Service function is responsible for serving the customer requests once they purchase a policy. The Service function gets several requests from customers, such as corrections in policy, filing of claims, policy document related questions, and other similar complaints/grievances.

Ensuring customer satisfaction is very important for the service function as this helps build customer confidence and also makes way for better customer retention. With the progress in technology, insurance companies offer various channels to address customer grievances. The following diagram shows the various means insurance companies use to have customers reach out to them:

Though the figure is self-explanatory, let us quickly summarize it:

• Call Center: Call center is a traditional approach, where customers reach out to insurance companies via telephone. The call center employs service personnel to answer queries. These days it is common for companies to have a toll-free number, allowing customers to reach out without incurring telephone charges.
• Web-Chat: Web chat is a text based chat allowing customers to visit web site of the insurance company and chat with an agent. It is similar to a call center where there are service personnel waiting to respond to chat requests.
• Email: Call centers and web-chat may not be available 24x7, so companies use emails to receive grievances. The companies offer a support email ([email protected]), or they may offer multiple email ids, for example, [email protected], [email protected], and so on. On writing an email, a ticket is created automatically and an acknowledgement sent to the customer.
• Web Site form: Web site form is a form usually available under support section of the company's website. The web site form takes inputs such as customer name, email address, contact number, policy number, and reason for compliant; it may give additional fields, such as description box, and may even allow images to be uploaded.
• Self-Service: Self service allows customers to resolve a lot of compliants themselves without going through a support channel.
• Customer Portal: The customer portal is a section of website that is available to the customers once they login. Customer portal allows the users to see all their details with respect to number of policies, premiums, claims, and so on. The customer portal may internally have other channels for support, such as chat, raising a ticket, or emailing the problem. With customer portal, the advantage is that the customers can track the status of their complaints.
• Social Media: Social media has now become a popular way for users to reach out to companies. Companies operate dedicated twitter handles or facebook pages where customers can leave comments/posts/tweets. These channels are continuously monitored by the company and responses are sent from the same channels.
• Branch servicing: Branches offer the comfort of face to face interaction for the customers. Some customers (especially senior citizens)  are still used to this traditional approach and do not mind traveling to their nearest branch.