Sustainability in claims and loss prevention

We understand the risks caused by climate change

Sustainability is high on the agenda in Nordic companies, as many begin to ‘walk the talk’ and take action to support their environmental targets.

“People in the Nordic countries understand the risks caused by climate change. Still, we see a lot of claims that could have been avoided rather easily. When Copenhagen suffered from a cloudburst, a lot of vital equipment, such as IT systems, were destroyed, since these were kept in the basement,’ says Anne Nielsen Sønderskov.

Anne Nielsen Sønderskov, is one of If’s risk engineers, helping corporations in the Nordic area with loss prevention daily. She specialises in building materials and conducts analyses on building construction and materials, evaluating fire and smoke contamination hazards.

“We see new solutions and materials invented all the time, and one needs to be ‘up to date’ on all potential dangers connected to them. It is still common for corporations not to completely understand the risk, for example, that new insulation could lead to more damage in the case of a fire. These situations are possible to tackle, but you need to know about them,” says Anne Nielsen Sønderskov.

Sustainable and resilient businesses can maintain their activities even when problems or accidents occur. This requires prevention and recovery planning, that deals with potential threats. By working together with our clients, If provides expert support through risk engineering to help limit damages, while enabling business continuity.

When a claim happens

If handled 596.000 cases of car damage and 432.000 cases of property damage during 2018. In almost every claim, lies the possibility to make more sustainable decisions.

“We take our sustainability responsibility seriously and require that the suppliers comply with strict environmental and health-related requirements”, says Gunnar Ingelsrud, Head of Claims Purchasing, Nordic.

If’s goal is to increase recycling and to reuse undamaged parts instead of disposing of them. By cooperating with leading suppliers covering the Nordic market, we enable stringent follow-up and efficient communications. This way, we minimise the negative environmental impact from repairs, while giving our customers the best possible support. A contractor with If needs to meet certain standards to be part of our supply chain.

‘We appreciate that If challenges us when it comes to material use. We want to keep improving, and I also think the workshop has gained financially by working in a more environmentally friendly way,’ says Dan Andersson, foreman at the Volkswagen workshop in Kista.

Digitalisation enables sustainable operations

With 450 building contractors and some 3000 vehicle repair suppliers working closely with If, it is important to deliver an efficient and streamlined process for property and vehicle damage claims handling, as well as ensure compliance with If’s process requirements. When an accident is reported to If, a contractor conducts the first inspection using digital tools such as In4Mo, Meps, Cabas, and DBS (to mention just a few).

Besides speeding up the handling time of a claim, digital tools minimise travel and paper consumption. Furthermore, through integrated reporting, we are able to measure how much waste has been sorted from damaged sites, for example.

Digitalisation enables improved processes and increases efficiency, while providing opportunities for more sustainable operations. This not only benefits our clients and If, but helps to mitigate the impact on the environment as well.