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THE Standard Volume 4 – March 2019 don't leave business interruption insurance in the background Page 10 forensic investigation and tcf: a positive partnership Page 12 resilience and the next flood Page 18Career Opportunity with Edge Equipment Hire Business Development Manager Edge is the leading specialist in equipment hire and support services to the UK Damage Restoration Market. To supportfurther and sustainable growth, we have an exciting opportunity to join our successful, energetic team as our Business Development Manager to lead our growth strategy and promote our range of products and services across the UK market place. Candidates should have experience either working within the Damage Restoration Industry or the wider hire market. As you would expect for this role, the position carries an attractive salary package, bonus scheme, pension and generous holiday entitlement. A fully expensed car, mobilephone and laptop will also be provided. To obtain an application form and to register your interest please in the first instance email Janet Briscoe on janet.briscoe@edge-equipmenthire.co.uk All enquiries and applications will be treated in the strictest of confidence. Closing date for applications is 30 th April 2019 . Edge is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate inany way on age, gender, race , disability, religion or political beliefs. The UK’s largest gathering of flood and coastal risk management professionals. Convened by the Environment Agency, attendees include local authorities, civil engineers, infrastructure owners, emergency services, consultancies, utility companies, contractors, manufacturers, community groups, flood research consultants and universities. CONVENED BY For further information: Tel: 0330 088 1417 Email: info@floodandcoast.com www.floodandcoast.com @floodandcoast 2019 Risk, Resilience & Response in a Changing Climate Telford International Centre, UK, 18-20 June 2019 GOLD SPONSORSILVER SPONSORBRONZE SPONSOR03 CONTENTS Notes from the Chairman & Events Diary 05 Inside the Head of Jonathan Davison, our Strategic Development Director 06 Treating Customers Fairly: The Next Steps Residential Loss 07 Opinions and Expertise from the Executive Board Commercial Loss 08 Opinions and Expertise from the Executive Board Specialist Loss 09 Opinions and Expertise from the Executive Board The Standard Insight (Feature) 10-11 Don’t Leave Business Interruption Insurance in the Background Guest Feature 12-13 Forensic Investigation and TCF: A Positive Partnership by John Gow – IFIC Forensics Our Industry in Action (Case Study) 14-15 The Case of the Bedroom Fire and Batman Visit Member Showcase 16 Crawford & Company BDMA Membership 17 Setting the Standard with a BDMA Membership Guest Feature 18-19 Resilience and the Next Flood by Ian Gibbs – Sedgwick Learning & Development 21 Enhancing Insurers and Loss Adjusters’ Understanding of Damage Management Techniques Sponsor Showcase 22 ServiceMaster Clean New BDMA Members 23 Editorial Enquiries Olivia Miller olivia.miller@realia.co Advertising Sales Paul Williamson paul.williamson@realia.co Design & Production Realia Marketing paul.williamson@realia.co 01303 262101 The Standard is published quarterly by The British Damage Management Association. The Standard is written in collaboration with our members, showcasing industry thought leaders and success stories to the wider community. We are delighted to present the opportunity for our members to broadcast their expertise to the broader insurance industry by submitting opinion pieces and case studies for inclusion in The Standard. Please feel free to submit your content for consideration. BDMA Enquiries & Correspondence The BDMA, Harborough Innovation Centre, Wellington Way, Airfield Business Park, Market Harborough LE16 7WB Phone: 01858 414278 | Email: info@bdma.org.uk Website: www.bdma.org.uk Keep up with us on social media… @TheBDMA @TheBDMA BDMA (British Damage Management Association) DISCLAIMER: The BDMA accepts no responsibility for the views expressed by contributors within The Standard. Advertisements are accepted at the discretion of the editor and The BDMA and do not imply any endorsement of goods or services. We’re Recruiting Now!! Come and join The UK’s Leading Disaster Recovery and Specialist Commercial Cleaning Company visit www.rainbow-int.co.uk/careers/ for more information on the roles available 04 Raising Industry Standards The British Damage Management Association (BDMA) facilitates technical and corporate training, technical support and advice on standards and represents its members’ interests in the public, industry and commercial domains. Accreditation is at the heart of the BDMA’s structure and sets the standard of how professionals in damage management and related sectors can prove their competence and commitment to delivering industry best practice. Accredited Membership is achieved by examination and is open to all who work in this field. Associate Membership is available to those with an interest in damage management who do not qualify for accreditation. Corporate Associate Membership status is open to any organisation wishing to show support for the BDMA and the damage management industry. Corporate Accredited Membership is available to organisations who meet strict criteria and have a specific percentage of staff who are Accredited Individual Members, in the relevant categories. Online learning Our online learning resource, The BDMA e-Academy, can be accessed via the new BDMA Learning Management Portal. Members can download a Course Catalogue at: www.bdma.org.uk/bdma-lmp Upcoming training courses 10 th – 11 th April – Market Harborough Key Elements of Damage Management for Insurers and Loss Adjusters 1 st – 2 nd May – Market Harborough Core Damage Management – Technician & Claims Practitioner 2 nd July – Blackburn Core Damage Management – Senior Technician (Refresher) 3 rd – 4 th July – Market Harborough Core Damage Management – Technician & Claims Practitioner Our structured training courses can also be delivered in-house along with bespoke training designed to meet your requirements and schedule. www.bdma.org.uk/training-and-education Directors Simon Ford (Chairman) chairman@bdma.org.uk Adrian Jolly John Thompson Mike Waterfield 01858 414278 Emails to: info@bdma.org.uk unless otherwise stated. Strategic Development Director Jonathan Davison strategicdevelopment@bdma.org.uk 01858 414278 Executive Committee Members & Constituencies Greg French DM Practitioners (Commercial) commercial@bdma.org.uk Phil McVay Claims Practitioners claimspract@bdma.org.uk James Parsons Insurance Technicians instechs@bdma.org.uk Kathryn Rodgers Specialists specialists@bdma.org.uk Chris Edwards Surface Repair Networks surfacerepair@bdma.org.uk Support Personnel BDMA Administration Sophie Bennett Office Manager info@bdma.org.uk 01858 414278 Marketing Paul Williamson Realia Marketing paul.williamson@realia.co 01303 262101 Through partnership working and involvement in industry wide initiatives, the BDMA executive is also informed by the Association’s relationship with The Association of British Insurers (ABI) and the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters (CILA). The BDMA Executive from February 201905 Hello readers, I hope that your businesses have all had a fantastic start to 2019, and that it continues to be a year of prosperity for you. Going into Spring 2019, political uncertainty continues, and flood defence schemes are being implemented nationally for communities at risk. It will be interesting to see how our industry is affected by both. Moving on, we are delighted to be able to share with you that the BDMA Conference will take place on Wednesday 6 th and Thursday 7 th November, in Hinckley Island. More details will follow in due course – so stay tuned! This March 2019 edition of The Standard is based on Treating Customers Fairly, which is critical to all working in the wider insurance industry. We will be celebrating the industry advancements of providing superior customer outcomes and exploring where we can channel our energy to improve even further. We hope you enjoy this issue and remember to check out the BDMA examination dates and training courses available this year, as they are all open for bookings. Simon Ford, Chairman, BDMA. Notes from the Chairman Upcoming Industry Events ILC Subsidence Conference Ricoh Arena, Coventry 10 th April 2019 www.iloveclaims.com/events/subsidence BIBA Conference 2019 Manchester Central 15 th – 16 th May 2019 www.biba.org.uk Airmic Conference 2019 Harrogate 3 rd – 5 th June 2019 www.airmic.com/events The British Claims Awards 2019 The Grange St Pauls, London 6 th June 2019 www.claimsmag.co.uk/british-claims- awards Flood & Coast 2019 Telford International Centre 18 th – 20 th June 2019 www.floodandcoast.com Facilities Show 2019 ExCeL London 18 th – 20 th June 2019 www.facilitiesshow.com Jonathan Davison represents BDMA on Insurance Post Claims Awards 2019 Judging Panel We are delighted that our Strategic Development Director, Jonathan Davison, is sitting on the judging panel for the Insurance Post Claims Awards 2019. One of the biggest and most prestigious events of the year for the claims community, Wednesday 19 th June is set to be a night to remember at The Brewery, London. Fingers crossed for all award finalists, we wish you the best of luck! 06 inside the head inside the head Jonathan Davison (Strategic Development Director of the BDMA) Treating customers fairly: the next steps Over the past 10 years we have seen a positive shift in the many ways that insurance companies look to provide fair customer outcomes within the damage management sector. With industry-wide advancements such as technology, communication platforms, and how consumers absorb and access information, there has certainly been a drive for a more proactive and transparent approach. On top of this, today’s policyholders are more insurance-savvy than ever before, with 24/7 access to reading and writing reviews publicly, and the demand for quick and accurate responses from their insurance company. Price is not necessarily the most important attribute for many customers, so how do we ensure we make positive impressions and enhance how we treat policyholders fairly? A ‘customer-first’ approach Education is everything when it comes to securing a policy with a consumer or business owner. They trust insurance companies to provide the best policy available by taking into consideration their individual needs, priorities and circumstances. Fortunately, data, intuitive technology, and direct communication with the customer has made it much easier for insurers to cater a policy to a service user based on more than just a standard set of questions. Consumers need to feel confident that the terms and conditions they are signing up to meet their requirements. So, whilst we cannot control consumers’ understandings, we can educate and make policy documents as clear as possible and back this up with direct communications at the point of sale and inform them of the damage restoration process at the point of claim. This customer-first mantra should continue throughout the claim life cycle. How can we reduce the claim life cycle? What can help lead to the best outcome for the customer? How can we add value? We should be asking ourselves these questions every step of the way. Let’s talk The point of claim is where a policyholder may likely see the difference between being treated fairly and being satisfied. For example, a customer may be satisfied with the service of their initial set-up, but until a claim is made, they have not necessarily had much direct contact with the insurer. The response to a claim is the insurer, adjuster, claim handlers and damage management company’s time to demonstrate the full service as per the claims policy and policyholder’s expectations. A policyholder needs assurance that insurers and the wider supply chain are going to do all they can to react efficiently and promptly to their claim, whilst being empathetic to the circumstances. They need to feel that their best interests are being considered – with the least disruption and claim life cycle time. Clear, consistent communication throughout the claims process makes all the difference to provide comfort to the policyholder and assures them that they are being looked after by their insurer, damage management professionals and others. Furthermore, insurers and damage management technicians should continue to offer clear advice for next steps, at each touchpoint. Supply chain collaboration When communication is consistently informative across the entire supply chain it makes the role of keeping the policyholder informed at every step, much easier. A more productive claim life cycle can take place when insurers, damage management companies and other suppliers work in collaboration with the best outcome for the customer in mind. Moreover, the level of expertise within the supply chain makes a big difference. An end user should be able to trust that the best possible suppliers would be dealing with their claim. Insurers need to invest in suppliers who are proven experts within the field – damage management companies and other on-site suppliers are the face of their brand when dealing with the claim on-site. Those who invest in training and consistently develop upon industry best practice, and the use of smart technology, will therefore likely hold a competitive advantage.Specialist repair and restoration to any surface www.plastic-surgeon.co.uk 07 RESIDENTIAL LOSS residential loss OPINIONS AND EXPERTISE FROM THE BDMA EXECUTIVE BOARD Mike WaterfieldJames Parsons What is the industry doing to treat customers and policyholders fairly? Mike Waterfield: •I believe that the work carried out by loss adjusters and approved suppliers is currently offering good value for both insurers and policyholders. By assuring that the best solution to the claim is identified, and with insurers working with first class restoration companies and other suppliers, the quality of the repairs is higher. This should remain a priority moving forward. James Parsons: •Firstly, the industry has its eyes firmly on being compliant with the FCA’s consumer outcomes. This isn’t easy when you are managing a high volume of claims and you are aiming to maintain a consistent level of service for all customers. •Policy wordings have continued to evolve to ensure they are more user-friendly for consumers and policyholders. They are becoming easier to read and understand, whilst underwriters are working to ensure they do not contain hidden conditions or rely on complex technical explanations when stating the cover available. •It isn’t often publicly published (but perhaps ought to be!) how many times insurers make TCF-based decisions such as helping customers on an ex-gratia basis, when cover doesn’t apply but a fair decision might be to lend financial assistance to a customer in need. How could the industry work to treat customers and policyholders even more fairly? Mike Waterfield: •Cash settlement is used more widely than ever before, especially with inception value policy (IVP) based companies increasing the volume of claims they handle on behalf of insurers. Many of these cash settlements provide little possibility for the policyholder to obtain the quality of repair required, when they employ their own suppliers and contractors. Settlement figures of 60% of the actual amount needed for the damage repair are offered and accepted – which is something we need to work to change in the industry. James Parsons: •Listening to customer feedback and being adaptable to their changing needs is important. The wider insurance industry must continually learn and grow. •We should be recognising that vulnerable customers may need a greater level of support during the time of a claim. For example, we should consider any specific needs that may arise, and do as much that is practicable to work towards accommodating these reasonable changes. On a separate note, I’d like to welcome IFIC Forensics into the BDMA membership, they have written a fascinating article in this month’s magazine which I hope you enjoy reading.08 COMMERCIAL LOSS commercial loss What is the industry doing to treat customers and policyholders fairly? Greg French: •The insurance industry is addressing important issues such as post-loss policy liability acceptance timescales. The speed of establishing the policy liability has improved in recent years – from forensic evidence gathering to pinpointing whether the damage is covered under businesses’ policies, is now down to days/weeks rather than weeks/months. This means cashflow through interim payments is becoming more accessible for affected policyholders. As we know, during the time period which claimants are without policy liability acceptance and often cashflow, they must authorise costs as if they are not insured and this has a huge impact on their ability to fund their business recovery. This affects small businesses the most, and so it is positive that more is being done to support them. •Damage management companies have been working to provide every policyholder with the same level of service, by ensuring sufficiently sized and appropriately skilled project teams are available to deal with commercial property repairs. How could the industry work to treat customers and policyholders even more fairly? Greg French: •It has got a lot better, but education in business interruption still needs more attention. Aside from property damage, commercial policyholders increasingly suffer losses due to other elements affecting business operation that they may never have even considered. Better education is needed for policyholders, especially in relation to indemnity periods, as often business interruption insurance is taken out, but policyholders have not considered just how long their property could be affected for if they did experience damage. This can certainly be an eye opener for policyholders – often when it is too late to make a change. OPINIONS AND EXPERTISE FROM THE BDMA EXECUTIVE BOARD Greg French The BDMA can help you find your ideal candidate and achieve your hiring goals across the wider insurance industry. The recruitment section of the BDMA website is designed to support those in the damage management and associated industries by showcasing available job opportunities. Contact info@bdma.org.uk to find out how you can advertise via the BDMA website. Take a look at current vacancies by visiting: www.bdma.org.uk/recruitment RECRUITMENT09 specialist loss specialist loss What is the industry doing to treat customers and policyholders fairly? Kathryn Rodgers: •Specialist restorers consistently strive to provide options to restore contents that might be irreplaceable, of personal value, or financial value to the policyholder. By providing options to restore these items, specialist restorers can help to put the policyholder back in a pre-loss situation. Specialist restorers provide a full and transparent report of all the options that can be considered by insurers and policyholders. How could the industry work to treat customers and policyholders even more fairly? Kathryn Rodgers: •By making specialist restoration a more prominent option in the claims process, we can support the recovery of more sentimental items for policyholders. Many do not even realise that contents recovery is an option and are more inclined to take a cash settlement to replace the contents. In the eyes of the consumer, some contents are of course irreplaceable and so by the industry offering specialist restoration from the start, they can do a lot to improve the policyholder’s overall claims experience. OPINIONS AND EXPERTISE FROM THE BDMA EXECUTIVE BOARD Kathryn Rodgers The BDMA sets sights on defining 21 st century landscape with 2019 conference We are delighted to announce that our 2019 conference and exhibition will be held on Wednesday 6 th November and Thursday 7 th November at the Jurys Inn, Hinckley Island. In line with the BDMA’s 20 th anniversary, the conference’s theme is ‘Defining the 21 st Century Landscape’, which will explore how the damage management sector can drive the change necessary to secure a bright future, whilst also reflecting on the past 20 years. The conference will be a hub for insurance companies, damage management companies, loss adjusters, brokers, surveyors and associated sectors. This year’s focus is on enhancing collaboration amongst attendees with more networking opportunities, more interactive engagement with fellow attendees and wider opportunities to showcase their business offerings. With the conference and exhibition taking place over two days, the BDMA Awards ceremony will draw the event to a close. Stay tuned for more information on how you can enter the Awards! Simon Ford, our Chairman, says, “We are excited to unveil the 2019 BDMA Conference, and the theme of defining the 21 st century landscape. The wider insurance industry has come a long way and continues to change. We aim to demonstrate how we can proactively define our own future, drive our own capabilities, and remain a pivotal part of the industry going forward. We look forward to welcoming professionals from across the industry to celebrate 20 years of the BDMA.” We will lead the discussion on adapting to an ever-changing environment with the support of guest speakers, sponsors and exhibitors. To register your interest as an attendee, sponsor or exhibitor, please visit: www.bdma.org.uk/bdma-conference-2019-registration-form/ Next >