Sending Health Insurance Texts? Follow This TCPA Compliance Checklist

Imagine you’ve just enrolled a family in a health insurance plan. A week later, you send them a quick reminder about their first premium payment. Sounds helpful, right? But imagine, what if that text message was sent without their consent? That friendly reminder could turn into a hefty fine for your company under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

If you are a health insurance provider who wants to remind your customers about upcoming premium payments or notify them of their claim status, use health insurance text messages!

Why?

Text messages are a fast, direct, and convenient way to connect with your existing and potential customers. Using SMS is better than sending letters that get lost in the mail or emails that end up in spam folders.

However, here is the catch. One wrong move while texting insurance updates could lead to lawsuits or massive fines and/or lawsuits under the TCPA.

Therefore, you must follow the TCPA compliance checklist. In this guide, we will discuss:

• What TCPA is
• Why compliance matters for health insurance text messages
• TCPA compliance checklist you need to follow  with Do’s and Don’ts
• What happens if you break the rules
• How to stay safe with the automated SMS marketing platform like Textdrip

Let’s get started.

What is TCPA?

TCPA stands for Telephone Consumer Protection Act. It is a federal law designed to protect customers from unwanted calls and text messages, and it requires businesses to get consent before sending text messages. They are also required to provide clear opt-out options and avoid harassing people with spam text messages.

In short, TCPA ensures that texting insurance customers is done in a way that respects their time, privacy, and choice.

Why Health Insurance Text Messages Need Compliance

Health insurance is personal. Customers trust you with their sensitive information about their health, finances, and families when they take health insurance from you. It clearly means when you send health insurance text messages, you’re stepping into their trust zone.

Not complying with TCPA does not only mean fines, which can range from $500 to $1,500 per text, but it can also mean:

• You will lose customer trust
• It can damage your company’s reputation.
• You will face lawsuits that drain time and money.

TCPA compliance keeps your messages legal and helps you build long-term customer loyalty.

TCPA Compliance Checklist for Health Insurance Text Messages

Here is the step-by-step TCPA compliance guide for health insurance text messages.

1. Obtain Prior Express Consent

You must obtain explicit permission before texting insurance customers. This means they must knowingly opt-in through a clear and easily accessible process, not one hidden in fine print.

2. Use Clear and Transparent Opt-in Language

Transparency helps you build trust and reduce complaints. Therefore, ensure your customers know exactly what types of insurance texts they will receive, such as policy updates, billing reminders, etc.

3. Identify Your Business Clearly

Customers should always know who is texting them. It prevents confusion and spam complaints.

4. Provide Easy Opt-Out Options

As per TCPA, your text message must include simple unsubscribe options such as “Reply STOP.” If your text messages do not contain an opt-out option, it can lead to fines.

5. Respect Frequency and Time Zones

Avoid bombarding customers with excessive texts, and never message outside of business hours. Irrelevant or poorly timed messages, like those sent at 2 a.m. can irritate customers. Send only necessary updates at reasonable times.

6. Send Relevant Content Only

Your health insurance text message should focus on policy-related content such as policy reminders, billing, or claims. Get explicit consent before sending promotional text messages.

7. Differentiate Informational Vs Promotional Texts

Informational text messages require regular consent. On the other hand, promotional text messages require written consent.

8. Don’t Use Automated Texting Systems Without Proper Compliance

The TCPA typically restricts the use of automated texting systems. Therefore, if you automate health insurance text messages, you must ensure compliance and implement instant opt-out handling

9. Keep Records of Consent and Messages

If the customer disputes a text message, your records will protect you. Therefore, you should always keep proof of opt-ins, opt-outs, and sent messages.

10. Monitor Third-Party Vendors

Do you use a texting platform or a text marketing agency? If yes, you are still responsible for compliance. Always vet your partners cautiously.

11.  Educate Your Staff on TCPA Rules

One uninformed employee can send a single non-compliant text that leads to hefty compliance fines.

12. Regularly Review and Update Policies

TCPA rules frequently change with new cases and interpretations, so staying updated is essential to avoid falling behind.

What Happens If You Violate TCPA Regulations?

Breaking TCPA rules can be costly. Here is what could happen.

Fines – You need to pay fines up to $500 per unwanted text and up to $1,500 per text if violations are willful.

Lawsuits – Customers can sue individually or as a class-action case.

Reputation Loss  – People start seeing your brand as spammy or untrustworthy.

In short, failing to respect opt-out requests or not including them in your text messages can cost you money and lead to a loss of trust, which you cannot afford to lose.

Stay Compliant With Textdrip

Texting insurance customers is one of the best ways to keep them updated and engaged, but only if you follow TCPA rules. By using the above-discussed TCPA compliance checklist, you can ensure your health insurance text messages are legal, transparent, respectful, and trusted.

Do you know what the easiest way to stay compliant is? Use the SMS marketing platform built with TCPA in mind.

Textdrip is built for compliance with automated opt-in and opt-out management, clear record-keeping of every message, advanced control of timing and frequency, drip SMS campaigns, reminder drip, and much more.

Are you ready to send compliant health insurance text messages? Book a Textdrip demo to see how you can keep your customers informed without breaking the law.