Wellabe Drives Efficiency and Automation in Pre-Need Claims with Benekiva

Wellabe partnered with Benekiva to modernize its pre-need claims operations, transforming a manual, paper-driven process into a digital, automation-first workflow. Operating within a unique ecosystem centered on funeral home partners, Wellabe needed to streamline first notice of loss, reduce manual effort, and accelerate claim processing without disrupting existing systems.

By implementing Benekiva’s platform, Wellabe achieved a 50% increase in productivity, enabled 65% auto-adjudication of funeral home claims, and significantly reduced administrative burden on claims teams. The transformation has created a scalable foundation for continued automation and operational improvement.

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Goals

Driving efficiency, automation, and partner simplicity

• Improve operational efficiency by reducing manual claim handling
• Digitize and simplify claim submission for funeral home partners
• Increase automation and straight-through processing rates

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Problem

Manual processes slowing down a high-volume operation

Wellabe’s pre-need claims process required manual work across multiple systems. Claims were received through a mix of faxes, emails, and mailed documents, requiring employees to manually upload, match, and validate information before processing could begin.

This created several challenges:

• High administrative burden on claims staff
• Increased potential for errors during first notice of loss and data validation
• Delays caused by incomplete or mismatched information
• Frequent back-and-forth with funeral homes to gather missing documentation

Additionally, Wellabe operates in a distinct claims environment where funeral homes are the primary point of interaction. These partners often vary in technical sophistication, creating additional friction in adopting digital processes and submitting claims efficiently.

The result was a process that limited scalability, slowed processing times, and required significant manual oversight.

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Solution

A digital, automation-first claims workflow

Wellabe selected Benekiva to digitize and automate its pre-need claims workflow while maintaining flexibility across its existing systems.

The implementation focused on:

• Digital first notice of loss for funeral home partners
• Centralized claim management to reduce system fragmentation
• Automation and auto-adjudication for straightforward claims
• Improved data validation to support accurate, efficient processing

Benekiva enabled funeral homes to submit claims directly through a digital platform, reducing reliance on manual intake channels such as fax and email. At the same time, automation capabilities allowed many claims to move through the process with minimal human intervention.

Importantly, the solution supported Wellabe’s need to balance internal efficiency with external usability, ensuring that even less tech-savvy partners could successfully adopt the platform.

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Implementation

Phased rollout with continuous optimization

Phases

1. Initial digitization of claim FNOL and workflows
2. Integration with existing systems and processes
3. Expansion of automation and auto-adjudication capabilities
4. Ongoing optimization focused on reducing manual steps and increasing straight-through processing

Teams Involved

• Wellabe Claims Operations and Customer Success
• Wellabe Data and Process Improvement Teams
• Benekiva Product, Engineering, and Client Success

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Results

Productivity gains at scale

Operational Impact

• 50% increase in productivity across claims operations
• ~60% of funeral home claims auto-adjudicated

Efficiency Gains

• Significant reduction in manual claim setup and data entry
• Fewer touchpoints required to process claims
• Improved ability to scale operations without proportional staffing increases

Process Improvements

• More consistent and accurate intake through digital submission
• Reduced need for manual validation and correction of claim data
• Increased straight-through processing rates

Partner Experience

• Simplified claim submission for funeral homes
• Reduced back-and-forth communication
• Improved visibility into claim progress

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Conclusion

A scalable foundation for continued automation

Wellabe’s partnership with Benekiva demonstrates how automation and digital workflows can transform even the most manual claims environments. By focusing on efficiency, scalability, and partner experience, Wellabe has built a modern claims operation capable of supporting future growth.

Interested in learning more? Reach out to our team.