What insurers send
| Message | Type | How it is sent |
|---|---|---|
| Renewal reminders with date and premium | Transactional, scheduled | Policy export uploaded with a template, scheduled ahead of renewal |
| Premium due and overdue notices | Transactional | Upload per billing run, or API from the policy admin system |
| Payment confirmations and receipts | Transactional | API when a payment posts |
| Policy issued, endorsed, lapsed, reinstated | Transactional | API from the policy admin system |
| Claim received, assessed, approved, paid | Transactional | API from the claims system at each stage |
| New product and cross-sell campaigns | Marketing | Console campaign to opted-in policyholders, A/B tested |
| Broker and agent notices | Broadcast | Contact group per branch or agency |
Renewal reminders that prevent lapses
A lapsed policy is usually a forgotten date, not a decision. A reminder 30 days out, another at 7 days, and a final notice on the day put the renewal date and the premium in the policyholder's hand each time. Run it from a policy export:
- Export policies renewing next month with the policyholder's number, name, policy type, renewal date and premium.
- Upload the file, write one template with those fields, and schedule the send 30 days before the earliest date.
- Repeat with the 7-day and same-day lists, or let the policy system call the API for each policy as its dates approach.
- Review delivery reports; a failed number is a policyholder whose contact details need updating before the next renewal.
Claims updates without the phone calls
Claimants phone because they do not know what stage they are at. If the claims system sends an SMS at each stage — received with a reference number, assessed, approved with the amount, paid — most of those calls disappear and the claimant's experience improves. Each message is one API call from the claims workflow, with the message ID stored on the claim for the audit trail.
Brokers, agents and the field
Brokers use the same account to reach their own books: renewal chasing by personalised upload, product notices by campaign, and a keyword on the shared short code so a prospect can text QUOTE to be called back. Larger brokers and agencies can join the reseller programme and give each client their own account and sender ID under the broker's partnership.
Sending from the insurer's name
Premium reminders ask people for money, so they must be recognisable. Request a branded sender ID (up to 11 characters) with an authorization letter on the insurer's letterhead; once approved, every message shows the brand.
Consent and personal data
Renewals, receipts and claims updates are transactional — the policyholder expects them. Cross-sell campaigns are marketing and need a recorded opt-in and an opt-out path, with opted-out numbers blacklisted so they are suppressed automatically. Keep health or claim detail out of the text itself; a reference number and a status are enough. The platform's Privacy notice covers how numbers and messages are processed under Zambia's Data Protection Act 2021.