Consumer Duty should lead to more proactive referrals for added-value support according to RedArc.
Numerous insurance policies now incorporate a range of support services, covering critical illness, mental health, and bereavement, all contributing to fulfilling Consumer Duty’s mandate of ensuring appropriate outcomes for individuals requiring assistance.
But according to RedArc, challenges can arise when clients are entrusted to initiate referrals on their own.
RedArc commercial director Christine Husbands says: “When a client is faced with a long list of potential support available to them – often at a time when they’re vulnerable – they don’t know where to start. When they self-refer, they self-navigate, and they don’t always fully understand what support entails or what is most appropriate, and this can lead to gaps in the support they should receive.
“By far the better option is proactive referral, at point of claim, where we have the opportunity to triage a client and give them all the support that’s most appropriate for them.”
Husbands adds that clients hold a rightful claim to the provided support, necessitating seamless accessibility. This demands simplification of the access process.
Proactive referral, involving a comprehensive assessment of clients’ needs, followed by targeted support provisioning, holds the potential for improved outcomes, aligning with Consumer Duty’s purpose.
