MTHULISI SIBANDA
JOHANNESBURG – FNB Life has been recognised as one of most  innovative insurance players globally.

The plaudits received at the inaugural Efma and Accenture Innovation in Insurance Awards 2016, recently held in Milan, Italy come within FNB  Life’s first year of operating.

Expressing delight at their acknowledgment, Chief Executive Officer of FNB  Life, Lee Bromfield, says the plan is to change the face of funeral insurance by making it more accessible, transparent and affordable.

He says over the last few months, they have made funeral cover available  across FNB’s user-friendly platforms such as ATMs, Cellphone Banking and  Online Banking.

In a country where insurance is one of the most saturated sectors, FNB  Life wants to use technology, among other tools, to disrupt the market. In  addition to simplifying take up, the entity has also simplified the claims  process by directly verifying claims through the National Population Registry.

This means claimants are no longer required to submit a death certificate, only the notification of death form.

“Owning a funeral plan should not be complicated; hence we are investing  resources to alleviate consumer angst. As a relatively new player in the  market, we are planning a number of changes to offer a superior customer  experience across all our platforms,” says Bromfield.

The purpose of the awards in Milan to foster innovation in the insurance industry by recognising the most innovative insurance initiatives and  projects around the world.

More than 149 institutions from 38 countries submitted 225 innovations.

FNB Life was selected as one of the top three leading insurance businesses globally in the Digital and Omni-channel Distribution category.

– Guardian