CHAIRMAN’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016

Distinguished EXCO Members, CEOs of Insurance Companies, members of the Secretariat, Fellow Members, Ladies & Gentlemen.

We are delighted to welcome you to our 18th Annual General Meeting of The National Insurance Claims Society (NICS) for the term 2016/2017. The last EXCO meeting was held on the 15 February 2017 ending the 2016/2017 term.  

It has been an eventful and remarkable 2016/2017 term. Before we usher in the new term of 2017/2018, let’s flash back some events and programs that NICS had offered and organized for the members throughout the outgoing term.
 
2016/2017 remarked the 18th anniversary of this Society. We are proud to announce that since its establishment, the Society has attracted 27 member companies to date, comprising:                  

• 12 general insurers,
• 4 life insurers,
• 3 composite insurers,
• 5 takaful operators
• 3 reinsurance companies.  

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
NICS EXCO members, the driving force of the Society, involved claims professionals from member companies on voluntary basis.

 There are 5 sub-committees formed to carry out the Society’s activities, namely:

• Education & Training headed by En Muhammad Azlan Noor from Etiqa Insurance
• Best Practices headed by Mr Philip Chin Chii Woei from Overseas Assurance Corporation
• Networking headed by Ms Sharon Wong Shiet Tyug from Tune Insurance
• Special Project headed by Mr Shamnath TK from AmGeneral Insurance
• Anti-Fraud headed by Mr John D’Cruz of Zurich Takaful Malaysia

Special Applause to all the named Sub-Committees and the Heads for their time, commitment and dedication throughout the expiring term.     
   
Since NICS was founded on 15 December 1998, NICS pride itself to be the forefront in fulfilling niche needs of claims industry in providing forum of information exchange and education seminars tailored to the needs of its members comprising of life and general Insurers/Reinsurers as well as takaful operators nationwide.

These education seminars were conducted on a wide range of legal, marine, practical and technical claims related topics presented by experts in their respective fields. Engineers, Lawyers, Adjusters, Investigators and Forensic experts are some of the professionals who were the distinguished speakers at NICS seminars.

Thus, these educational seminars provided opportunities to keep up with relevant legal changes and developments as well as the current claims trend and claims management. To this effect, we commended Education and Training Sub-Committee for being very active, effective and eventually delivered a meaningful range of related activities for the benefit of the Society and its members.

We were delighted to find the Society’s educational activities were well accepted and benefit members. For the record, about 440 participants attended NICS educational programs and sessions throughout this term.

We are glad to note that there was increased members’ awareness that well educated claim professionals are best able to represent their industry’s interests by providing excellent claims services professionally to the customers.


NETWORKING
Besides offering the claim industry in general and member companies in particular specialized educational services, one of NICS objectives was also to enhance opportunities and provide a valuable platform for networking for the insurance industry.

The Society intended to develop working relationships and business rapport with individuals, companies, authorities or any party of relevance. Over the past and current expiring terms, NICS had brought hundreds of individuals together at educational and networking events.

We achieve this by arranging networking cum educational visit to PDRM Forensic Laboratory, PUSPAKOM and Proton Plant Factory. These visitations were highly informative and beneficial since we had opportunity for first hand insights of how these 3 entities run their daily operations.

A special appreciation to the Networking Sub-Committee for co-ordinating and making these events successful.

 
FORUM
Since NICS’s  memberships was diverse, we are able  to pool  claims professionals  via  the  
Claims Managers Meet in gaining and sharing their expertise, experiences and technical know-
how for the betterment of the industry in various areas of concerned ie.

• Tactics used to overcome the more insidious fraud claims and latest developments in Intervener proceedings
• Lie detection technique as a tool to expose fraudsters
• Challenges faced in a detariff market
• Latest fire forensic investigation method

We felt that it is imperative for the industry to take firm and effective actions to deter, detect and mitigate the risk of fraud especially in such a dynamic and competitive environment. Towards this aim, the Claims Managers Meet was conducted on half yearly basis jointly by the Best Practice and Anti-Fraud Sub-Committees, followed by a networking hi-tea session.

This Claims Managers Meet was also initiated to target on rapport building among claims managers of member companies in order to promote an atmosphere of camaraderie and fellowship. This was fully sponsored by NICS as a token of appreciation to all member companies who had been supporting NICS activities throughout the year. 

NICS was very pleased to be the common platform and unite these companies to speak the same language especially on fraud claims management.
This  was highly encouraging and we hope  in  future  NICS  would  continue to  keep  up  the
momentum and strengthen this respectable partnerships. As a society, we can confidently say
that we are living up to our responsibility as a platform for all  members  to draw knowledge,
share experiences  and become  better  practitioners.

Behind the scene, we thanked the Best Practice and Anti-Fraud Sub-Committees for their relentless efforts in organizing these events.
 
During this term, it is also opportune and timely for NICS to review and publish an updated facelift version of the insurance claims fraud indicators booklet, which reinforces NICS commitment in promoting best claims practices. This booklet was derived from NICS initiative to assist claims handlers in early detection of fraudulent claims in order for them to take prompt necessary measures to combat it, especially in these volatile times wherein fraudsters are also being innovative in submitting fraudulent claims. We hope claims handlers will continue to findthe booklet beneficial and a good reference.


NICS BRANDING
In this effort, NICS has presented souvenirs to participants attending all NICS initiatives.
In short, it is indeed a very eventful year for NICS as we had interesting events lined up every month and in some months, we even have conducted 3 events.

On behalf of NICS, I take this opportunity to record our thanks to our esteemed member companies for their support and contribution during the year. Last but not least, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for the contribution and services volunteered by all the EXCO members who have done an excellent job in delivering the activities for this term. I hope they can continue to serve the Society and the industry for this new term.


Thank you for your precious time and kind attention.



KOH YAN YIE
Chairperson
30th March 2017