MetLife Australia statement in response to Life Code Compliance Committee report
Sydney June 26, 2020
There is no question that the Life Code Compliance Committee report (Annual Industry Data and Compliance Report 2018−19) released today raises some important issues across the industry. It is worth noting that the data refers to the period 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019, and that there has been progress since that time, as individual organisations such as MetLife Australia have proactively sought to address challenges raised within the first report in September 2018.
At MetLife Australia we recognise the importance of data integrity and how critical it is for ensuring a strong, positive customer experience. Over the last 12-24 months we have taken a number of steps to increase data quality and reporting, including a data governance roadmap across claims, product & policies, and complaints. This enables us to identify key people with accountability across all data domains of the business to deliver on our customer proposition. We have also a appointed a Head of Data to drive our data governance agenda, which has driven an improvement in our data quality and reporting.
We’ve bolstered our staff training with the introduction of the Claims Academy which includes a module on the Life Code of Practice as part of the onboarding process for all claims handling staff, including our administration staff. The Code module covers key obligations such as timeframes for communications and ensuring customers are treated fairly. We have also undertaken a claims skills matrix assessment to understand current capabilities, one on one sessions to ensure a deep understanding of LCCC obligations, ‘person centred communication’ training delivered by SuperFriend, soft skills development such as active listening and demonstrating empathy, and one on one coaching. All of which are now an integral part of our ongoing staff development to ensure our customers are at the centre of our decisions.
We look forward to seeing further progress in both areas in the near future.
Media Contact
Sarah Kelly
MetLife Australia
+61 (0)411 893 890
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 metlife.com.au.
MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates, 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 metlife.com.