Asteron Life Claims team receive Highly Commended award for the Team of the Year category at the 2023 FSC Awards

18 August 2023

Asteron Life Claims team were awarded a Highly Commended in the Team of the Year category at the 2023 Financial Services Council (FSC) Awards.

The claims team are made up of two specialist teams that manage and assist Asteron Life customers claiming on their life insurance covers.

Executive Manager, Claims and Customer Solutions for Asteron Life, Seema Bangera says that around the business this team are described as delivering ‘when the rubber hits the road’. They’re all very passionate about what they do, and it shows through how they deliver support and assistance when customers need it most.

This award was judged by the FSC on many factors including, how the team contributes to the company’s strategic goals and performance, how the team works together and how they contribute to making the lives of New Zealanders better.

The team are committed to ensuring claims outcomes inform and influence product enhancements. An example of this is the recent enhancement to a policy where Aneurysm has been included as a ‘Full’ Trauma condition, where it was previously paid as a partial benefit payment. This was in direct response to a customer claim which highlighted an opportunity to improve the policy wording and create better outcomes for customers.

The insurer has been focused on digitisation as a strategic pillar throughout their FY21-23 strategy. The claims team have contributed to this with the ‘Life Claims Simplification’ project, a two-year programme in its final phase of delivery. Migrating to a more modern platform will help deliver more effective reporting management for Life Claims, produce richer customer and claim data for better outcomes and ultimately make doing business with Asteron Life easier.

“Throughout this project it’s been great to see members of the team taking on roles as subject matter experts, working through system discovery and testing, all whilst maintaining claims performance.”

As part of contributing to the enhancing the lives of New Zealanders, the Claims team have a strong customer centric approach and support a variety of programmes across the business, including Asteron Life’s Connected Care programme, Asteron Life’s relationship with Lifeline Aotearoa and other internal focussed programmes. The team were also involved in Spirit to Cure in 2022, a Suncorp Group initiative that raises funds to help change the lives of people going through cancer. Together the Claims team raised over $3,500 and participated in multiple events.

Scott Jensen, Life Claims Team Manager – Northern, says he is extremely proud of the team and how people from all across the business are working together to help enhance the journey of the customer.

“Through a mentoring programme the team have solidified the way they work, which contributes to learning and development but ultimately ensures consistency across claims outcomes. Receiving the highly commended award means a lot to the team and it is particularly great to receive recognition from the industry” says Jensen.

For more information, please contact Molly.Kirkbride@suncorp.co.nz

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