ITIC UK 2026 | Insurance customer outcomes

The ITIJ team have been reporting from ITIC UK in Brighton (29–30 April 2026), sharing the discussions that took place at the conference. Read all reports.

Sian Brightey, Ombudsman Leader, and Leah Nagle, Ombudsman Manager at the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), began this session with a presentation exploring how customer outcomes are shaping the travel insurance landscape. Drawing on complaint data and case experience, Brightey and Nagle examined how customer journeys play out in practice – from the point of sale through to claims and assistance.

The two speakers highlighted recurring areas of concern, including clarity of cover, communication, and decision-making in complex situations. A key focus of the presentation was emergency medical assistance and repatriation. Through real-world examples, Brightey and Nagle demonstrated how delays, lack of information, and inconsistent support can significantly impact customer experience and outcomes in high-pressure scenarios.

The presentation also explored broader complaint trends across the sector, reflecting the growing challenge for insurers and assistance providers to deliver clear, consistent, and timely support in an increasingly demanding environment.

This set the tone for a discussion among panellists and the audience. Reflecting on the presentation, Brendon Drain, Senior Associate at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), emphasised that it was “critical to test consumer outcomes – providing good customer outcomes will fuel growth”.

Fraser Lyall, Policy Adviser at the Association of British Insurers (ABI), agreed there was “definitely room for improvement”, adding: “Positive outcomes depend on trust in the insurer.”

Tim Riley, Managing Director of True Traveller, noted the evolving role of technology: “Claim complaints will go up because of artificial intelligence (AI), but the upheld rates will hopefully start to go down.”

Brightey highlighted the root of many disputes: “When consumers misunderstand, it’s because the outcome of the claim hasn’t been properly explained.”

Drain reflected that while firms were “good at improving the sales process”, they were “less so the claims process”, with “effective, regular communication” still lacking and “customers getting lost in the process”.

Riley reinforced that “mis-sale and poor performance of policy (claims and assistance) are the key reasons for FOS complaints”, with “a much smaller number of complaints for sales”. He argued that “if insurers put the same effort into the sales process as the complaints process, far less would go to the FOS”.

Looking ahead, Riley predicted a “massively different” buying journey, with a more conversational, in-depth Q&A included in the process, while Lyall agreed: “We are heading towards a more agentic AI customer journey.” Brightey, however, stressed the continued importance of human interaction in such a sensitive area.