Most people do not think about a mutual insurance company in their day-to-day lives. They are discreet organisations that operate in the background, supporting people who have suffered a workplace accident or work-related illness, allowing the labour system to keep moving.

They are part of the silent infrastructure we often overlook, such as the electricity grid, water supply, and the servers behind our apps. We only notice them when something goes wrong, and their value becomes obvious.

The same happens with mutual insurance providers.

A workplace accident or a medical leave is enough to realise they are there, holding together critical processes when they are needed most. And in that moment, when urgency demands speed, and the individual is in a vulnerable situation, an element appears that is rarely mentioned but can change the entire experience. We are talking about identity verification in mutual insurance companies.

What does it mean to verify the identity of a member?

Identity verification is the process of confirming that the person making a request is who they claim to be. This is important for benefits, medical leave, and administrative tasks. For mutual insurance, it reliably connects a person to their rights, history, and services.

In practice, this type of verification combines several elements which, when well designed, can turn a process traditionally prone to errors into one that is efficient and secure. The aim is to avoid friction at a time when the worker may be anxious, in pain, under pressure or unable to travel to a medical centre.

Operationally, verifying identity early makes internal management easier. Once confirmed, systems can process cases, assign services, and validate access without extra checks. This reduces manual work and keeps information consistent throughout the member’s relationship.

So, how do mutual insurance providers verify their members’ identities?

There are different ways to verify identity, and providers can combine steps depending on the procedure and its risk level.

Remote verification model

1. Document verification

This is the first and essential step. The member’s identity document, such as a national ID card, residence permit or passport, is captured.

At this stage, technology automates:

• Capturing and extracting data directly from the identity document.
• Checking security and visual appearance to make sure the document is real and has not been tampered.

2. Facial biometrics with liveness detection

After capturing the document, the process can go further by using biometrics:

• The member takes a real-time selfie.
• The system verifies that the person in front of the camera is a real individual, preventing attacks such as photos on screens or deepfakes.
• The image from the document is then compared with the selfie.

Biometric matching gives more certainty than document checks alone, especially in fully remote processes.

This process can have two outcomes:

• OK: The member completes the process, including the form, document capture and selfie with liveness detection, and is correctly registered in the system.
• KO: If there are inconsistencies or not enough confidence, the case goes to a medical centre for in-person verification.

Hybrid verification model

The hybrid model is designed for mutual insurance providers that choose to keep both identity verification channels open, digital and in person. This allows members to choose one or the other from the outset, depending on their circumstances or preferences.

In this approach, both channels coexist as equivalent options. The flow is the same, but in the in-person option, staff support the member in completing the digital process at the care centre.

Digital identity is the foundation of trust in mutual insurance companies

Identity verification is more than just a technical step. It builds trust between the mutual insurance provider, its members, and partner companies.

When done well, this process reduces fraud risk, speeds up service, and improves the user experience.

Without an agile identity verification system, mutual insurance providers face issues that directly affect efficiency and reputation:

• Fraud and identity theft, with financial costs and legal consequences.
• Administrative errors caused by poor document management.
• Delays in care, especially during urgent situations.
• Staff become overloaded when they have to verify each case by hand.

For these reasons, identity verification is not optional. It is not a luxury, but an operational, legal and business necessity, essential to guarantee trust, service continuity and an appropriate experience at particularly sensitive moments for the member.

Use cases for digital identity in mutual insurance providers

Identity verification in mutual insurance involves many points where identity confirmation is required. While each organisation is different, some situations are common across the industry:

Opening medical leave cases

When a worker is unwell and needs medical leave quickly, they may not be able to travel. Identity verification is key here and often part of digital onboarding. If done right, the provider can open the case quickly and avoid problems with unclear documents later.

Workplace accident management

In a workplace accident, time is measured in terms of care. Fast verification enables identification of the worker, activation of the appropriate protocol, and delivery of immediate assistance.

Benefits and compensation

Any request involving money needs strong checks. Verification helps prevent impersonation and duplicate claims that could risk the provider’s resources. The goal is to make this sensitive process more secure.

Access to digital platforms and private areas

Many members use digital platforms for telemedicine, managing benefits, viewing reports, and checking their medical history. Facial biometrics ensure secure access to these private areas.

Data updates and remediation campaigns

Even simple tasks like updating an ID can cause problems if it is unclear who is making the request. Automated document capture or upload removes doubt and cuts down on time-consuming corrections.

Voice biometrics in customer service

In non-clinical channels such as telephone support, voice biometrics enable authentication without asking for sensitive information or repetitive questions that could compromise security in the event of data theft or leaks.

The digital channel is the core of the member experience

Mutual insurance providers are moving towards a relationship model in which the digital channel is no longer just a processing tool but becomes the core of the member experience. It is the point of entry, support and continuity, and where the first perception of service quality is formed.

With a single digital platform, members can manage their relationship with the provider independently, for both care and non-care needs. This makes things less complicated and lets people interact at their own pace and comfort level.

Multi-device access via computer, tablet or mobile phone ensures the experience adapts to the member’s real context, not the other way around. Giving users control over how and where they interact reduces cognitive friction, lowers early abandonment and improves service perception from the very first contact, especially in situations of urgency or physical discomfort.

Identity verification is often the first real interaction with the platform, making it a key moment. If designed well, it offers security without feeling intrusive. While any device can be used, mobile phones usually work best because of better cameras, leading to higher success rates and less frustration.

The dual sustainability of the care model

The digital transformation of identity verification processes in mutual insurance providers has an impact that goes beyond operational improvement or user experience. It also introduces a sustainability dimension that operates on two complementary levels: environmental and systemic.

From an environmental perspective, digitising processes aligns with the mission of mutual insurance providers. Caring for people’s health also means using resources responsibly and maintaining a balanced relationship with the environment.

Digitalisation also makes the care system itself more sustainable. Faster, trackable processes help providers manage capacity, use time more effectively, and maintain high service quality, even when demand is up. This way, the care model stays effective and people-focused over time.

Making the right decisions is also a responsibility

The main goal of mutual insurance providers is to support and care for workers. This care is not just about direct help. It also shows how support processes are designed, even if they are not visible.

Most of the decisions behind a digital onboarding process are not seen. They do not appear in forms, guidance messages or final validations. They are prior decisions that define what is requested, when it is requested and under what conditions a process is considered valid.

These decisions quietly shape everything. They decide if a process moves forward or gets stuck, feels smooth or complicated, and whether it helps or adds stress. Members do not see them, but they are crucial to how the system works.

Taking responsibility is not about adding more steps or controls, but about choosing what is truly essential. Care also means simplifying processes, setting clear priorities, and thinking through the impact of each decision before acting.

If you need an identity verification process for mutual insurance companies that matches the level of care you provide, we can help you analyse and implement the right solution.

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Verify your customers’ identities in seconds through ID document scanning and validation, and facial biometric matching with liveness detection.