In an interview with journalist Pavel Zingan, Daniela Zagnitco, Product Owner of Bancassurance at maib, reveals how Moldova's banking leader launched, for the first time, the option to purchase insurance directly through the maibank app. She also shares the steps maib is taking to continue innovating and providing modern digital solutions, making insurance accessible and simple for all clients.
Daniela, hello! Maib was the first bank in Moldova to offer clients the option to buy insurance online directly from the maibank app in early August, right?
Yes, that’s correct. If you open the maibank app and go to the "Life" page, you’ll see the “Insurance” icon. This is where you can directly access insurance services within the mobile app.
But can maib, as a bank, offer insurance to clients?
Absolutely, in collaboration with insurance companies. The option to purchase insurance through maibank is a new step in developing our mobile app’s ecosystem, marking the beginning of a digital insurance platform dedicated to maib clients.
Can clients choose from multiple insurance companies on this platform?
Currently, we are working with a limited number of companies. Over time, the list of companies and insurance types will expand, giving maib users more options.
What types of insurance are available now?
We currently offer travel medical insurance and mandatory car insurance (RCA) for vehicle owners.
I checked my maibank app and see travel insurance, but I don’t see RCA. Who is the car registered to?
To the company. At the moment, RCA insurance is available only for individual owners. If the car was registered in your name, you would see the option in the app. In the future, we plan to extend access to those who drive cars via power of attorney or leasing.
As a car owner, it's important for me not to forget to renew RCA on time to avoid fines. We’ve considered this. In maibank, you can see the start and end date of your insurance, the available insurance company, and their offer. RCA renewal takes just a few clicks and is completed in a minute.
Let’s get back to travel medical insurance. I understand how it works, but many people travel with their families. What if family members don’t have the maibank app?
They don’t need to. You can purchase travel medical insurance even for a group by entering each person’s name, date of birth, and ID number. Additionally, we have a feature that simplifies the process – just scan the ID card to automatically import the necessary data.
What if I’ve already left the country without insurance and decide later that I need it? You can buy travel medical insurance even from abroad; however, it will become active three days after payment, and this detail will be shown in your calendar. Also, if you choose an annual policy, you get a 48% discount.
One more question. If I bought insurance for several people, but at some point, we separate and end up in different cities?
No problem. You can download the insurance policy from the app and send it directly to the person. Travel and RCA insurance policies are automatically sent to the email registered in maibank. Additionally, policies can be added to your digital wallet (iOS/Android), and by scanning a QR code, the policy opens instantly.
How quickly will the platform expand to include more insurance companies?
It depends, just like with our current partners, on aligning our values. We want insurance companies to prioritize the client as much as we do and be ready for internal adjustments. Although insurers don’t yet have a fully digital product, once our aspirations aligned, we created Moldova’s first online insurance product available in a banking app.
For us, it’s essential not only to offer the option to purchase insurance via the app but also to ensure clients receive their claims as quickly and easily as possible when needed.
