had partnered with Northwood as their trusted TPA for instance, each of these coordination steps would be handled smoothly and effectively by Northwood. Northwood ensures that the claimant’s discharge date aligns with the DME and arranges for the delivery of the walker directly to the claimant. If a claimant should require a family caregiver during recovery, Northwood also verifies the presence of the caregiver and whether the claimant plans to recover at home or temporarily move in with the caregiver.
During this recovery process, Northwood also checks in regularly with the claimant to ensure the equipment is in working order. This regular communication also allows the claimant to ask any questions or address any concerns immediately with Northwood’s trained personnel which helps ensure a stellar claims experience for your claimant. Once the claimant has recovered and no longer requires the use of the walker Northwood will pick up the walker and return it to the provider, saving your claimant the hassle of dealing with this themselves.
Northwood’s attention to detail when it comes to the coordination of care and benefits ensures the best possible experience for your claimants. When claimants are taken care of and involved in their care plans, they are more satisfied with the claim as a whole. In turn they are happier with your company and satisfied claimants are much more likely to renew their policies.
Schedule a call with Rosanne Brugnoni at 586-755-3830 ext. 3771 for a more customized look at how Northwood can help you begin improving your claimants’ experience today.
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