The public image of insurance is improving, thanks to insurers’ performance following recent disasters – but some claimants are still in danger of “drowning in red tape”.

That’s the view of Zurich Australia CEO David Smith, who told a conference in Sydney last week that more needs to be done by the industry to make claims resolution easier.

He says some insurers “still manage to shoot themselves in the foot, especially over the vexing issue of flood cover”.

“The confusion with the floods up north earlier this year about who had flood cover or not did little to improve perceptions about the industry,” he said.

“The best thing the industry can do to improve its image is to demonstrate we are there for customers when they need us – not drown them in red tape.

“The industry needs to make it easier and cheaper for them to gain coverage and even easier to resolve their claims.”

But Mr Smith says recent major catastrophes like the Victorian bushfires “have clearly demonstrated that insurers are part of the community and we do what we do well – helping people get their lives back on track when disaster strikes”.

“Perhaps ironically, the perception of insurers and brokers no doubt improved during these terrible times.”