Norwich Union has announced the rollout of an innovative and ground breaking approach to rehabilitation.
Norwich Union has announced the rollout of an innovative and ground breaking approach to rehabilitation. Working with Rehabilitation UK and a university based academic team the insurer has reviewed the treatment of hundreds of whiplash injuries to establish a best practice protocol using evidence based medicine (EBM).
Since 2005 the insurer has been collating information from its pilot rehabilitation centre in Maidenhead. The results show that an EBM model delivers positive clinical and claims outcomes. Consequently the approach is to be adopted on all Norwich Union whiplash claims and is being implemented in conjunction with three preferred partners IPRS, Rehabworks and Rehabilitation UK.
Norwich Union currently handles 50,000 whiplash claims a year about 80% of their total bodily injury claims volume.
A personally tailored programme is delivered by clinically trained telephone based handlers who provide the injured person with information on their condition and advice on how they can best control and manage their own recovery. If the claimant requires physiotherapy then this is arranged via Physiotherapy Networks.
The new rehabilitation model is a more holistic approach and has achieved positive clinical outcomes for injured people returning them back to health far quicker:
- 40% of injured persons supported to full recovery without needing hands on treatment
- Where physiotherapy is required the average number of sessions is four as opposed to eight.
The time taken to settle claims under Ł5,000 has reduced by two thirds. There has also been a reduction in the overall claims costs though not due to a decrease in damages but in a reduction in the amount paid to claimant lawyers.
Norwich Union believes that whiplash claims are typically straightforward and capable of fair and swift resolution and do not need to generate disproportionate legal costs.
Claimants favour the use of rehabilitation and nearly 90% of them said they were happy with the new approach.
Historically the compensation system has focused on making payments to an injured person rather than concerning itself with their wellbeing and helping them recover.
Dominic Clayden, director of technical claims, says: “We would like to see rehabilitation at the heart of the compensation process and more willing engagement with claimants and their representatives focusing all stakeholders on the injured person’s quick recovery rather than the size of a cheque.”
Norwich Union Healthcare is currently piloting a back pain protocol for its PMI (Private Medical Insurance) customer and has not ruled out further EBM services. Harnessing the skills and resources within its healthcare and occupational health divisions it aims to develop it’s own clinical telephone case management facility and deliver treatments via its network of nationwide occupational health centres.
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Media contact:
David Ross at Norwich Union press office on 01603 699665 / 07800 699665
Notes to editors:
Norwich Union is the UK’s largest general insurer with a market share of around 15%, with a focus on insurance for individuals and small businesses.
It is a leading provider of life, pensions and investment products and one of the largest financial adviser (FA) providers. FAs provide over 70% of the company's long-term savings business in the UK.
Norwich Union’s news releases and a selection of images are available from Aviva's internet press centre at www.aviva.com/media.