"Why would I pay you? Insurers never pay out anyway." It sounds like a dead end, and many advisers answer it with a defence of the industry. That rarely works, because the client is usually not making an argument. They are telling you about an experience, their own or someone close to them. Treat it as a story you have not heard yet.
Practise this exact objection now. The property claim distrust scenario puts you on the phone with a client after a bad claim experience. Start it in the DIRI AI sales call simulator. The Free plan is 3 voice calls a month, up to 5 minutes each, no card.
What the client usually means in insurance
Variant 1: "It happened to me." A claim was refused, cut or delayed. Often the reason was an exclusion, an excess or underinsurance the client did not understand when they signed. They feel cheated, and in a sense they were, if nobody explained it.
Variant 2: "I've heard it happens." A neighbour, a news story, a relative. The client has no case of their own but a general sense that the small print is designed to say no. This is distrust of the whole category, not of you.
Ask before you answer: "I'm sorry to hear that. Was that something that happened to you, or more what you hear from others?"
Three replies you can say word for word
1. Ask for the story. "That sounds like it was a bad experience. What happened with the claim?" Then listen to the end. Do not explain, do not correct. Write down the reason they were given for the refusal; it tells you which part of the next policy they need explained.
2. Make the limits visible before anything else. "Then let's start with what a policy like this doesn't pay. These are the three exclusions people ask about most: [one], [two], [three]. If any of those is a deal-breaker, better to know now." Putting the exclusions first is the opposite of what the client expects, which is why it works. Only do it if you can name them accurately.
3. Check the sum insured together. "One common reason a claim pays less than expected is that the sum insured is lower than the value of what's covered. Would it help to check that together, using your current numbers?" For property, this is often the real cause. Say it as a check, not as proof that the client was at fault.
A sample dialogue (six turns)
This example is fictional. It is not a transcript of a real call.
Client: Look, I'll be honest. Insurers never pay out. We had water damage two years ago and got a fraction of it.
Adviser: I'm sorry, that's a hard thing to go through. What reason did they give for paying less?
Client: Something about the flat being underinsured. We'd renovated, but nobody told us to update the policy.
Adviser: That happens more often than people think, and it should be explained when you sign. Would it help if we checked the current value against what you're insured for now?
Client: Maybe. But I don't want to switch just to have the same thing happen.
Adviser: Understood. Let's check the numbers first. If your current policy is fine once it's updated, I'll tell you that.
The adviser does not defend insurers, does not blame the client and does not mention a new product. The anger becomes a concrete check that the client can see the point of.
One line not to say
"That's just not true, our claims department is very fair."
You are contradicting someone's lived experience with a marketing claim. Even if your insurer does have a good record, the client has no reason to believe you yet. Show them the terms, not the reputation.
A note on regulated sales
Insurance distribution is regulated, and the duties around explaining exclusions, excess and the sum insured differ by country and product. In many markets you must give the client product information in a set form before the contract. This page is not legal advice. Your firm's compliance contact decides what you have to disclose and how. Do not comment on whether the client's earlier claim was handled correctly; you do not have the file, and a complaint about it belongs with that insurer or the relevant complaints body. For how to document the needs side, see the insurance needs analysis step by step.
Drill it in the matching scenario
- Open the property claim distrust scenario.
- When the client brings up the bad claim, use reply 1 and let them finish. Count how long you stay silent.
- Read the report. Did you defend the industry, or did you ask about their case?
- Repeat the call with reply 2 and name the limits first. Which version ended with an agreed next step?
For underinsurance as its own topic, try the underinsured household scenario. Short answers to related objections: insurers do not pay and bad experience. If the conversation then turns to price, continue with too expensive in insurance sales.
FAQ
Should I apologise for another insurer's decision?
You can say you are sorry the client went through it; that is empathy, not an admission. Do not say the other insurer was wrong. You do not know the details, and it is not your decision to judge.
What if the client wants me to help with the old claim?
Be clear about what you can do. If you were not their adviser on that policy, you can point them to the insurer's complaints process or a relevant complaints body, but you should not promise an outcome.
How do I talk about exclusions without scaring the client off?
Name them plainly and briefly, then ask whether any of them matters for their situation. Clients who hear limits up front tend to trust the rest of what you say. Rehearse this in the property claim distrust scenario until the list sounds calm.
Where can I practise other insurance calls?
The insurance industry page lists situations and scenarios, and insurance phone sales practice explains how to rehearse the calls that matter most.
Try it yourself: run one free practice call and read which sentence the report suggests changing. See the Free plan.