PMI Brokers Back SME Claims Sharing

4 April 2008

97% supportive of change in Groupama Healthcare Survey

Groupama Healthcare’s campaign for claims sharing in the small group PMI sector is gathering momentum.  97% of brokers are supportive of claims sharing according to a recent survey by Groupama Healthcare.  In the survey, 89% said they would ‘definitely’ support Groupama’s efforts to encourage the whole PMI market to share full claims data as standard, while 8% said they would ‘probably’ support the initiative.

Claire Ginnelly, Head of Business Development at Groupama Healthcare comments: “This feedback says it all – brokers want this information yet Groupama is currently the only insurer to provide it.  The refusal by certain large insurers to share information in the small group PMI market is in danger of stifling competition and restricting development in so many ways, not least in the adoption of e-commerce in the health insurance market.

Brokers and insurers are crying out for an industry wide e-trading solution but this has failed to get off the ground because it is so heavily reliant on sharing of claims data.  While some insurers such as Groupama are very keen to develop this technology it needs to be a market initiative to ensure that it succeeds.  If we can get all insurers to share claims information we will be able to work much more efficiently and in a manner that befits the 21st Century. This will improve service standards for brokers, their clients and streamline systems and processes for insurers.” 

With Groupama’s campaign for claims sharing gathering pace, the insurer is also looking at solutions to ease the process of placing and amending business.  It is with this aim that Groupama will be launching an “E-Admin” system later in 2008.   This will allow intermediaries to go online to view their policies and make amendments.

Claire Ginnelly concludes: “With such unanimous support for claims sharing in small group PMI, now is the time for brokers to challenge the status quo by putting pressure on their insurers to implement change. The fact is we need to get a resolution to this issue or we will remain rooted in the past.  Until then, we need to focus on the ways in which we can exploit online technology to smooth the administration of PMI business for brokers and intermediaries and our “E-Admin” system will do just that.”

END

April 2008