Claims management is one of the most time-consuming tasks in a vehicle fleet. Many administrative and communication tasks must be taken into account in order to process claims correctly. Claims settlement can therefore take a lot of time and money, regardless of whether the damage was caused by your own fault or the fault of a third party. Fleet software helps you to process damage in a time and cost-saving manner. We show you what fleet claims management actually means and what you should bear in mind as a fleet manager.
What does fleet claims management mean?
Claims management in the vehicle fleet begins with the prevention of accidents and vehicle damage in order to minimize the risk of accidents in the long term. Driver training in accordance with the accident prevention regulations and regular vehicle inspections are particularly important here.
In addition, efficient claims management includes all measures for handling damage to vehicles in the fleet. This includes communicating with insurance companies and garages, organizing repairs and providing a replacement vehicle for drivers. The documentation of damage and repairs are also essential tasks for fleet management.
The aim is therefore to minimize the number of accidents and damage through preventive measures. If damage has nevertheless occurred, action should be taken immediately. Only well-structured processing can help to cut costs and reduce downtime in the long term. As a fleet manager, you should be familiar with these terms in this context:
- Green insurance card: This serves as proof of insurance when traveling abroad.
- Loss of use: If a company car cannot be used temporarily after an accident, this is referred to as loss of use.
- No-claims class: The no-claims class – also known as the SF class – shows how many years the insured person has driven accident-free.
- Loss ratio: The loss ratio is a calculation for insurance companies. The costs of claims are set in relation to the premium payments. A high claims ratio results in a higher insurance premium.
- Accident report: Some accidents require an accident report, which is prepared by a motor vehicle expert.
- Excess: A certain amount that the company must pay itself in the event of a claim before the insurance will cover it.
- Damage history: The record of damage that has occurred to the vehicles in the fleet over time.
What should be taken into account in fleet claims management?
The tasks of a fleet manager in the area of claims management are very complex. Damage to vehicles cannot always be prevented. This makes it all the more important to handle damage correctly so as not to disrupt operational processes and avoid unnecessary costs .We have summarized as follows what you as a fleet manager should consider for successful claims management:
Loss prevention
To keep costs as low as possible, the condition of the vehicles should be checked regularly and preventive measures implemented. This includes the maintenance and inspection of the vehicles. Careful inspection of the vehicles before and after each journey also enables potential damage to be detected and rectified at an early stage.
Driver training is also part of damage prevention. One of the most important duties of a fleet manager is therefore regular UVV driver training. Employees are trained in the safe handling of vehicles and the correct behavior in the event of an accident. Compliance with driving and rest times must also be observed, as these help to protect drivers from fatigue.
Claims settlement
Accidents should be reported immediately in order to ensure that claims are processed quickly. Appropriate accident reports should also be drawn up. With insurance and a suitable insurance policy, damage can be covered to a large extent and the costs remain within reasonable limits.
Keeping drivers mobile
In the event of damage or an accident, replacement vehicles should be available to prevent downtime.
Repairing the damage
To ensure fast claims settlement, make sure you have a reliable partner workshop. In addition, care should be taken to ensure that cost estimates are checked and approved in a qualified manner and that meaningful vehicle and damage photos are available.
Documentation
The damage to the vehicle should always be appropriately documented. In this way, legal problems can be avoided and liability issues can be clarified more easily. Damage and the resulting costs should then be evaluated in order to identify high cost drivers and common causes of damage.
We have summarized the details of the claims process in our checklist.
Digital claims management - how does software help with processing?
Fleet software can be used to efficiently organize the processing of vehicle damage. It helps to increase productivity and ensure employee mobility. Manual claims management, on the other hand, is usually very time-consuming and laborious due to the manual recording of claims. Here you can see what advantages fleet management software can offer you compared to manual claims management:
Digital claims management
- Drivers can report damage quickly via app
- Digital storage of all relevant reports, documents and images
- Improved transparency thanks to a direct overview of the status of individual claims
- Better analysis options
- Communication with workshops and insurers can be accelerated and costs minimized
- Repairs can be arranged more quickly
- Saves costs and time, as claims can be processed more effectively
Manual claims management
- Data must be transferred and logged manually
- Recording the damage and further communication with workshops and insurers takes a lot of time
- More prone to errors
- Damage is often reported via different communication channels
The most important facts about fleet claims management at a glance
Claims management is one of the most important tasks in a vehicle fleet, as it can reduce costs and ensure that fleet operations run smoothly.
With the right damage prevention, such as UVV driver training or regular vehicle inspections, potential damage can be averted in advance.
Digital claims management ensures that data is recorded quickly and claims processing is accelerated. This saves time and costs in fleet management.
Further fleet knowledge
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