Kenyans will now be able to buy insurance online without the need for intermediaries through an online portal called www.Bima247.com.
www.Bima247.com is powered by bima247, software developed by Cubic Media Systems and Logistics, a Kenyan based software Development Company and Transafricana Risk and Insurance Agency. The team behind this venture is two highly experienced Kenyan insurance experts, Yvonne Wangeci Gitobu and Dr. Chris Odindo while the insurance cover is provided by Jubilee Insurance Kenya, which is the largest composite insurer in Kenya.
Dr. Odindo, a director of Bima247.com said: “In recent years Kenyans have became comfortable using technology in their everyday lives for a variety of things including accessing government services such as filling tax returns, banking, shopping and money transfer services such as Mpesa. The insurance industry has lagged behind in embracing technology and putting their services online.”
He said the Kenyan insurance industry which is reliant on labor-intensive, paper-based processes for policy and claims management processes would now have a system that will improve productivity and efficiencies through reduction in the number of handoffs between proposers, insureds, agents, adjustors, and the company; through automation of straightforward decisions – whether on underwriting, claims or premium payments – using an expert proprietary software.
“Bima247 is a first of its kind in Kenya. It is a white label ‘plug-and-play’ system that will significantly benefit key stakeholders in the sector such as the insured, agents, brokers and the insurance company. Insurance organisations can see how bima247 works by visiting the online portal www.Bima247.com”, said Stanley Ngumo, the company’s development director.
For insurance companies and brokerages, the core system not only allows them to take advantage of a new distribution and delivery channel but also bring down costs significantly through its highly optimized automated service delivery pathways.
It is easy for insurance companies and brokerages to integrate Bima247.com with their existing systems due to the fact that the proposal forms and questions used are the same standard industry paper based ones. The only difference is that they are digitalized and in a way that allows the system to make an intelligent assessment of the risk.
Dr. Odindo added: “Consumers will only have to log onto Bima247.com, enter their details once and never have to worry about completing another proposal form or as long as they are with us. Once that’s done, they get a quote either on screen or through their emails. They then pay online through any type of the available payment methods in Kenya, and if their proposal is accepted, they will get their insurance documentations through the post, or collect them in person from our underwriters. When that’s done, we will email or text them timely reminders when renewal is due. We believe that Kenyans are busy and ‘your insurance in your inbox’ can only be a good thing for the time-constrained person”.
