A few months ago I threatened to re-write a travel insurance policy into plain language. Then I went all quiet. What’s been going on?
Travel insurance policy copywriting nightmare
The policy was just an ordinary travel product from one of the biggest and best-respected insurers in Europe, a household name company insuring literally millions of travellers.
It’s far from unusual, bog standard issue. Yet I spent eight solid hours working my way through gobbledegook, jargon, legalese, repetition, woolliness and general gumph before giving in. At which point I was completely exhausted, baffled and disgusted.
I have more than a decade’s experience in insurance marketing under my belt. Plus a handful of credits towards a technical insurance qualification, the CII. An in-depth understanding of the way the industry works. An appreciation of the financial services regulatory landscape. And a clear picture of what insurance policies offer. But I still couldn’t make head nor tail of the dratted thing.
What hope does this leave policyholders? Very little. Given that policies are supposed to be written for ordinary folk, and bearing in mind the rate at which insurers turn down claims, I think it’s absolutely disgraceful.
Plain English travel insurance? Seeing is believing
I’m throwing down the gauntlet. If you’re an insurer and you think your insurance policy copywriting is plain English, send it over. I’ll believe it when I see it.
