Legal & General has seen a 72 per cent increase in customers using digital channels during the pandemic, with more than one million more customers going online to access financial services.

Usage data compiled by the insurance, investments and financial services group found that visits to its website were up 40 per cent compared to the previous year, at 4.6 million visits.

A total of 24,000 enquiries were from customers looking for information about the impact of COVID-19 as more users access digital self-service channels.

The average number of customer enquiries that the group has answered online has also increased from 10,500 in 2019 to 83,000 by the end of the first half of 2020.

L&G saw an 82 per cent increase over the same period last year in customers carrying out actions online such as completing quote applications, accessing documents, nominating beneficiaries, switching funds and updating their profiles.

As stock markets fluctuated, investments and savings customers have returned to their accounts upwards of three times per month to check holding values, far more frequently than in previous months, the company said.

Over the COVID-19 period, L&G has incorporated a number of new digital processes and procedures to enable customers to continue using their products and services. Customers can now make pension benefit claims over the phone as well as sending payment instruction forms by post. They can also now sign documents digitally with DocuSign and bereavement notifications can be submitted via the website.

Robert Jamieson, chief digital and technology officer at L&G, said: “Much digital change has been driven out of necessity this year - it’s a reminder of how critically important it is for businesses to have robust operational processes that can flex significantly according to circumstances.

“Arguably, the pandemic has irreversibly changed the way that we as consumers conduct our daily lives, and managing our finances is no exception," he continued, adding: "Robust digital services and data-driven ways of working have never been more critical in being able to meet this need, scaling and responding quickly whilst retaining an unwavering customer focus.”

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