Wednesday 10 April 2013

Staying Competitive: The Importance of Processing Insurance Applications Quickly


The old adage time is money is nowhere more truly accurate than in the insurance industry. Taking your time and dragging your feet won’t put money in your pocket. If you are a serious insurance advisor you know how important it is to get your applications processed quickly. Competition in the insurance industry is as fierce as ever, and one of the only ways to stay competitive is to get things done quickly. 

When a client calls you to set up insurance, they are likely thinking that the process will be a quick one – especially with the online insurance options, online quoting and the ability to arrange insurance online all available at the click of a mouse. Once the client has selected an insurance plan and the paperwork is filled out, the rest is in your hands. How you handle your client from here on out is crucial.

But what if it really isn’t in your hands, and instead is in the hands of your insurance company and they are the ones that decide to take their time. What if they drag their feet when processing your applications? This is something that you may have very little control over – but that doesn’t mean that the impacts are not very real.

In this competitive environment, while some loyal clients may wait on you, other less patient clients simply won’t and why should they? After all, there are countless other companies out there that can easily offer the same or similar products without the wait. There really is nothing stopping a client from turning to the competition if you take too long processing their application. Taking too long will mean lost business and a decrease in customer retention.

The internet and the sheer abundance of online insurance companies offering quotes make this competition even stiffer. It is a very simple thing for a client to jump on the internet and find a quote that they feel meets their needs and offers the same benefits as the plan they originally chose from you.

The impacts of processing times are not just short term. Processing applications quickly can also mean a big payout in the end in the form of future business. Even if you manage to land your client even after providing a slow turn around, if a client feels unsatisfied with their initial dealings, when the time comes to purchase additional insurance products they may look elsewhere. However, if they feel as though their needs were met efficiently and effectively, and all in a timely manner, they will not hesitate to turn to you with their business in the future.

If you work for an insurance company that takes forever processing insurance applications, or if you work with a managing general agency that does not recognize the importance of expedience, maybe it is time to consider switching.

At IFCG we appreciate the importance of time, and if you want to learn more about our process and its many benefits, please contact us by calling 416-849-1653 or visit www.joinifcg.com.

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