The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has unveiled a new claims code for general insurance, including household cover, which is designed to raise the standards of claims handling.
The new code will come into effect on 1 January 2001 and compliance is required of all ABI members. It sets out the minimum standards of service a private individual can expect from a general insurance claim, whether they are the policyholder or a third party.
The code applies to all household, motor, private medical insurance and travel policies and requires providers to respond to a claim within five working days. Once a claim has been agreed then consumers can expect payment within 10 working days and any complaint must be dealt with within 40 days.
Malcolm Tarling, spokesman for the ABI, said: “The code reflects the priorities of the ABI, to raise industry standards and consumer awareness. When a claim arises, the insurance provider is put in the shop window and how they deal with it creates an impression of insurers generally.”
