How to get your Group IP insurer to work harder for you
No-one likes a slacker. And your insurance providers are no exception. They should be giving you with the support you need to tackle absence and improve prevention: from absence tracking and early interventions to claims analysis and perhaps even fund matching for new wellbeing initiatives where you have identified a need. The latter could include anything from virtual and artificial intelligence GP services and health assessments to fitness solutions, cancer detection services and critical incident support.
Gone are the days when you bought insurance to help cover the potential cost of long-term sick pay and then put it in a drawer, only to blow off the dust when – and if - a claim came along. Times have changed. The traditional financial support is still there and still valued. But insurers also have a duty to help employers shoulder the burden of physical and mental ill-health, as well as a constantly retreating welfare state.
How to spot a self-starter from a slacker:
Early Interventions. A self-starter will help you make use of the added value benefits included with group IP to help employees get back on their feet as quickly as possible. A slacker won’t be very good at communicating their availability.
Claims analysis. A self-starter will support you in helping to improve your claims experience, utilising tailored rehabilitation pathways. A slacker will let claims just drag on.
Wellbeing investment matching. A self-starter will work with you to help you implement a new initiative – one that might fall out of the remit of added-value benefits – with a view to improving outcomes where a specific wellbeing need is identified. A slacker will just leave you to your own devices.
Absence Management. A self-starter will want to hear about absences from day one and will help you identify any potential hot spots amongst the workforce. A slacker doesn’t want to know until the point of claim.
10 key question to ask your insurer, whether current or potential partner:
- How can you help ensure good communications between HR team, insurer and intermediary?
- At what point would you be looking to introduce early interventions?
- What added-value wellbeing benefits do you offer? And are they well communicated to HR teams?
- Can you provide any support to HR with regards to communicating benefits to employees? For example, to help improve take-up of aspects such as Employee Assistance Programmes.
- Can you provide any additional support to HR with regards to improving employee engagement? For example, by helping communicate benefits to staff or by providing access to a wellbeing platform?
- Are you willing to contribute financially to specific wellbeing initiatives where an employer identifies a need with a view to improving outcomes?
- What do your claims payout rates look like?
- Can you evidence performance against self-imposed ‘Treating Customers Fairly’ targets?
- Can you provide client references / case studies?
- What kind of support can you offer with regards to absence tracking?