MetLife Australia Launches Digital Life Insurance Claims Lodgment and Tracking Platform
Sydney August 28, 2018
MetLife Australia has launched a digital life insurance claims platform using ‘open insurance’ application programming interface (API) technology, making it faster and easier for superannuation fund members to lodge and track life insurance claims. MetLife has launched this new solution with Statewide, a leading superannuation fund based in South Australia.
Members can scan and upload documents from their smartphone or tablet, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual paper-handling. A simple income protection claim can take less than 15 minutes to complete. Claimants can log in and track the progress of their claim at any time and anywhere and are given a dedicated claims manager who will handle their claim from end-to-end, providing a more seamless and caring experience.
MetLife is delighted to partner with Statewide who were integral in developing a solution which creates the best possible experience for members going through a claim.
“Making a life insurance claim can be a complex and stressful process for super fund members,” MetLife Chief Marketing Officer, Jeremy Simmons said. “Through our research, we identified that the claims experience was the time when members most need support from their fund and insurer. We’ve worked closely with funds, members, and administrators and applied customer-centric design principles to develop an intuitive experience making it faster and easier to lodge and track a claim. This gives claimants greater control, certainty, and transparency when they need these most.”
Statewide Super’s General Manager Member Engagement, Tony D’Alessandro, said using a digital claims process was a considered and strategic decision by the industry fund to best serve its members.
“This new functionality helps Statewide Super deliver the best possible outcomes to our members who are looking to make an insurance claim, providing efficiencies and the opportunity for an instant update at any stage of the claims process,” Mr D’Alessandro said.
“We are hoping that by streamlining the application process we are able to take a little bit of the stress out of the situation for those at a time when they most need it most.”
Leading the Australian market, by using API technology, MetLife’s digital claims platform enables super fund members to claim for total and permanent disability insurance and income protection insurance in a single claim.
“When a member claims for total and permanent disability, they’re usually unable to work, and may be eligible for income protection as well. By making it quick and easy to claim for both simultaneously, our digital platform significantly reduces time, effort, and stress for the claimant, and creates efficiencies in claims processing,” Simmons said.
The digital claims platform was built using application programming interface (API) technology. This facilitates seamless data transfer between the fund, the administrator, and MetLife, and enables pre-population of data in the claims form, providing a faster and easier claims experience. The API technology also enables super funds to quickly and easily incorporate the digital claims platform into their member websites, portals, and apps without the need for lengthy and costly development.
Ahead of the mandated introduction of open banking in Australia next year, MetLife is moving towards ‘open insurance’ by introducing API-enabled digital services for super funds. The platform was developed using the ACORD Australia-New Zealand Life Insurance Standards, enabling use by insurers, super funds, and wealth management businesses to deliver improved customer experiences through technology innovation.
Media Contacts
Phillip Gray, MetLife Australia
+61 (0)488 771 858
Honner
+61 2 8248 3700
About MetLife
MetLife Insurance Limited (MetLife), an affiliate of MetLife, Inc., is a specialist provider of life insurance to affinity partners, superannuation trustees and employers in Australia. MetLife has expertise in designing and executing direct insurance programs for partners’ customers and insurance solutions to meet the needs of specific member groups. MetLife has been a specialist provider of life risk insurance products in Australia since 2005. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.au.
MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates (“MetLife”), is one of the world’s leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to help its individual and institutional customers navigate their changing world. Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40 countries and holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.