Center for Plain Language grants Unum a ClearMark Award for claims
guide
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Simpler is better. That philosophy drives the approach Unum (NYSE:UNM)
takes to customer communication, and recently earned the company a
ClearMark Award from the Center
for Plain Language.
“This recognition is a great indication of the value of the work we’ve
done to simplify our communications in every area of the business,” said
Chris St. John, Consumer Strategy director at Unum. “Our industry is
complex, so it’s a challenge to make plain language the standard. But
we’re focused on making it happen.”
Judges at the recent ClearMark Awards named a guide from Unum the best
document in its category. The guide clearly explains how to file a
disability claim and what to expect once the claim is filed.
Judges praised the guide’s clear timeline and direct, jargon-free
language. The revision of the guide was part of a much broader effort
across the company to make Unum’s communications to its customers
simpler and more effective.
“Making employee benefits easier to understand and use is critical to
helping consumers protect their financial stability,” St. John said.
“Individuals are increasingly responsible for choosing and paying for
their financial protection benefits. Ensuring they have the information
they need in a form that’s easy to understand is a strong focus for
Unum.”
Among the ways Unum is making benefits information useful and clear:
-
A benefits education site at GetBenefitSmart.com
uses a fun quiz and conversational descriptions to help employees
learn how benefits are useful at specific ages and stages of life. The
site is also available in Spanish at BeneficiosParaMi.com.
-
A benefits enrollment platform
features a simple, shopping cart approach and a video coach who
explains insurance terms in plain language;
-
A health care reform information site at unum.com/HealthCareReform
offers straightforward explanations of reform and its effects;
-
Benefits enrollment booklets include simple education, rates and forms
information, and a front-page summary of when and where enrollment
events will occur.
Making clear communication an expectation in the world of benefits is an
ongoing, collective effort, St. John said.
“Across our business, we work in teams to assess and improve letters,
forms and other documents,” St. John said. “We’ve rolled out training
across the company to give employees clear, consistent guidance on
simplifying their communications.
“We’ve made a lot of progress, but there’s always more to do. We’ll keep
at it.”
View Unum’s winning entry in the ClearMark Awards here: http://centerforplainlanguage.org/awards/clearmark2012/unum/.
About Unum
Unum (www.unum.com)
is one of the leading providers of employee benefits products and
services in the United States and the United Kingdom. Through its
subsidiaries, Unum Group paid approximately $6 billion in total benefits
to customers in 2011.
Unum
Mary Fortune, 423-294-6368
Toll free: 866-750-8686
mfortune@unum.com
Source: Unum