Inside Aviva: Profile of our Lifestyle Claims Team

Here at Aviva, we take ‘fun insurance’ very seriously. For years, we’ve had an underwriting team dedicated to Lifestyle products and in 2018, we introduced a Lifestyle Claims Team. This group of 40 adjusters, specialists and appraisers specialize exclusively in our Lifestyle products. 

“Our claims experts are well versed with our Lifestyle policies and they have the knowledge and authority to make decisions that ensure your customers get the care and attention they deserve,” said Shawn Mckone, Senior Manager in Specialty Claims at Aviva.

The result? Better customer service, faster claims resolutions and improved Lifestyle policies. 

Here’s an introduction to our Lifestyle Claims Team – and how they provide your customers with exceptional experiences.

Meet the team

Our Lifestyle Claims Team is comprised of: 

• Two property teams – one in Western Canada and one in Eastern Canada – They handle cottage, manufactured home, travel trailer and watercraft claims
• One national auto team with adjusters in provinces across the country to manage collector car, motorcycle, motorhome, snowmobile and ATV claims
• One property/auto team that takes care of all Quebec claims

There’s also a technical team that supports them all.

“Over the last three years, we’ve unlocked huge value for our customers by having a dedicated team that works exclusively with our Lifestyle products and policies so they understand them well. This specialization and the knowledge our teams have of the local geography and needs of our customers has been game changing,” said Mckone.

Customers are often delighted to learn that they’re speaking with an adjuster who’s familiar with their area and can provide advice on where to find local body shops or repair facilities/services. 

“We find that people tend to have the best experiences with adjusters who work in the province they’re based in. This is played out in our customer surveys where we regularly get comments about this,” said Mckone.

Lifestyle claims and underwriting working together

Another advantage of a dedicated Lifestyle Claims Team is that they can collaborate efficiently with Lifestyle underwriters. 

“We can provide customer and broker feedback directly to the underwriters, which helps them make improvements to our Lifestyle products more efficiently,” said Mckone. 

Recent examples include the removal of a co-insurance clause that had the potential to reduce a settlement in recreational vehicles claim. It was based on a complex calculation better suited to commercial policies. When the claims team recognized that most customers weren’t even aware of it, they worked with underwriting to have it removed. 

In another case, our Collector Car product in Ontario was updated to allow customers to purchase coverage with a built in guarantee that OEM parts would be used in repairs when they are available. “After receiving numerous requests for OEM parts from customers our claims team recommended that our underwriting team build this in as the standard option on our enhanced endorsements,” said Mckone.

“With this type of dedicated focus and collaboration between claims and underwriting, our Lifestyle products will only continue to get better.”

If you have any questions, please contact your Broker Operations Specialist or your Broker Relationship Manager.