Innovation

Innovation, at the heart of its DNA since the very beginning

Armed with a unique business model in the insurance market, APRIL has made innovation its focus in order to stand out from the crowd, but also to improve the customer experience and set new standards in the market.

A customer is talking to a smiling hostess in APRIL.

A non-stop drive for innovation

When APRIL arrived on the scene, the whole approach to customer service was brought up to date, with simpler, clearer product guides, reimbursements for healthcare expenses within 72 hours then 24 hours, a warm, personalised welcome and a more attentive approach, monthly property and casualty insurance premiums for small businesses, medical policy subscription over the phone, paperless claims handling, etc. This year has once again seen further developments such as loan insurance for 18-35 year olds with full web distribution, a product designed for seniors with rolling prices, paperless funeral insurance for brokers as well as 'APRIL For Me' which offers a whole range of services for employees in the event of facing difficult times.

A smiling little girl is hunging an another smiling girl.

Innovating through tailored products

It is in its approach to the market that APRIL is innovative. For the group, innovation means tailoring products, just like it did with its loan insurance at differentiated rates according to the age of the policy holder, its QR code for craftsmen and its socially-responsible 'Aimants familiaux' product which aims to make life easier for parent-carers. In order to do that, it draws on its network of businesses which are experts in niche markets, which enables it to offer highly specialised products to address its customers' specific requirements.

Some people are brainstorming.

Taking an agile approach to innovation in order to conform to regulatory changes

To continue innovating in a highly competitive and changing market is the challenge which APRIL has set itself. APRIL therefore designed 'Santé ANI', the very first group private health insurance solution for small businesses which complies with the new legal obligations, set out by the new regulations, only three weeks after the decree was published. Following the introduction of the Hamon Act, it also launched 'Mes Démarches Simplissim', the first free service offering support to customers wanting to change their loan insurance.

Two women are working on a withe board.

Reputed innovations

The APRIL group's tailored approach regularly receives awards from brokering and insurance stakeholders. Its subsidiary APRIL Marine received the Innovation Award at the 2013 Argus d'Or de l'assurance for its comprehensive sailing insurance which included a unique 'APRIL Marine Assistance' service, whereas APRIL International has received three Brokering Awards over the past few years, the most recent during the 2013 Brokering trade show for its APRIL Expat mobile application. More recently, APRIL Santé Prévoyance was awarded the Innovation prize at the 2014 Brokering Awards for 'Ma Santé Evolutive', a unique private health insurance product on the market specifically designed for the over 50s.