A new approach to daily sickness benefits

Digital ease for more customer satisfaction

In the age of digitalisation, in which almost all areas of life are permeated by innovative technologies, the classic application for daily sickness benefits seems surprisingly old-fashioned. Despite the enormous progress, the application process often remains in a state characterised by paper forms, repeated information and cumbersome procedures. This contradiction between modern expectations and outdated processes not only has a negative impact on customer satisfaction, but also places a considerable strain on the internal processes of insurance companies. It is time to start improving the customer experience in the long term by rethinking and digitising the process.

Why the process needs to change

Anyone applying for sick pay is already under a lot of health-related stress. That is precisely why the process should be as simple as possible so as not to create any additional hurdles. However, the reality is currently quite different. Many service apps do not offer any functionality for applying for sick pay.

The standardised forms, such as the self-disclosure, contain many questions – including information that the insurer has long been aware of, such as the occupation. Instead of a simple confirmation that nothing has changed in the occupational situation, all the information has to be provided again. What's more, some questions are asked twice on different forms. This redundant information causes unnecessary additional work and increases the likelihood of errors. If such errors are detected, the documents are returned to the disabled insured person by post for correction. This delays payment and increases the lack of understanding for the outdated processes.

Another problem is the inefficient communication between the parties involved. The exchange of information between the insured, doctors and insurance companies is largely done by post. Even existing apps often do not provide efficient communication options and usually only allow for a one-way digital transmission from the insured person to the insurance company. Especially in the area of sick pay insurance, smooth communication is essential to meet deadlines and ensure an up-to-date review of the incapacity to work. Delays not only lead to frustration, but also increase the administrative burden on insurers – a costly burden that could be significantly reduced by digital processes.

How the process can be improved

The solution? Digitalisation! A modernised, digital approach allows the previous paper-based process to be fundamentally reconsidered and optimised. Instead of cumbersome forms in which each piece of information has to be entered manually, known information such as the occupation is automatically pre-filled. This saves time, minimises errors and makes the process more understandable for the insured. The vision of a streamlined digital process envisages that all the necessary information will be brought together in a user-friendly environment, guaranteeing a smooth and transparent process. Dynamic digital dialogues are at the heart of this: they respond to the individual situation of the policyholder and only capture the information that is truly relevant. This targeted approach makes it possible to process the application efficiently and with precision, without requesting unnecessary information.

In addition, digitalisation improves communication between all parties involved. By using technologies such as the electronic patient file (ePA) and the TI-Messenger, electronic communication between doctors, policyholders and insurance companies can be carried out securely, even with sensitive health data – the cumbersome postal route is no longer necessary. This speeds up the process considerably and ensures smooth processing.

adesso has not only thought about what such an innovative solution might look like, but has already implemented it as an app prototype. An intuitive user interface, personal address and simple questions – this is what the future of daily sickness benefits can look like. The questions are presented to the insured person interactively. Duplicate queries are eliminated, and information that is already known, such as the occupation, is automatically pre-filled and only needs to be confirmed. Questions that are not relevant are not even displayed. With the developed prototype, adesso impressively demonstrates how modern technology can transform the lengthy and often frustrating process of applying for daily sickness benefits into a user-friendly and efficient procedure.

adesso's role in the optimisation

adesso supports insurance companies in implementing innovative solutions and is characterised by comprehensive expertise in the digitalisation of complex processes and app development. With a deep understanding of industry-specific requirements, adesso offers tailor-made solutions that are precisely aligned with the needs of insurance companies. Thanks to many years of experience and in-depth know-how in the field of digital transformation, adesso not only presents new technologies, but also successfully integrates them into existing structures.

Based on the adesso prototype, we analyse the status quo and design your individual solution. adesso ensures seamless integration of the new functionality into your service app so that policyholders can conveniently go through the application process using their familiar application. The connection to the backend is also part of the new solution.

Conclusion

The challenges posed by the current application process for daily sickness benefits are complex – but solvable. The change from paper-based procedures to a well-thought-out, digital process opens up new perspectives for significantly more efficient and error-free processing of applications. By using dynamic questions and modern means of communication, the entire process can not only be accelerated, but also made considerably more user-friendly. Insurance companies are thus able to offer their customers a service that meets the demands of the modern age while optimising internal processes. It is time to leave the outdated status quo behind and shape the digital future together with an experienced partner like adesso, ensuring a lasting improvement in the customer experience.