Even for insurers that have attained high levels of efficiency,claims management and processing remains a complex, difficultendeavor. Each claim requires the involvement of differentprofessionals, many of them in varied locations, and many withwidely varying degrees of technological sophistication. At manyinsurers, there are deep pockets of expertise within the claimsworkforce, but finding and accessing that expertise may not alwaysbe easy.

At first glance, the claims workplace might seem to be fertileground for the application of collaboration technology. However, a number of obstacles standin the way for insurers seeking to improve communication andincrease efficiency in claims management. First and foremost is thestate of the systems supporting claims professionals. Althoughinsurers do not like to admit it, some claims management operationsare still in the "green screen" era, using outmoded technology toobtain, organize, analyze, and process claims information. Evencompanies that present a modern face to the publictouting thelatest mobile applications, for example, or using social media to initiate conversations with potentialcustomersmay rely on decades-old systems to handle and documentclaims. Such systems are often stitched together in ways thatdiscourage communication, let alone true collaboration.

Training, Technological Sophistication

The second obstacle is the training and technological sophistication of the claimsworkforce. Most of the claims workforce is more than 45-years-oldand, while these older workers have a great deal of knowledge aboutspecific types of claims, they tend to be less avid users of suchcollaboration tools as instant messaging, wikis or social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) than their younger counterparts. Unfortunately, one of the biggestchallenges in claims processing is in tapping older workers'knowledge and expertise, a task for which collaboration technologyis uniquely suited.

The third obstacle, ironically, is technology itself. Technological advances in mobile, streaming video, tabletcomputing, and other areas present insurers with a bewilderingarray of choices. It often seems easier and cheaper to stringtogether a series of point solutions rather than take acomprehensive approach to communications and collaboration.

In claims management and processing, however,insurers do not have the luxury of waiting for "the next bigthing." A flood of claims arrives every day. Each claim presentsthe insurer with the opportunity both to minimize losses and toplease the customer through speed and superior handling. Thequestion for insurers is not, "What is the perfect system?" butrather, "How can we make the best of what we have, or of what wecan afford right now?"

The stakes are quite high, not only in terms of cost savings but also for customer satisfaction. It isgenerally accepted that customer's loyalty depends upon his or hermost recent claims experience with a given carrier. Sincecollaboration can improve both the speed and the precision ofclaims processing, it can make a significant contribution toenhancing the customer experience as well.

Claims management is an inherently collaborative activity.Claims adjusters must gather information, obtain and reviewevidence, and, in many cases, interview claimants, witnesses orother parties. Claims staff must be in contact with underwriters,in-house and external legal counsel, and sometimes withinvestigators. At the most basic level, technologies such asmeeting schedulers and data sharing (including desktop sharing) canmake it easier to exchange information and review claims documentsas a group (quickly) rather than sequentially (slowly). Instantmessaging, as well as basic conferencing applications such as audio and Web conferencing,can be implemented or upgraded in most cases without overburdeningexisting IT systems.

Enhancing Claims Productivity

A 2009 study by Accenture showed that claims adjusters spent almost half oftheir time on non-core activities. To optimize performance inclaims, insurers must increase the amount of time theseprofessionals spend on value-added activities leading to claimsresolution. Through collaboration, lower-cost resources can betrained to handle tasks formerly handled by higher-cost people,with further improvements to the company's bottom line. A solutionincorporating contact center, instant messaging, expert locator,and videoconferencing can reduce the claims cycle time whileimproving decision-making and recovery. More advancedsolutions–using team spaces, document sharing, and immersiveteleconferencing, such as Cisco Telepresenceoffer similar returns and can also enhance the workexperience for claims professionals.

Collaborative tools have their most immediateimpact in key areas including first notice of loss (FNOL); incoming call routing; remotereview of management files; damage reviews; and customercommunications. Collaboration can also improve the customerexperience. During a FNOL call, for example, if a call center agentdiscovers that an adjuster's assistance is required, then advancedcall center technology enables an immediate transfer to theappropriate person. Before transferring the call, a conversationvia instant messaging or an audio conversation with screen sharingallows the call center agent to fully brief the claims adjuster onthe case, making it unnecessary for the customer to repeat anyinformation he or she already provided. Depending on the type ofloss a customer reports, software prompts the call center agent toensure that the customer provides all needed information– forexample details about the police reports. In turn, this exchangeenables the call center agent to relay important information to thecustomer (such as preferred repair shops) while facilitatingone-click access to experts when assistance is required.

Collaboration also enables claims adjusters to obtain immediateinput from managers (as necessary) during a call. Adjusters canquickly find an available claims executive, review the case withand secure approval, even if that executive is physically locatedin a different office, or perhaps even in a different country.

Web conferencing also enables adjusters to more quickly obtainaccurate damage assessments by discussing estimates with body shopsand reviewing photos during the conference. Customers can beupdated "on-demand" through Web portal access to claims information. Insurers saddled withincompatible and/or outdated legacy systems may find the concept ofcollaboration to be daunting, especially given the range ofavailable technologies and the variety of vendors.

Implementing CollaborationTechnology

Given the benefits derived from collaboration, however, it isimportant to start somewhere. We find that there are three logicalentry points for implementation of collaboration technology:

Stage 1. Property & casualty insurers in the beginning stages ofcollaboration development may find that instant messaging is aneasy way to start, especially when accompanied by desktop sharing.Updated instant messaging systems now incorporate features thatmake it easier to find out, for example, if a supervisor isavailable for a quick conversation. This can be invaluable for callcenter staffers who may only need a quick answer to continue theprocess on a claim that might otherwise be delayed. Faster accessto supervisors is especially important if, as is true in manycases, different parts of the claims function are in differentlocations.

Stage 2. For insurers with basic collaborationtechnology already in place, the next step is a claims system thatprovides users with the ability to see the same information at thesame time, while incorporating restrictions as to document accessand edits. The ability to view information while engaged in atelephone or online meeting greatly enhances the efficiency of theprocess.

Stage 3. To reach an optimal state incollaboration, insurers should add smart business rules to automatethe collaboration process. Rules that automatically routeinquiries, for example, to special investigative SIU, recoveryunits, or for supervisors to then review can create a smoother pathfor specific claims.

Overall, collaboration is still in the early stages of adaptionin most insurers' claims functions. However, by providing theability for claims professionals to create and edit claiminformation as a teamand by improving overall communications bothinside and outside the claims processinvestments in collaborationcan deliver substantial returns on relatively modest investments.These benefits, in turn, will be amplified as insurers invest inother new claims technologies and process improvements. 

Patti Griffin is a senior executive in Accenture's NorthAmerican insurance practice. She can be reached at [email protected]