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Growing a customer base for a new insurance market player
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New Zealand Police Association (NZPA) is working to ensure the best employment, health and welfare outcomes for their members and their families – on duty and off duty. They have 13,500 members comprising 99% of constabulary police officers across all ranks and 75% of Police employees. One of the services the association provides to their members is health insurance, and it is through this service that Cloud Insurance (CI) and NZPA crossed paths.
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NZPA sought to replace their Policy administration system, aiming for a "first class digital customer service experience," as noted by Bryan McConnell, COO at NZPA.
They wanted a solution that not only provided excellent service but also integrated seamlessly with their existing systems, and had the ability to connect to potential new systems as well. In July 2021, after completing significant research they reached out to CI, eager to replace their legacy system with a modern, efficient alternative.
After NZPA got in touch, CI jumped quickly from a demo to a comprehensive discovery phase. The main outcome from the discovery was to figure out if NZPA and CI was a good match for each other, and if CI could solve the main business challenges that NZPA were facing. The discovery evaluated the problem-solution fit and business model fit. This phase also included a thorough risk assessment on hosting setup, support, and maintenance, culminating in an end report to help NZPA make an informed decision on next steps. This “initial dating” phase helped both teams learn about each other's cultures and working styles.
Once the Discovery phase confirmed mutual compatibility, Cloud Insurance initiated a pilot project from March 2022 to July 2022. This pilot demonstrated the feasibility of their product within the health insurance space in New Zealand. According to Mr. McConnell, "this gave us the confidence we required to invest in implementing the full solution," leading to continued collaboration and in-person meetings in spring and summer of 2022. The scoping phase involved intense effort and collaboration, which laid the groundwork for a robust partnership.
Following the successful pilot and scoping, Cloud Insurance moved to the full implementation phase, resulting in the signing of a significant 15-year contract. This contract marked Cloud Insurance's largest agreement to date and demonstrated the trust and commitment between the two organisations.
Bryan McConnell further praises the partnership:
"Cloud Insurance are extremely responsive and agile in their ability to support development and system improvements. They have actively engaged with our business and our people to understand exactly what we want to achieve. They are a team of professional, dedicated people who are great to work with."
The final product enabled NZPA members to access their policy benefits and file claims directly through an intuitive member portal, streamlining processes for claims handlers and eliminating the need for cumbersome paper forms.
Insurance Manager, Neill Law praises the end-customer portal:
“Our customers have thoroughly embraced the CI customer portal. The uptake and usage was immediate and overwhelming across all our demographics. They've told us they found it useful, intuitive and easy."
The solution delivered by Cloud Insurance has been met with overwhelming enthusiasm from both members and administrative staff, generating a wave of excitement and positive feedback. Mr. McConnell highlighted,
"The solution is simple to understand for our members and easy to use. We have found the solution adaptable with the ability to build on and improve the efficiency of our administration teams."
The project also included a migration of existing data to ensure that historical data was kept in the new system, at the same time as being able to take a step in the future with a modern solution.
The partnership between NZPA and Cloud Insurance has been highly successful. NZPA achieved their goal of a first-class digital customer service experience, with Mr. McConnell expressing satisfaction with the collaboration: "Cloud Insurance has become a valued partner and feels like part of our team. We see Cloud Insurance being the right partner to provide a great customer experience now and in the future."
The return on investment is already significant. The transition to a digital system has notably reduced the submission of paper claims, propelling NZPA into a more modern, efficient operational landscape.
"The solution has significantly reduced submission of paper claims, springing our business out of the dark ages and into a digital landscape," Mr. McConnell added.
The strong foundation of trust, transparency, and loyalty between New Zealand Police Association and Cloud Insurance has led to the start of a robust and long-term partnership. New initiatives to offer greater services to NZPA members are already launched - to be continued.
About Cloud Insurance
Cloud Insurance is an all-in-one SaaS solution for insurers and insurtech companies. Whether it’s customer onboarding, claims management, or profit analytics, Cloud Insurance eliminates the need for disjointed legacy systems when running an insurance business. Cloud Insurance’s rule-based technology saves time, reduces expenses, and boosts profits. Learn more about our solutions here.