Aviva ‘continually committed to its broker channel’ – Maria Crockart

Aviva has introduced a series of features to its existing broker platforms that it said would help save brokers time and improve customer service.

The changes have been introduced in response to the insurer’s most recent Broker Barometer, which was carried out between 29 March and 1 April 2022 and surveyed 220 general insurance brokers.

The research revealed that 70% of brokers were interested in further automation, with more than half of them (58%) saying the reason for this was a desire to improve customer service.

In the insurer’s half year results, gross written premium across digital SME was up by 19%.

Speaking exclusively to Insurance Times, Maria Crockart, SME digital trading and automation director at Aviva, said: “I am super proud of what we deliver for our brokers in that digital trading environment.

“We are continually committed to that broker channel – both in the products that we deliver end-to-end but also delivering new digital tools or enhancing them.

“[Brokers] have shown a clear appetite to transact more business digitally and process routine tasks quicker and more simply and this is what we’re giving them.”

For Crockart, “really listening to what brokers pain points are” is key, alongside supporting great underwriters.

“It’s about a blended proposition with digital at the front end and great intervention where needed by underwriters that support the brokers on that journey,” she added.

In Aviva’s latest digital update to its platforms, brokers can now place larger commercial combined risks online.

In addition to this, brokers can also process routine mid-term adjustments through the Aviva broker portal, which would historically be classed as a mid-market complex fleet business.

This means that brokers can use the platform to change a vehicle or conduct complex business – this includes renewing or lapsing regionally traded motor and non-motor policies.

A policy lapses when the policyholder stops paying premiums and the account value of the policy has already been exhausted. Insurers are legally bound to provide a grace period to policyholders before the policy lapses.

Previously, renewals and lapses was organised via email.

Aviva has also launched the first stage of its claim’s portal tracking.

Crockart noted that there has been 21% of growth in its broker channel, with digital being a “big driver” for this.

Staying ahead of the game

When asked whether e-trading was the future, Crockart said: “You can build the best technology in the world but that does not mean that people will come and use your services or capabilities – so you really have to keep close to your customer.”

For Crockart, “brokers are a vital element of Aviva’s success”, so the insurer is always keen to listen.

“Where matters are less straightforward, they can have confidence that there is a team of dedicated specialist underwriters ready to help at once,” Crockart added.

“We’ll keep listening to brokers’ feedback to ensure we stay ahead of the game and continue to offer market-leading technological solutions backed by real human expertise.”