AIA has announced the launch of AIA 360, a free claims management service that is on offer to eligible IP customers. AIA currently spends over $1.1 million annually to assist customers on disability claims and has 26 case managers assigned to 1,300 cases.  This averages to 45 cases for each case manager. Chief Customer Officer Sharon Botica has said AIA is able to improve processes and offer better support with AIA 360.

“The insurer is launching AIA 360, which is described as "a personalised end-to-end claims experience providing support, guidance and rehabilitation."

The programme will be available to eligible income protection claimants and is offered free of charge.

Currently the company spends more than $1.1 million a year helping people on disability claims. It has 26 case managers looking after 1,300 rehabilitation cases.  This is about 45 cases for each case manager.

"We keep these numbers low so we’re able to provide a good level of individualised and tailored care and support to each customer," AIA chief customer officer Sharon Botica says.

She says the programme will provide support and guidance throughout the claims journey.”

Advisers will be able to offer customers support during the digital claim process. Although the service is currently being offered to those making IP claims, AIA is looking to expand the service offering in the future.

“Botica says will the company is trying to digitalise many of its processes, DI claims management requires the personal human-to-human touch.

"People are in a very vulnerable position when they claim," she says.

Botica says advisers will be able to give clients comfort that if they have to make a DI claim, there is a full service to support them.

360 Care will give clients confidence at claim time, she says.

360 Care is an evolving claims experience that will be available to more claimants in the future.” Click here to read more

In other news

Cigna: David Haak appointed as new General Manager – Distribution

Professional IQ: Advisers find “unexpected benefits” from completing Level 5

Strategi: AML compliance update webinar

FMA: World Investor Week live Q&A webinar

FSC: Financial Services Council  Annual General Meeting 2020

Partners Life: transparency, trust & the right thing to do webinar

Clifton Warren from Professional IQ College ran an webinar titled “Coronavirus: How to Grow During Restrictions”. Over 60 insurance and financial services professionals from across Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and USA were in attendance.

Some of the topics discussed in the webinar include:

• managing existing clients
• managing prospects
• managing producers and teams remotely during a crisis

Click here to watch the free webinar

Professional IQ are hosting a webinar on the 21st of August titled 'Business Risk Analysis' held by Trevor Slater.

Details below:

To reach a destination or achieve a goal you must have a plan and/or a map of how you are going to get there.

Imagine if you were travelling in a foreign country and wanted to get from town A to town B.  If you didn't have a plan including such things as a time frame, the type of vehicle etc and a map (whether the old fashioned type or a GPS) it would be extremely hard to efficiently and effectively get from one place to another.

Most of us set goals in our personal and business lives.  However, whilst we often take action to ensure we reach a goal in our personal lives what we often fail to do  in our business lives is to look at the risks that may prevent us reaching those goals.

Almost all of the things that we do at work involve risk of some kind, but it can sometimes be challenging to identify risk, let alone to prepare for it.

In this short workshop Trevor will introduce you to an easy to use risk analysis model that will help you to identify risks to your business, give these risk an impact and probability rating and create controls to minimise their impact.   

It includes a session on working on your own actual risks and ways to analyse them and minimise their impact.  In addition Trevor will explain how this model can easily be adapted to a tool that can be used to analyse your customer's risk exposure.

Click here to register.

Professional IQ's latest email focusses on the topic of distant learning. Here is what they have to say:

Professional IQ are interested to hear your tips for overcoming procrastination which can be a barrier for many with distant learning. Please send them to sylvia@professionaliq.co.nz

Professional IQ are holding a webinar titled 'Non-disclosure: when clients don't have to disclose'. They will look at the limited instances when an insured does not have to disclose information to an insurer. Using case studies from complaints to the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme ("IFSO Scheme"). Click here to read more or to register. 

Rod Severn has issued an email to PAA members telling them off in plain language. He reminds them that one goal of the PAA is "...to promote our members as educated and professional advisers" and then proceeds to lay out some detailed numbers about the low proportion of members that register for educational events and the rate of no-shows for the events even when registered. 

I know that this is an issue that regularly frustrates training providers. When we run events we like people to attend if they say they will, and let us know if they are not going to make the meeting. We always try to do the same when we are in the same situation. But Severn has a broader point to make than one about manners: 

"It doesn't reflect well on our industry and the level of commitment many members have to professional development ​when only 22.3% register to attend and​ only 16% actually show up."

Imagine if 9,000 registered advisers were actually undertaking one week of study each, per year, and sharing all that knowledge with their clients - the shift in New Zealand's overall financial literacy would be dramatic. 

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Commission For Financial Literacy and Retirement Income

Professional IQ are hosting a workshop that will open your eyes to the importance of insurance and, with a focus on the Christchurch earthquake as an example, the valuable contribution it makes to our global economy.

Workshop contents include:

•  The origins of Insurance

•  How Lloyds of London evolved 

• Modern day insurance 

• World disasters 

• Christchurch and it's impact on the global Insurance underwriting market 

• Why was Christchurch unique in terms of consumer protection, and 

• Where to from here post the earthquake. 

Click here to register and to find out more. 

Professional IQ College has developed the PIQ College Diploma in Insurance Broking. The first of its kind designed by Brokers for NZ Brokers this programme offers a range of topics and delivery options to recognise experienced Brokers. 

Lesley Southwick Principal of PIQ College says this Diploma has been asked for by Brokers for a while. It gives Brokers technical insurance knowledge in the NZ insurance context.

The recent PIQ Industry Skills Survey shows that 32% of the people in the broking sector have been working in the industry for longer than 5 years. This Diploma has been developed for those 32% where training options are sometimes limited. 

When PIQ looked at what skills the profession needed to focus on, to remain competitive it was interesting to see that while Technical Skills dominated there was a healthy need shown for soft skills, leadership and management as well as business competence. Access to skill development through workshops, webinars and online short courses allows Brokers to develop a professional development plan to suit their individual needs and gain an industry qualification at the same time. 

Lesley says there has been an increase in requests for training lately and this PIQ Diploma in Insurance Broker makes up one of three NZ Broker Qualifications the College has developed to allow all levels of staff to gain professional development.