Suncorp New Zealand has offered assurances that its general insurance businesses, Vero and Asteron Life, are fully equipped to work remotely during the lockdown.
As the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic continues to impact New Zealand severely, the government had decided to put the country under an Alert Level 4 lockdown – with the financial sector being considered one of the essential services to Kiwis.
As a result, Vero and Asteron Life have switched to online or remote working models and scaled up their work-from-home capacity to continue providing customer service and claims management.
“Insurance is vital in supporting the financial resilience of New Zealanders,” Paul Smeaton, chief executive of Suncorp NZ, said. “We want to assure customers that we’re open and able to receive and process their claims. If you need to contact us, please do so via our website or phone, or contact your broker or advisor.”
Suncorp confirmed that many team members are already used to working flexibly regularly, but there might still be some practical constraints on how they operate. Nevertheless, customers should talk to their brokers or advisers if they need specific guidance on the terms and conditions of their Vero and Asteron Life insurance policies.
“We’ll be doing our absolute best to prioritise helping you. Please understand if it takes us a little longer than we’d like to take your call,” Smeaton said.
