Medical underwriter AAR Insurance Kenya has revamped its digital suite with the launch of a mobile app as part of its strategy to become a branchless and paperless insurer.
The AAR Mobile app, downloadable on the Google Play Store and Apple Play Store, will enable customers, agents and service providers perform transactions on mobile on a self-service mode thus cutting the need for face-to-face interactions with company staff and agents.
(TOP: AAR Insurance Kenya MD Nixon Shigoli attends to a customer as part of the company’s customer service week celebration in 2019).
The app also allows users easy access to information regarding their medical insurance cover including benefits besides helping them locate authorized healthcare providers. One can also purchase the company’s products, access MTIBA and file paperless claims using the app.
The insurer is aiming to migrate 80 percent of client transactions to its mobile and online platforms in a move that will significantly boost business efficiency and transform the customer experience.
AAR Insurance MD Nixon Shigoli says the firm is strongly focused on creating value for customers through a digital-led business model.
“Our DNA is to empower our customers to take control of the things that matter most to them including health. Our digital transformation strategy is aligned with this goal. The mobile app is part of our quest to be a branchless and paperless insurance provider and create a lean and efficient business,” said Shigoli.
He added that the company is casting its net wider by targeting younger demographics who prefer a more virtual experience which has seen underwriters adopt a digital-centric business model to attract and retain an increasingly tech-savvy clientele.
Shigoli says digital insurance offers an effective platform to better understand customers and respond to their needs.
“Building optimal customer relations in the digital era means integrating transformative technologies into our operations to not only enhance convenience but also generate real-time data on evolving client needs,” explained Shigoli.
Alongside existing digital platforms, the mobile app is aimed at improving user experience, service delivery and customer convenience. Digitization will sharply reduce the company’s costs as 95 percent of paperwork shifts online while increasing employee productivity. The insurer anticipates that technology-enabled remote working coupled with the branchless, paperless model it is currently pursuing will yield significant financial savings hence more profits.
Shigoli further adds that the company’s revamped digital capabilities will positively impact its relationships with intermediaries and suppliers as a result of more efficient processes and improved customer service.
He however explained that the shift to a digital model does not mean loss of jobs as it will improve productivity across the business by cutting time and costs attributed to paperwork load and multiple processes.
“Branchless, paperless operations supported by a robust digital platform will enable us realign our operations to achieve higher levels of employee productivity through more efficient processes and optimal business-to-customer relationships.”
Widespread adoption of digital insurance has been identified as a factor in increasing underwriting coverage in the country, currently at a paltry 3 percent, compared to a mobile penetration rate of 98 percent. Moreover, a large youthful population with a high affinity for technology positions digital platforms to be a major driver of insurance uptake.
Other benefits of digital insurance include minimizing claims-related fraud and reducing cost of insurance as processes become more efficient.
When AAR started operating in 1984, its primary business was evacuation of Medical and accident casualties, both by road and air. As its membership increased, so did the needs of our clients, creating more opportunities to comprehensively provide healthcare packages for them. its flexibility, innovation and readiness to respond to their needs made it the leading healthcare company in East Africa.
This response to emerging market opportunities therefore led it to evolve into two independent companies: AAR Healthcare limited which provided quality and affordable medical services through its clinic network, and AAR Insurance limited which offers a wide range of medical and non – medical insurance products.
Today, AAR Insurance is a licensed financial services provider in Kenya and a member of the Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI) with presence across the country through its intensive branch and broker network. The company is licensed to transact General Insurance business in Kenya.
AAR Insurance is also a licensed financial services provider in Kenya and a member of the Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI) with presence across the country through its intensive branch and broker network.
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