NU Online News Service, June 17, 1:50 p.m.EDT

Travelers says it is seeing a substantial increase in the numberof claims filed by mobile devices during the past year, a sign ofthe growing popularity of smartphones.

Travelers compared claims data from the first four months of2010 versus the same time period in 2011. The company says the datashow that the number of claims filed using mobile devices more thantripled.

“The faster our customers report claims to Travelers, the fasterwe can help them,” says Jay Gauthier, vice president, TravelersPersonal Insurance Marketing. “That’s why we continue to developtechnologies that make it easy for our customers to communicatewith us in the way that’s most convenient to them—whether online,over the phone, or through their mobile devices, 24 hours a day,seven days a week.”

As part of the claim study, Travelers found that 70 percent ofclaims filed through mobile devices related to personal-autoinsurance, 28 percent were personal-insurance property claims, andthe remaining 2 percent were business-insurance property claims (.5percent) and business-insurance auto claims (1.5 percent).

“Our claims analysis reveals that at the time of an autoaccident, it is convenient for individuals to report the claimthrough their mobile device so they can quickly begin the processof getting their car back to the condition it was in before theaccident took place,” says Gauthier.