Australia's most popular health insurance website has been given a refresh, to improve the service and functionality provided to almost three million Medibank Private members and future customers.
After receiving a 32% increase in traffic in the past year, the new Medibank Private website is a key element of the just unveiled refreshed consumer brand for the fund.
Medibank Private's website - www.medibank.com.au - is among the most popular in Australia, with over 1 million visitors during the last year. The site has just been refreshed to coincide with a major brand and advertising launched nationally on 5 October.
The Medibank Private website was previously awarded the most popular health insurance site in 2002/03 in the annual Hitwise/Australian Financial Review survey.
Not only does the Medibank Private website provide online joining, its membership servicing elements cover both vital detail on insurance products and the company, whilst also providing important information on a wide range of material designed to promote health and well being, with links to the National Heart Foundation, the National Asthma Council and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Ms Lisa Henderson, Head of Marketing for Medibank Private, said that updating the company's website was an all-important part of the Medibank Private brand relaunch.
"We want to continue to build on the number of members who already enjoy the convenience of using Medibank Private's online services," Ms Henderson said.
"Critically our website is now also the fastest growing recruitment tool for consumers joining or considering taking out private health insurance cover with Medibank Private.
"Private health insurance, in both its marketing and consumer engagement, will in the future lend itself more and more to online activity, and it is absolutely paramount that Medibank Private remains the dominant player in this arena.
"Our newly refreshed and easy to navigate web engine is plainly and simply about further positioning Medibank Private as the fund-of-choice among health insurance consumers."
Ms Henderson said Medibank Private member feedback continues to show that their online activities such as being able to pay premiums or renew cover online, locate a nearby retail centre, order a new card, suspend membership, make claims or change personal details, were all useful and web-friendly processes.
She said Medibank Private's newly refreshed website now also contained a number of improvements and additional features that will make navigating the site and conducting business even easier.
"Members can now navigate around a more 'user friendly' website, and they will soon benefit from plans to introduce improved online member self services including a real-time, online assist service", Ms Henderson said.
In addition to the cosmetic and functional changes to the website, Medibank Private is upgrading and replacing infrastructure to reduce download times and improve members' browsing experience.
"We want to send a message to our members and the wider community that online services are a fully integrated part of Medibank Private - from sales and marketing, to distribution and transaction processing", Ms Henderson said
Medibank Private's website relaunch project began in June 2003 and is now live in conjunction with the fund's brand refresh and promotional activities.