COVER Magazine welcomes you to the Claims & Underwriting Forum.

We start off the day with a welcome from our editor, Cameron Roberts. 

Nearly one year on from the implementation of Consumer Duty, the industry is in a better position to assess its impact so far. With an emphasis on the fair treatment of vulnerable customers, underwriting for those with mental health needs and avoiding foreseeable harm, this session will examine how the industry has adapted to become more inclusive and support its customers.

This session will:

• Investigate how the implementation of the Consumer Duty has shifted industry practices regarding mental health underwriting.
• Highlight changes in exclusion policies and how this has impacted the market.
• Share collaborative examples of best practice in meeting Consumer Duty requirements.

Amidst the challenges in the protection industry, a clear narrative emerges: the desire to honour claims and aid individuals during vulnerable moments. UnderwriteMe will be joined by The Exeter to discuss their partnership and their solution towards improving the claims experience for customers.

The industry has witnessed positive changes in underwriting outcomes for clients. The increased collection of medical and health data has allowed insurers to provide quicker and more precise decisions, while adding more value to their products. This shift highlights the increasing need to make product coverage and practices more flexible and inclusive to improve the customer experience.

This session will:

• Assess how insurers are using this data to streamline and personalise underwriting processes.
• Highlight developments in product design aimed at extending access and narrowing the protection gap.
• Analyse the benefits and drawbacks of increased collection of data for insurers.

The industry faces increasing pressure as insurers look to take advantage of the rapid evolution of AI. It is inevitable the industry will see disruption to the current protection model? Can we embrace this disruption responsibly?

This session will:

• Explore opportunities and challenges for the use of AI in claims and underwriting.
• Look at the principles of AI in personalisation of risk(s).
• The role of fairness and the impact of other big technological changes.
• How to best position yourselves for the future.

Uncover the narrative of how claim stats began and their continuing importance. This session will discuss avenues for improvement, exploring why claims stats remain relevant and impactful in an ever-changing landscape.

Despite much industry investment and discussion, ongoing issues surrounding service levels remain in 2024, particularly regarding underwriting decisions and claims turnaround times.

Join us in this discussion as we attempt to understand why service levels are still in need of improvement; raise awareness of persistent challenges in this space; and recommend how the intermediary community can support its customers.

This session will:

• Explore the underlying factors contributing to underwriting and claims service disruptions.
• Identify the key issues currently impacting intermediaries.
• Suggest innovative approaches to improve the customer journey.

Thank you for joining us at this years Claims & Underwriting Forum.