If you’re wondering if anyone still picks up the phone these days to make a nuisance call, the answer is a resounding ‘yes’. In fact, in 2021, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) received more complaints about nuisance calls and texts than it did in both 2019 and 2020. So, how many of these related to insurance?
According to the ICO data sourced by customer communications expert Quadient via a freedom of information request, the UK independent body received 131,491 complaints about nuisance calls and texts last year; 2020 – 103,733; and 2019 – 129,354. Of 2021’s total, nearly 4,000 were about insurance. The corresponding figure in 2020 was 2,841.
Here’s the breakdown per industry, as provided by Quadient to Insurance Business:
|
Topic |
Live calls |
Auto calls |
Text messages |
Total |
|
Accident claims |
4,258 |
958 |
89 |
5,305 |
|
Adult content |
113 |
72 |
152 |
337 |
|
Banking |
1,962 |
3,253 |
3,581 |
8,796 |
|
Broadband, phone, TV, and other telecoms services |
9,917 |
8,286 |
807 |
19,010 |
|
Call blockers |
315 |
54 |
28 |
397 |
|
Charities |
107 |
35 |
82 |
224 |
|
Competition |
338 |
132 |
323 |
793 |
|
Computer scams |
1,212 |
884 |
461 |
2,557 |
|
COVID-19 |
288 |
100 |
4,036 |
4,424 |
|
Debt management |
1,400 |
851 |
579 |
2,830 |
|
Energy saving and home improvement |
6,033 |
1,254 |
103 |
7,390 |
|
Energy supply |
2,090 |
427 |
131 |
2,648 |
|
Gambling |
327 |
44 |
846 |
1,217 |
|
Health |
329 |
125 |
850 |
1,304 |
|
Holidays |
180 |
30 |
79 |
289 |
|
Insurance (including car, life, and home) |
2,958 |
914 |
117 |
3,989 |
|
Lifestyle surveys |
1,430 |
72 |
54 |
1,556 |
|
Oven cleaning |
19 |
121 |
20 |
160 |
|
Payday loans |
144 |
38 |
146 |
328 |
|
PPI |
454 |
104 |
65 |
623 |
|
Pensions |
152 |
163 |
27 |
342 |
|
Silent/no answer |
1,480 |
3,084 |
98 |
4,662 |
|
None of the above |
12,733 |
30,313 |
10,798 |
53,844 |
“We’re beginning to see businesses return to normality – but it appears part of getting ‘back to normal’ is ramping up the volume of irritating customer communications,” said Quadient’s principal for banking, financial services, and insurance Andrew Stevens. “The number of complaints accelerated towards the end of 2020, but now we’re in a worse position than we were before the pandemic.
“The sheer volume of spam calls and texts will take a toll on worried customers, who are already grappling with the energy crisis and soaring costs of living. Businesses need to pull the handbrake on annoying customer calls and texts, or they could hit record levels of complaints this year, which would hit revenues when customers decide to leave.”
Stevens added: “Insurers need to make sure they’re giving customers valuable, understandable advice. And they should remember that every piece of communication is an opportunity to impress customers, rather than mark themselves out as an expensive nuisance.”
