At PZU, openness and understanding of diversity also applies to clients. The PZU Group builds its relations with clients based on the principle of their equal treatment, respecting their diversity, and none of the products or services offered by the PZU Group are discriminatory in nature.
The diverse needs of clients, on the one hand, present an opportunity to shape the product offering accordingly, and on the other hand, sensitivity to the needs of people at risk of social exclusion provides a stimulus, through the provision of bespoke business solutions, to efforts aimed at finding solutions to specific social problems. Among the special groups of clients whose needs are of major concern to the PZU Group are people with disabilities and senior citizens. An extensive network of outlets, also located in smaller cities, provides easy access to financial services, contributes to the prevention of financial exclusion, and most of these services are also available through remote service channels, especially in mojePZU platform.
-
3-3
-
G4-FS14
Preventing exclusion – offer for seniors
PZU pays special attention to the needs of seniors and the appropriate standard of their service. With the aim of improving the well-being of seniors, a special offer was prepared for them, creating “Ecosystem – Special Offer for Seniors” to improve the well-being of seniors.
Preventing exclusion – marketing measures
In recent years, the PZU Group conducted research to more precisely formulate expectations of the 60+ generation. Thanks to this, it was possible to create solutions so that senior clients may feel secure at PZU and be certain that the offer will meet their needs.
The starting point was the preparation of guidelines for communication, meaning instructions on how to present the information on the offer to seniors. In 2022, the National Institute of Silver Economy performed an audit of PZU informational materials in terms of accuracy for the needs of senior clients. These recommendations and results of other tests served as the basis to create main principles of preparing marketing materials dedicated to this group. In 2022 and 2023, PZU prepared marketing materials in line with these recommendations. They differ from standard materials. For instance, they have different narration, scope of product information, smaller amount of text, bigger font and more clear contrast.
Survey of Young Poles and insurance products
The PZU brand wants to activate young people in the context of the insurance category, while expanding its customer base to include the youngest generation of adult Poles. The Marketing Bureau conducted research and analysis on a group of young Poles in cooperation with research agencies Norstat and IQS. A team of researchers from the Center for Evaluation and Analysis of Public Policies at Jagiellonian University was invited to collaborate on the development of the proposals. The report will be released in the second quarter of 2024.
Best practices of PZU and PZU Życie
The five-step theory
The customer service standards in place in PZU branches comprise a “five steps theory” which places particular emphasis on the senior citizens’ needs (e.g. problems with vision, hearing, mobility or comprehension of complex information). The employee guide contains recommendations on how to provide services to senior citizens. In particular, it boils down to providing information in an understandable manner. In 2021, PZU began cooperation with the National Institute of Silver Economy, and in 2022 this cooperation served as the framework for a series of trainings to ensure that senior clients receive even better services in PZU branches. This special care paid by PZU to the needs of seniors was validated by receiving the International Quality Certificate OK SENIOR®. PZU was the first institutions in the insurance industry to receive this award in Poland. PZU branches successfully completed audits of seniors pertaining to infrastructure and provision of services for this client segment, and thus satisfied the conditions to receive the Certificate. This recognition is awarded by OK SENIOR® Polska in cooperation with the National Institute of Silver Economy. The extended network of branches and their adequate accessibility also serve to prevent digital exclusion.
Preventing exclusion – infrastructure
Following the example of seniors, principles were defined on how to serve people with disabilities, including people with mobility impairment, blind persons or persons with impaired vision, deaf persons or persons with impaired hearing, or people with speech impediments.
Approximately 78% of PZU’s branches offer access to people with disabilities. They are equipped with, among others, solutions that aid mobility:
- in approximately 37% of the PZU branches there are currently no barriers at entrances,
- in approximately 40% of the wards have access for people with disabilities facilitated by appropriate ramps, lifts or technical equipment.
During the verification of the market and analysis of facilities for lease agreements to be used as newlyopened branches, the accessibility afforded to the disabled is one of the key criteria making buildings eligible to be leased by PZU.
With guaranteeing the reduction in the number of obstacles and equal accessibility as their goal, PZU, other business entities and local governments are participating in a nationwide campaign to “eliminate obstacles” in Poland. The steadily growing number of parking spots for disabled persons across the country is a visible outcome. Efforts were made in all of the properties with parking lots owned by PZU to designate separately marked spots for eligible vehicles. If parking lots are leased then PZU expends effort for the lessor to show its care about creating separate privileged spots. Moreover, approximately 43% of PZU branches are equipped with accessible toilets for persons with disabilities. PZU headquarters, the Generation Park Y – PZU Park building and the new Oławska Gate headquarters of one of the branches in Wrocław, meet the highest standards of adaptation to the diverse needs of employees.
Support after accidents
In many cases, a person’s disability is the outcome of an accident. The sudden loss of full physical ability is an extremely difficult experience. In such trying times, PZU does not only pay the claim but is also able to provide the injured persons with assistance under its Rehabilitation Program. PZU addresses this program to those persons who suffered bodily injury in an accident in which the perpetrator had third party liability insurance with PZU.
- faster physical recovery process and comfortable family and professional life;
- treatment and rehabilitation at the highest level in reputable centers;
- organization of tests, consultations and procedures without the need for the injured person to bear any costs, with only minimum formalities.
ESG strategy indicator: Development of a product offering that incorporates elements of social commitment
Level of implementation 2023: Insurance products are evaluated for ESG factors. Social factors have been identified in some insurance products. As part of its cooperation in the Large Family Card program, the Company offers two products, PZU Dom and PZU Wojażer. With special offers for large families, the products promote diversity, contribute to leveling the playing field and fighting discrimination. In 2023, 2,006 PZU DOM policies were concluded under the Large Family Card program.
The correctness of this rehabilitation process is overseen by the PZU Relationship Manager – an experienced mobile expert responsible for Organizing Assistance. They support the injured person and their family at each and every stage of recovery. They help the Relationship Manager to establish the actual situation of the injured person and correctly assess the personal injury.
PZU also cares about the needs of the disabled in its prevention initiatives. An example of such actions may be the comprehensive service provided to drivers and passengers with disabilities in cooperation with the SPiNKa Association of Disabled Drivers. This long-term cooperation consist of providing financial support to individuals suffering from various disabilities (movement, speech or hearing), whose active day-to-day existence requires a specialist technical adaptation of their vehicle. Beneficiaries who wish to be professionally and socially active may receive funding for specialized adaptation of the car to meet their needs. Financial support can also apply to entities that provide services to people with disabilities and want to adapt vehicles for this purpose (e.g. driving lessons). Car adaptations are carried out with new types of equipment, which increases the comfort of the cars. In addition, the equipment is mostly of Polish manufacture. Every year, PZU supports the adaptation of vehicles for tens of drivers.
Needs of parents
PZU also seeks to meet the needs of parents. Playroom corners have been prepared specially for the children, where the child may freely and safely occupy oneself while the parent is taking care of all the matters related to an insurance policy. At the end of 2023, the toddler corner was operating in 57 wards.
Best practices of PZU and PZU Życie
Psychological support in the form of home, on site and remote consultations is provided by psychologists working together with PZU Zdrowie and the Rakiety Oncological Foundation. Psychological support for children with their caregivers in the form of therapeutic and recreational periods implemented by the Siemacha Association. The beneficiaries are those directly and indirectly injured in an accident, the next of kin caring for the injured, families of fatal victims who are in crisis, have lost family stability, are going through complicated bereavement, are not coping with difficulties, and those affected by oncological disease. In 2023, 385 people were assisted.