People with disabilities actively use remote financial services: Bank of Russia’s survey
Nearly 40% of respondents use remote services regularly, while half of them are ready to stop visiting financial institutions personally.
The regulator surveyed people with visual or hearing impairments or musculoskeletal conditions. Most of them note that remote access to a bank account has become easier and more convenient. However, people with low vision still find it difficult to use websites or mobile apps full of graphic and interactive elements as they are not always interpreted well by special accessibility apps.
The Bank of Russia has recommended that all financial institutions adapt and actively use their remote channels for providing financial and auxiliary services to people with disabilities, offer them consultations with a bank employee rather than a chatbot, ask about their needs in advance and take them into account.
Overall, these customers now use bank accounts, open deposit accounts, and take out insurance policies, including voluntary insurance policies, more frequently but still on a much lesser scale than other people do. The main reasons are complicated terms and high prices for insurance products for this population category.
The Bank of Russia is planning to develop recommendations for financial institutions to install touch screen self-service terminals and enhance services offered on financial platforms. These and other measures are set out in the Priorities of the Financial Inclusion Programme of the Russian Federation for