Spotlight interview

Donna Binet
Senior Claims Handler

Donna works in our Claims Team as one of our Senior Claims Handler and has been with our ICCI family since early 2017. Donna was awarded Chartered Insurer ACII status in 2021 and continues to develop her knowledge further studying for the Dip CILA. Donna is passionate about serving our customers in a fair and timely manner and supporting her friends and colleagues through the menopause as our Menopause Champion.

We spoke to Donna to find out more about her career, her life and her aspirations…..

What attracted you to come and work for ICCI?

I’d worked for a broker for nearly 10 years and had a lot to do with ICCI underwriters in my role. ICCI always came across as a company who cared for their staff, that and the fact an underwriter role had come up interested me, so I applied and luckily got the job.

Describe your role to someone outside of the Company?

I have changed role/department since I joined. My current role is a Senior Claims Handler. I handle claims from many aspects of insurance, mainly household, but I also handle motor, travel and commercial claims. The claims I’ve handled have varied from small accidental damage claims to large losses caused by tornadoes.

What do you most love about your job?

The job is very varied, no two claims are the same but I particularly love it when clients take the time to thank us for helping them, during what may have been a particularly difficult time they may have gone through.

What is your favourite part about working for ICCI?
What does customer service mean to you?

Everything - I am passionate about ensuring each claim is handled swiftly and with minimal fuss and with the intention of ensuring the right outcome for the client.

How do you strive to deliver for our customers and clients?

Adhering to our service level agreements (SLA's), and handling claims with empathy and competence.

What do you believe makes our Claims service industry leading in the CI?

We have a simple claims process and strive to ensure the claim itself, once it hits our desk is handled to the best of our ability. Our whole team pulled together during Storm Ciaran and as far as I am aware none of the claims went over our SLA’s despite the huge volumes coming in.

Our customers are at the heart of everything we do – how does our claims team strive to improve the customer journey?

We are passionate in claims to ensure the customer journey is met with minimal resistance, with empathy and understanding and ensuring all circumstances are considered rationally and within the terms and conditions of the policies.

If you had one piece of advice for someone considering a career in insurance what would it be?

I’ve been in insurance for nearly 37 years, I would 100% recommend our Apprenticeship programme we offer - what a fantastic way to start a career!

Not only are you learning on the job, you're getting paid for it, and when you pass your exams, you get paid for that too… it’s a no-brainer! Insurance is definitely not boring, it changes daily and even after 37 years I am still learning!

When you are not in the office, what do you like doing?

I love photography, bit of an amateur but have been known to take a few decent snaps.

What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing your role at ICCI?

I would have been a nurse - I spent a lot of time in my youth with St Johns Ambulance Cadets and loved the idea of being a proper nurse.

What’s on the bucket list that you haven’t had a chance to complete yet?
What’s something most people don’t know about you?

I am an Army Brat - my Dad was in the Royal Signals so I spent a lot of time abroad and can speak a little bit of German.

What is your favourite inspirational quote and why?

"Wear the expensive perfumes everyday - you are a long time dead" – this brings me up short every time I avoid doing something.