Improved invoice flow at Fremtind Insurance
An insurance company committed to sustainability
Fremtind Insurance is a relatively young insurance company but has already grown to become one of the largest insurance companies in Norway. They are also the leading provider of insurance distributed through the nation’s banking channels. Being a subsidiary under the umbrella of the SpareBank 1 Group, Fremtind Insurance is jointly owned with a 65% stake held by SpareBank 1 Group and the remaining 35% by DNB Bank ASA. Their customers include both consumers and businesses.
Fremtind is dedicated to help their customers take care of themselves, their belongings, and their surroundings. They are also advocates for what they term “circular insurance”, which is a comprehensive way of thinking about insurance, through the prevention of damage, how to repair damage with used parts, and how damaged parts can be turned into something new.
Streamlining the business process
Fremtind receives a significant number of invoices and depend on streamlined processes to manage these invoices efficiently. As in many business processes, automation is the key to enhancements in invoice management. Fremtind aimed to adopt the best EDI service provider in the market for electronic invoices to optimize their processes, continue their dedication to sustainability, and further improve their competitive advantage.
Data quality blocks the road
When receiving invoices, Fremtind depends on the invoices having a reference number associated with the insurance cases. Even though electronic invoices have defined structures and formats, Fremtind frequently faced challenges with missing or misplaced reference numbers in the received documents. Without a reference number, manual invoice handling was required – leading to time consuming and costly processing.
The manual processes often included communication with the sender to obtain the correct reference number. In cases where the reference number existed but was misplaced in the document (according to the EHF standard), Fremtind either had to build customized rules for the sender or manually reposition the number within the document. In either case, the streamlined document flow was obstructed.
Improved document flow with Logiq Document Control
“When Fremtind Forsikring reached out to us, we started by thoroughly understanding their challenges and ambitions, and we pinpointed the specific issues they were experiencing in their current solution,” says Andreas Bye, project manager at Logiq.
“Based on this information, we designed a technical solution that included Logiq Document Control, which we reviewed with Fremtind to ensure that all details were taken into account. In the days following the launch of the solution, we had frequent status meetings to identify any challenges and answer questions – whereupon we tuned and adjusted the solution for unanticipated deviations,” Bye explains.
The project included several key steps to solve the challenges in Fremtind:
First, Fremtind changed their access point to Logiq, which is approved as a “Best Practice” access point by Difi. With this solution in place, they utilized Logiq Document Control, integrated with Fremtind’s internal system. This solution stops invoices without correct reference numbers, whereupon the sender is notified and given the opportunity to manually enter the reference number through a web portal.
Next, they added a feature that enables Logiq Document Control to automatically scan the invoices for valid but misplaced reference numbers and subsequently relocate them to the correct position in the document.
They also included functionality to automatically differentiate between invoices related to insurance claims and those related to costs, allowing the right business division to receive and process the invoices.
"We are very pleased with Logiq’s solution and the way they handled the process. They are professional, engaged, and clearly dedicated to delivering the best solutions for their customers!"
Torhild Nornes Hove, Strategic Product Owner at Fremtind
Results from day one
As a result of the successful project, a considerable proportion of the invoices received by Fremtind are now automatically processed. Much of the success comes from the use of Logiq Document Control, where previously manual tasks are now either automated or outsourced to the sender of the invoice. Further, the invoices are now automatically categorized into two distinct groups, enabling easier accounting and approval processes.
The solution does not only save Fremtind Insurance a considerable amount of unnecessary time and costs, but also ensures minimal errors in the invoice flow. As a result, Fremtind can redirect their efforts towards helping their customers in finding new and smart solutions that makes their lives easier and safer.
Fremtind Insurance was established in January 2019 through a merger between the Norwegian insurance companies Sparebank 1 and DNB. As Norway’s third largest insurance company, Fremtind offers insurance services to both private individuals and companies through collaboration with the country’s two leading banks.
