2016 member survey results and update

Overview

Earlier this year, VML Insurance Programs (VMLIP) released a member survey to gauge member opinions, awareness and satisfaction levels with various resources, services and coverages offered by the pool.

The results were generally positive, with nearly 98 percent of respondents identifying themselves as either “somewhat satisfied” or “Very satisfied” with their membership in VMLIP. Performance in areas such as claims management, underwriting, member services, and human resources and safety consulting also rated highly as “very good” or “excellent.”

Services such as the Where the Rubber Meets the Road (WTRMTR) campaign, the fall workshops and Nurse Triage 24 (NT24) scored the highest marks, while quality of claims management, comprehensive coverages, and professionalism of staff were the top ranked in terms of importance of being a member.

VMLIP Member Portal

The survey received a great deal of feedback concerning the VMLIP Member Portal. Many members remarked on the difficulty in utilizing the portal, as well as the inability to delete items and add a new location when adding sites.

VMLIP is aware of issues surrounding the portal and is taking steps to rectify them The portal is part of the claims management and underwriting system purchased from David Corporation. VMLIP staff are regularly engaged with David Corp. senior management over these issues and have been advised that the portal is being completely revamped to make the improvements we and others have requested.

This July, VMLIP staff will begin testing an entirely new portal system. The new system will look and feel completely different from the current version. The goal is to introduce this version to members this fall after extensive testing from VMLIP staff.

Meanwhile, a new “site” function has been added to the existing portal for adding new locations. Additionally, for members choosing to delete items (properties, equipment or automobiles), and who receive a message that says they cannot delete the item, the item is now being “termed” and stored for historical purposes. The portal also does not allow the deletion of contact persons, as there is often historical communication information attached to the person. Instead, contacts should be made inactive by checking the inactive box. While the message that the item and/or contact cannot be deleted is still there, this issue will be resolved in the next iteration of the portal.

Additional comments and concerns

VMLIP responses to additional comments and concerns are outlined below:

  • Consider insuring volunteer fire departments. The ability for VMLIP to provide coverage for volunteer fire departments is limited by regulation. Pool membership is limited to local political subdivisions of the Commonwealth. The Bureau of Insurance has recently agreed to allow Accident & Sickness policies to be written in the name of the locality to provide that coverage for your volunteers. VMLIP is exploring that option as well as partnering with a company that specializes in that business.
  • Consider providing physician coverage for jails. Each physician should have his or her own individual medical malpractice coverage. If yours does not, VMLIP can place jail physician medical malpractice policies outside of the VMLIP program. For more information, contact your member services account representative at: (800) 963-6800.
  • Consider sending automatic approval notices for workers’ compensation claims, preferably by e-mail. Currently members receive at least two e-mails from VMLIP after submitting a workers’ compensation claim through the NT24 process. The first contains the accident report from NT24, and the second contains a claims acknowledgement e-mail advising of the claim number and assigned claims representative. A third e-mail is sent if the claim is subsequently denied.

While VMLIP has considered sending an e-mail to note that a claim is “approved,” this has the potential to be misleading. Even if a claim is found to be compensable or approved, there are cases where no benefits are payable. For example, if initially the claim is found to be compensable, but the employee’s treatment is not causally related to the accident. Another example would be if medical treatment is not covered because the employee did not treat with a panel physician. Therefore, VMLIP has chosen not to send these types of e-mails at this time.

  • Consider providing an “intro to risk management” webinar. This suggestion caught the eye of our Director of Safety Services, Beth Rosenthal. Throughout the next year, safety staff will work on developing this webinar and potentially breaking it down into a series of webinars covering various aspects of risk management.Meanwhile, a recorded webinar: What is Risk Management, is available on our website here. This webinar reviews what is meant by the term “risk management.” and reviews elements of a sound risk management program. The webinar discusses: risk identification; loss prevention and mitigation; and risk financing.
  • Consider offering additional OSHA training. Currently, VMLIP has a number of VMLIP Online University courses that address OSHA topics. We also have a number of bulletins on OSHA such as: Understanding OSHA’s Hazard Communication Alignment with the GHS and OSHA Training Standards Policy Statement. VMLIP also offers “OSHA At a Glance” training as well as an OSHA 10-Hour course, both provided by our certified OSHA 10-Hour Instructor. If you are interested in scheduling one of these courses, please contact your safety consultant. Additional training through webinars and on-site is offered throughout the year. Check the training calendar often for updates.
  • Consider offering a newer and more up-to-date selection of safety DVD’s in the VMLIP Multimedia Library. Each year VMLIP retires various selections in the library and adds new videos and DVDs. If there is a specific topic you may be interested in, please consider e-mailing our human resources services director or your safety specialist to let them know.

Thanks to all members who took the time to participate in the survey.