A different approach to whiplash claims in the Netherlands

23 Janua232015Berlin, 2015|01|23

‘A different approach to whiplash claims in the Netherlands’

Francie PetersManaging Director

Het ExpertiseBureau

4th annual insurance claims management conference

Content

• whiplash claims in the Netherlands

• current approach

• rehabilitation coaching

A different approach to whiplash claims in the Netherlands

Whiplash claims in theNetherlands - numbers

• 60.000 motor insuranceclaims

• 20.000 whiplash claims

• 1/3rd of total cost of claims

• + 7.000 claims > 2 years

• often (permanent?) inabilityto work


Whiplashclaims in the Netherlands - evidence

• combination of medical complaints

• headaches

• insomnia

• loss of concentration

• tiredness

• apathy

• not visible on X-rays/MRI-scans

• only treatment of symptoms


Whiplash claims in the Netherlands - evidence

• almost never discussion about liability

• probable cause is assumed when:

- no record of injuries before accident

- record of injuries after accident

• pre-existence: have injuries gotten worse?


Current approach


Whiplash claims in the Netherlands – currentapproach

• dissatisfaction

• license plate = lottery number

• distrustful attitude

• focus on financial side

• doctors are very influential


Whiplash claims in the Netherlands - drawbacks current approach

• added value of doctors?

• re-active way of claims handling

• takes a long time

• negative spiral claimant

• low claimant satisfaction


A different approach - targets

• pro-active

• preventing negative spiral

• reducing time

• reducing cost of claims

• high claimant satisfaction


Mainstream medicine < > behavioral science


A different approach – Fraud?

• evidence is easily obtainable

• are claimants abusing the system?

• coping strategies

• negative spiral > life long complaints

• money < > ‘getting your life back’


Rehabilitation coaching

Patient itself knows best howto deal with a traumatic incident (Carl Rogers)



• let claimant make his/her own choices

• have the claimant make a commitment to results

• define goals which are smart



• open mind

• without judgement

• non directive

• buddy / process coach



Rehabilition coaching- main goals

• process < 1 year

• make claimantself reliant

• self reliance < > money

Rehabilitation coaching – how it works

• acknowledgement of injuries

• claimant will feel no need to prove injuries

• claimant must find own solution

• claimant must show commitment to solution

• insurance company must be willing to investin self-insight claimant


Rehabilitation coaching –speeding up the process

• no involvement of medicaladvisors

• no discussion about pre-existence

• prevention of negative spiral

• cooperative environment


Rehabilitation coaching – reducing cost of claims

• shorter claims process (< 1 year)

• preventing negative spiral

• lower percentage claimants who are unableto work


Rehabilitation coaching – claimant satisfaction

• project Pandora

• claimant satisfactionsignificantly higher


Final comments

• still experimental

• not for every claimant

• detection of negative spiral

• how to avoid unnecesaryinterventions?

• assumptions < > research


The EndBerlin, 2015|01|23


Health & Medicine

A different approach to whiplash claims in the Netherlands