Kaiser Permanente receives No. 1 customer loyalty ranking in health insurance sector

Kaiser Permanente received the highest customer loyalty ranking in the health insurance sector, based on the Satmetrix 2011 Net Promoter® industry rankings. A new addition to this year's benchmarks, Kaiser Permanente received a Net Promoter Score, or NPS® of 28 percent, more than 30 points higher than the industry average of negative 5 percent.

"Kaiser Permanente stood out as the leader in customer loyalty among eight health insurance providers profiled in the benchmark study," said John Abraham, general manager of Net Promoter programs at Satmetrix. "The company's managed care model, which combines health insurance with provision of care, set it apart from traditional health insurance companies. Customers mentioned personalized service, convenience and high-quality end-to-end health care as key reasons they would recommend the company."    

"We are very pleased to know that our focus on quality care, customer service and convenience is being recognized by consumers across the country. Kaiser Permanente has made a significant effort to put our patients and members at the center of all we do," said Arthur M. Southam, MD, executive vice president, Health Plan Operations, for Kaiser Permanente. "Our unique integrated care delivery model, supported by ground-breaking health information technology, enables us to coordinate a member's care efficiently and effectively."

Other companies that ranked No. 1 in their industry included JetBlue, Symantec, Vanguard, Apple, Google and American Express. The Net Promoter Benchmark rankings are based on survey responses from more than 22,000 U.S. consumers nationwide. Each consumer rates up to two companies from whom they have purchased products or services within the previous 12 months. A company's NPS is based on customers' likelihood to recommend the company. NPS is calculated as the percentage of customers who are Promoters, rating the company 9 or 10 on a zero-to-10 point scale, minus the percentage who are Detractors, rating 6 or lower. 

Consumers also rated each company on various aspects of customer experience, including product or service features, customer service and overall value, allowing Satmetrix to analyze drivers of loyalty and performance gaps for each company.