In the five weeks following the unprecedented heavy rains in the UAE from April 15, Watania Takaful, a leading UAE Takaful insurance provider, rejected zero motor claims.
In the first few days after the heavy rains, the company received three times the daily average number of motor claims and an average number of daily calls of over 1,000 from customers. Since then, 100 per cent of the claims submitted by customers were registered and processed within 50 per cent of the usual timeframe. Settlement offers were made to nearly 70 per cent of them while, understandably, some customers are still exploring alternative options to repair their vehicles before agreeing to settlements.
Regarding the property claims, remarkably, in just two weeks, the company received as many property claims as they normally receive in two years. All claims are also registered and in process with customers.
To ensure efficient and timely support for customers, Watania Takaful implemented a series of measures including setting up an emergency command center, creating a single email claim process, adding extra resources and adjusting staff schedules to provide extra support, and leveraging technology to expedite customers' rain-related claims. These significant achievements underscore Watania Takaful's commitment to its customers during challenging times and its leadership role in the industry.
Gautam Datta, CEO, Watania International Holding, says, "Our commitment to our customers is unwavering and remains our first priority, especially during challenging times. It is deeply rooted in the Takaful tenets and strongly based on goodwill and support for each other.
"These values along with dedication and collaborative spirit of our team enabled us to provide exceptional support in the aftermath of the heavy rains, handling an almost 40 per cent increase in customer calls while reducing the settlement time by 50 per cent compared to the normal timeframe. In many cases the team went above and beyond to meet customers' unique needs, including delivering checks to their location and offering alternative solutions for unrepairable vehicles.
The steep rise in claims has been challenging for the entire insurance supply chain, from roadside assistance and recovery services to surveyors, repair workshops, dealer workshops, contractors and insurance companies. Whilst delays are inevitable, our Command Centre has been actively managing all inquiries to settle all valid claims and support our customers as much and as quickly as we can guided by our principle Settling Claims Faster.”
