Bulk SMS for insurance: reminders without oversharing
Insurance clients need to hear from you before a premium is due, before cover ends and while a claim is open. SMS reaches them on any phone. Keep each message short and keep policy details off it.
What insurers and agents send by SMS
| Message | When to send |
|---|---|
| Premium due reminder | Five days before, and on the due date |
| Renewal notice | A month before cover ends, then a week before |
| Claim documents received | The day they arrive |
| Claim settled or next step needed | As soon as it happens |
| Payment received | The same day |
Keep policy details off SMS
An SMS can be read by anyone who picks up the phone. Treat it as a prompt to act, not a place for policy details.
- Leave out full policy and ID numbers, medical details and beneficiaries.
- Do not state the reason for a claim or the amount claimed.
- Say what the client needs to do and give a number to call or a WhatsApp line.
- Sign off with your company or agency name so clients know it is genuine.
Tell clients you will never ask for a PIN or password by SMS. It helps them spot fraudsters using your name.
Renewal reminders that keep clients covered
Send the first renewal notice about a month before cover ends, so there is time to compare and pay. Follow up a week before, and once more on the last day if the client has not renewed. Stop the reminders as soon as payment is in.
Consent for new products
Reminders about a client's own policy are service messages. Telling clients about a new product is marketing: under the Data Protection Act you need their express consent first, and every promotional SMS needs a way to opt out. Use a separate promotional sender ID on Safaricom.