Insurance renewal by text

by Catherine Woods - Thursday, 4th October 2007 -

Most things can be done by text message these days, so why not insurance renewal?

Notifying customers that their insurance contract is up for renewal the usual way – through a letter in the post – is too much work for Chris Caunce, co-founder of Caunce O'Hara.

In just a few weeks, the insurance brokerage is launching a service that will inform people by text message or email that it’s renewal time.

“What we thought was that, until now, the standard way to get someone to renew is to write a letter and hope it gets there,” he says.

“We wanted to make the process as easy a form of communication as possible. We believe it will increase the chances of renewal by making it much simpler for customers.”

It’s a logical step for a company that’s always been au fait with technology. Caunce O'Hara has had a website and has been selling insurance online since the internet olden days of 1996. “Back then, a customer downloaded a form and posted it back to us.”

And Caunce O'Hara’s Freelance Insure website, which offers insurance to freelance professionals working in all sectors, was recognised as the most effective use of e-business at the recent UK Broker Awards 2007. “You can buy a policy for professional indemnity and liability insurance in four minutes,” Caunce says.

Picture source

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