about AssurCard
General
AssurCard is a service company that seeks to support communication between the insurance sector and service providers. Insurers that increasingly call on other organisations to fulfil their commitments to their customers frequently set up a network of partners for this purpose.
Because market development sooner or later pushes all insurers in the same direction, several networks emerge in which the same service providers can frequently be found. This obliges both sides to make major efforts, i.e.
- the insurance companies must set up, maintain and support the networks;
- the service providers have to adapt repeatedly to each network's specific procedures.
AssurCard also profiles itself as an intermediary:
- on the one hand allows insurance companies the room to continue to use their own procedures,
- on the other hand, AssurCard pursues maximum uniformity for service providers, so that only one procedure exists for a series of insurers from their perspective.
This "translation effort" between two or more sectors is not limited to procedures. In most cases the regulations also appear to differ or the usual channels of communication are not the same. The information which one side requests cannot always be found in one location in the other party's organisation.
The goal of cooperation between the service provider and insurance company remains the provision of the optimum service to the final customer. And in many cases this person is a customer of both parties.
How did AssurCard come about?
Insurance offers protection against unforeseen events that cause a loss to the insured party.
The insurer's service traditionally involved paying compensation for loss suffered. For the past number of years insurance firms have no longer simply being compensating for financial loss alone; they are increasingly trying to help their customers out of difficulty through all types of added value services.
In the quest for new services to alleviate the unpleasant circumstances of a claim, many insurance companies have set up partnerships with service providers.
The common goal is:
- more security,
- greater comfort
- better service for the customer.
This type of service is a relatively recent phenomenon, but the customer has come to appreciate it very quickly. However, both the establishment and maintenance of such service networks demand major investments. This very observation laid the foundation for the birth of a new concept: AssurCard.
AssurCard NV
In mid 2001 AGF / Allianz, ING Insurance and KBC Verzekeringen set up AssurCard NV to develop and operate a computerised third-party payment system.
At the start of 2002 Ethias (then Omob – Smap) acquired 25% of AssurCard NV's shares via a capital increase. It thus became the fourth insurance company which is actively cooperating in this third-party payment platform. The other partners are the founders which each hold a quarter of the shares.
The companies started from the idea of a Hospicard which could only be used as a third-party payment system for hospital bills in the context of hospitalisation insurance.
It quickly became clear that this basic idea contained many more possibilities and ambitions have grown much further in the meantime. The AssurCard has become a genuine insurance card that can be used for all forms of communication with the insurance customer's service providers (hospital, a pharmacist, a garage owner, a locksmith, etc.).
The partners decided that would have to develop a concept to facilitate this communication for their customer. This naturally occurred without any agreement on each other's policy in the area of customer relations, distribution, products or claims settlement. As insurers they therefore remain each other's competitors; they cooperate to provide service.
Three characteristics
The AssurCard concept has three essential characteristics:
1. Standard
Firstly AssurCard wishes to develop a standard for communication with service providers, so that the latter become more accessible for insurance customers. This makes it possible to work with a much larger and more varied network of service providers, thus increasing freedom of choice for the customer.
Among other things, this translates into the "plug and play" principle: both a service provider and an insurance company can join the AssurCard network with a very limited effort. After all, AssurCard works out processes that are tailored to the customer and which take account of the supplier's and insurance product's individual characteristics.
2. Anytime, anyhow, anywhere
AssurCard adheres to the "anytime, anyhow, anywhere" principle. As the electronic key to insurance services AssurCard primarily seeks to establish platforms which enable the customer to contact his insurance company at the instant when the need is greatest.
The concept is also so flexible that it takes account of the specific characteristics of the insurance company's relationship with its customer.
The communication process can even be adapted online to the latest situation, in accordance with each specific claim. The dossier manager in the AssurCard system can thus stipulate online that a certain person is to have access to the third-party payment system on a certain day. For example, the manager can make this decision after a telephone conversation with the insured person.
3. Stick to what you know
Thirdly AssurCard embraces the "stick to what you know" principle very strongly.
On the one hand, this means that communication and interaction in the customer/insurance company/service company triangle are organised so that everyone looks after his own interest and carries out his own tasks.
On the other hand, this also means that execution of personal tasks is not hampered by the AssurCard system. For example, the service provider does not have to assess insurance cover at any time. This means possible conflicts of interest are avoided, and each party's liability remains restricted to what ensues from his own, known activities.
How can you contact AssurCard?
AssurCard is a young company that seeks to translate innovative ideas for the insurance sector into a concrete robust package of services. Changes follow each other quickly in an environment like this. As a result, the information on this website may no longer be complete on some occasions.
This is why we will be pleased to help you further individually if you have specific questions.
You can contact us at:
AssurCard NV
Interleuvenlaan 15F
3001 Heverlee
Tel: 016 38 79 38
Fax: 016
38 79 39
