The Business Bytes
TBB BUREAU
MUMBAI, SEPT 22, 2022
In its effort to simplify the insurance buying process, SBI General Insurance has strengthened its collaboration with WhatsApp to launch an enhanced version of its WhatsApp chatbot. This will further enable easy access to insurance products through the popular messaging platform.
It has made available a larger array of Health Insurance products and introduced Two-Wheeler Motor Insurance to customers for buying, in a simpler and secure manner.
WhatsApp users across the country can interact with the SBI General Insurance WhatsAppchatbot by sending a ‘Hi’ to wa.me/919136233331. The bot will guide users through a simple and secure buying process and help them complete the purchase within the WhatsApp chat thread.
SBI General Insurance first launched its WhatsAppchatbot in 2020 with a first-of-a-kind buying journey for its health insurance policy. This initiative was announced at Meta Fuel for India 2020. Today, it has made larger number of products available that customers can directly buy through a hassle-free interface and from anywhere, with end-to-end policy purchase on the platform itself.
The process can be started by initiating a chat with SBI General’s verified business account on WhatsApp, that will further prompt the product options available for purchase. Customers can explore the product features and get their policy document right within the WhatsApp chat thread. Riding on the success of UPI integration on WhatsApp, this is another landmark move, that will not just drive insurance penetration in the country but will also help in further expanding financial inclusion in India.
Commenting on the association, Anand Pejawar, Deputy Managing Director, SBI General Insurance said, “Customers today, are more evolved and much better informed as compared to the past. In line with customers’ changing buying behaviour and as a part of the Company’s constant endeavour to innovate and make insurance accessible, we at SBI General have made our products available for purchase on one of the most used platforms, in just a few chats. These are the milestones that make our customer experience strategies worthwhile. Given that WhatsApp is an important platform with robust security features and extensive reach, we are confident that this initiative will be beneficial for existing as well as potential customers and we will continue to evolve with the dynamic technological advancements both in product development and policy servicing.”
Abhijit Bose, Head of WhatsApp India said, “The banking and insurance industry has been at the forefront of building innovative customer engagement journeys on the WhatsApp Business Platform. These solutions are making financial products and services more accessible to people across the country thus contributing to the overall financial inclusion vision. We are delighted to further strengthen our collaboration with SBI General Insurance to make insurance products more easily available for their new and existing customers.”
SBI General Insurance unveiled the buying journey of their key products available on WhatsApp to the public at the Global FinTech Fest 2022. The Company will continue to identify and implement such innovations to realise its vision of becoming the most trusted general insurer for a transforming India.
