CEO Insights - Care as a Strategy
Donna Richards | CEO
At Carpenters Group, we’ve always believed that every claim represents a moment in someone’s life that matters.
Whether it’s a family facing a home emergency or a driver shaken or injured after a collision, these are vulnerable, fragile points in people’s lives. Our role when managing a claim is to stand beside people and be of help and support.
That responsibility shapes the way we design, manage and continuously refine our customer journey across both motor and home claims, which remain the largest and most emotionally charged parts of the UK insurance landscape. We manage quite literally millions of interactions every year, and through each one of those moments our team work to ensure people feel in safe hands.
The Complexity Behind the Scenes
The UK market has seen motor and home claims grow more complex in recent years, from rising repair costs and parts delays to more frequent weather related home claims.
Independent market analysis shows, for example, that claims satisfaction in 2025 rose again to 8.1/10 for both home and motor, recovering from pandemic related lows and driven by faster repairs, better communication, and improved digital tools.
However, the claims process can be a frustrating one for many. Unless fraudulent, then presumably no one wants to undergo a claim and the administration and effort that accompanies it. That’s precisely where we step in. Carpenters Group provides a stabilising influence across these challenges: we simplify the journey, shield customers from friction, and coordinate the complex moving parts on their behalf.
Building Technology In‑House, Around Real Need
One of our greatest strengths is that both our technology and our talent pipelines are developed in house. This gives us full control over quality, training, compliance, security and continuous improvement.
• Our systems are designed around real user behaviour, not generic industry assumptions.
• Our teams collaborate with our in-house tech specialists to refine tools in real time.
• Our customer touchpoints; phone, SMS, email, portal, app, digital triage and video assessments - flex to suit both customer expectations and case complexity.
This adaptability is vital. Research shows that UK insurance customers increasingly expect a blend of digital efficiency and genuine human support, particularly for high stakes moments. According to the Insurance Buyer Experience Report, 65% of UK consumers still prefer human agents for complex interactions, even as AI adoption rises.
Similarly, KPMG’s UK Customer Experience Excellence report highlights that insurers are under pressure to deliver clear communication, fairness and personalised support, with Consumer Duty driving a shift toward more proactive, customer centred journeys. This aligns perfectly with our approach: technology to streamline, humans to support.
Trusted by Insurers to Protect Their Customers
Our insurer partners trust us because we deliver exactly what their customers need: consistency, compassion, expertise, and transparent communication.
Across the UK market, trust in insurers is improving but still fragile. The Chartered Insurance Institute reports overall consumer satisfaction reached 85% in 2025, but fairness and clarity remain areas where customers feel let down.
Carpenters Group helps insurers close that gap. We operate as an extension of their brand - a partner who understands that customers judge an insurer not by their advertising, but by how they are treated when they make a claim. As Consumer Intelligence puts it plainly: “Consumers don’t remember their premium. They remember how they were treated when they needed help.”
This is why our service levels and communication standards are built around care as a strategy.
A Culture of Doing Right by People
We measure success through outcomes that matter to customers and the data speaks clearly:
• Our complaint levels remain low, reflecting both the quality of our processes and the consistency of our people.
• Trustpilot reviews regularly cite our empathy, clarity and speed, with 5 star feedback highlighting both individual advisers and the seamlessness of the journey.
Satisfaction across both motor and home claims has risen across the wider UK market, supported by faster repairs, better digital communication and increased use of video assessments.
Internally, we treat every piece of feedback - good or bad - as intelligence that helps us refine our approach. We monitor sentiment, real time call handling data, customer behaviour patterns and emerging journey trends. And because our systems are built in house, we can adapt quickly when customer expectations shift.
Meeting Customers Where They Are, When They Need Us Most
The claims journey is no longer linear; customers expect to interact in multiple ways, at any time, on any device. Industry trends show that:
• 80% of insurance customers want to use mobile devices for routine tasks, though many still prefer human contact for claims.
• Consumers increasingly value insurers that demonstrate understanding and personalised support, with UKCSI data showing 64.1% of customers feel organisations now better understand their personal needs.
At Carpenters Group, this means providing:
• A human case handler for reassurance and continuity
• Digital updates for speed and convenience
• Flexible channels and inclusive applications for vulnerable customers
• Touchpoints matched to customer preference, not organisational convenience
Our Commitment
As customer expectations evolve, so will we. Our focus remains unwavering:
• Putting people at the heart of every decision
• Building technology that enhances rather than replaces care
• Staying agile as claims patterns, regulations and digital behaviours change
• Continuing to earn the trust of our insurer partners through excellence
Carpenters Group’s reputation has been built on decades of doing the right thing - by customers, by insurers, and by the communities we serve. And as the industry continues to transform, we remain determined to deliver a customer journey that makes things feel better.
