Getting the most out of your claims management means ensuring the service is tailored to your needs and developing an open and trusted relationship with your third party administrator
Castelan manages 1.5m policies across the UK
Outsourcing claims administration can not only save money and reduce risk, it can also add long term value through enhancing your customer’s experience, building brand loyalty as well as developing equity value from the data that can be created.
Having a specialist claims administrator working genuinely in partnership with their client is easy to say but not easily or consistently delivered. Castelan is an independent claims administrator that is passionate about building its business through “living” its client’s’ products and meeting their needs. The culture of the company has been formed over its 15 years of operation and is centred upon being solution -driven. Within its UK- based claims and service centre, job satisfaction is derived from delivering excellent customer service.
Castelan manages approximately 1.5 m live policies across the UK and Ireland. It provides product warranties, customer service and claims management solutions to some of the biggest names in insurance and retail – looking after the customers of institutions such as Allianz, AXA, M&S, Maytag, DFS and Furniture Village. “The key to winning and retaining our clients is in being responsive and flexible in meeting their needs whilst treating their end customers as if they are our own,” said Martin Napper, CEO.
What makes a good claims administrator is firstly to have excellent staff that are well trained, well motivated, experienced and retained within the business. Secondly, it is to have an I.T. infrastructure that is fit for purpose and is flexible to accommodate clients’ individual needs. Castelan has worked hard over the years to achieve both these critical factors. The company has a strong track record in staff retention and this has allowed the company to build a high level of skill and expertise within the business. It continues to invest in its staff as it has also always invested in its in-house bespoke claims management systems – allowing it to effectively manage claims risk and efficiently provide customer solutions. Castelan’s extensive IT systems and detailed management information could also help insurers with their capital requirements under Solvency II.
Having the right expertise is essential but Castelan also firmly believes that the foundation of strong client relationships is built upon trust. Trusting that your claims administrator will safeguard your brand, be flexible and responsive in meeting your needs in a changing marketplace, and provide consistency and continuity in service. Castelan is passionate about fostering a culture of openness, honesty and integrity that is underpinned by transparency. “All our clients can have real- time access to their data and our claim management system via our web portal, they receive bespoke management information as often as they require it, likewise their audit teams are free to visit us when ever suits them” said Martin Napper. Indeed, Castelan goes even further and can provide “dynamic forms” within its claims management process that allows their clients to request the collection of new information at any time.
Although Castelan has a turnover of about £14 million and has been working in customer service for over 15 years, it is a relatively new name in the market being the result of a management buy-out in July last year. Their vision is to be seen as a “go- to” claims administrator and customer service provider in the UK. Perhaps it is no accident that in some languages Castelan means keeper or guardian of one’s castle.
Martin Napper is chief executive officer of Castelan
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