Legal technology company Estatesearch has confirmed that 70% of firms now have a defined policy to identify estate assets – up from 62% last year – according to 261 respondents that completed the company’s annual customer satisfaction survey.
Further, 98% of respondents (255) believe that Financial Asset Searches add value to the service they provide to their clients (up from 97% in 2024).
Ben Furlong, Managing Director, Estatesearch commented:
“Identifying assets within estate administration has become increasingly challenging in recent years due to increased digital communication and the move to online banking. Gone are the days when a solicitor could monitor the post to establish the bank accounts of a deceased client. Therefore, is very positive to see how many firms are proactively modernising and updating their processes to reflect these changes.”
Estatesearch’s Financial Profile Search contacts with more than 150 organisations, searching over 450 companies and brands including banks, building societies, investment managers, share registrars, pension providers and insurers to help identify profiles. If a financial institution confirms the deceased holds an account or a pension, legal representatives can then make further enquiries to determine the full nature of the assets held.
Estatesearch’s customer survey also found that 75% of respondents (180) confirmed that the Financial Profile Search had helped them identify assets that they would have been otherwise unaware of (up from 74% in 2024 and 63% in 2023). Comments included:
- “You were able to locate many accounts which we were not aware of resulting in well over £100k of other assets found.”
- “We located a £75,000 NS&I product the family were not aware of.”
- “I located a £25k or so account with Fidelity which the executor husband was not previously aware of.”
Furlong continues,
“As well as discovering how clients value the various services we provide, we also asked what clients would like improved and what products they would like to see us develop in the future as well as the topics that could be covered in our webinar series. This feedback is essential to ensure we keep delivering the best and most relevant solutions.
“We also asked about our clients’ experiences working with our team. I’m delighted to confirm that 100% of respondents rated Estatesearch’s customer services team as excellent or good for approachability, responsiveness and for their knowledge of our products and services.”
99.3% of respondents would recommend Estatesearch to an industry colleague.
Based on the responses Estatesearch’s NPS score is 71.
Estatesearch provides Asset & Liability Searches and Digital Asset Searches, Will Searches, Trustee Notices, Overseas & UK Bankruptcy Searches, Unoccupied Property Insurance, and Share Services including valuation, verification and sale or transfer. With no registration or subscription fees, customers simply pay for the disbursements they need, when they need them.
Searches are ordered through Estatesearch’s free secure online portal also proved popular with 99% of survey respondents rating it as excellent or good in terms of accessibility, simplicity, and ease of use, with 97% confirming the Portal is excellent or good for saving time.
Ben Furlong concludes:
“The insight and positive feedback from our survey inspires us to keep enhancing our services for the benefit of the industry. Guided by our clients, we will continue to explore how data and technology can streamline processes, deliver innovative solutions, and support them in meeting due diligence requirements in estate administration, while achieving better outcomes for their own clients.”
For further information please visit: Services – Estatesearch
This article was submitted to be published by Estatesearch as part of their advertising agreement with Today’s Wills and Probate. The views expressed in this article are those of the submitter and not those of Today’s Wills and Probate.
