Technology is constantly changing how consumers interact withtheir world — we can purchase our groceries online and pick them upat the store without getting out of the car. We can order itemsfrom an online service provider and have them delivered to our doorwithin 24 hours. Products, services and even insurance can bepurchased on our cell phones from just about anywhere.

Some millennials don't remember life before texting, socialmedia and cell phones. They expect to be able to get directions,take photos, watch videos, speak to friends around the globe andpurchase products all on a mobile device.

This expectation has crossed over into the insurance space, andinsurers are making significant investments in technology toimprove the claims process, simplify the first notice of loss andkeep insureds abreast of what is transpiring with their claims.Some InsurTech start-ups allow policyholders topurchase insurance from their phones and use artificialintelligence to assess and pay their claims.

PropertyCasualty360.com, RMS and Claims magazine will be hostinga Twitter chat on Wednesday, May 9 from 1-2 p.m. ET that willexamine how technology is changing, its impact on the insuranceindustry and how policyholders view these changes.

Consumers unaware of technology changes

A recent study from J.D. Power and Associates found that consumersare generally unaware of the investments insurers are making inthis area and the impact on purchasing insurance or the claimsprocess. Although InsurTech companies have raised more than $7.1billion globally since 2012, only 6% of prospective customers wereaware of firms such as Lemonade, Metromile, Trov and Sure.Moreover, less than half of the shoppers even aware of theirexistence said they would purchase insurance from them.

While the study focused primarily on auto insurance, it foundthat insurers who interact with customers during the purchaseprocess had a higher level of customer satisfaction than thoseusing insurance technology.

The claims process is one area affected by technology aspolicyholders use their mobile devices to take photos of theirlosses and file their first notice of loss with insurers. Anadjuster may or may not come out to write up an auto or propertyloss.

We'll be discussing these topics and more during the Twitterchat. Follow us using the hashtag#PC360ClaimsTech.

Participating in the chat are several industry experts,including the following:

• Rebecca Morgan, senior director of product management forMitchell's Workers Compensation Solutions

Using technology to improve the claimsprocess

• Derek Zahn – vice president of claims – WesternDivision for PURE Insurance

• Chris Tidball, vice president of sales and claimstransformation strategy for EXL Group

Keys to improving the claims adjustingprocess

• Kristin Marr, president of Valen Analytics

• Don Lipsy, Managed Care Specialty Products Manager withSedgwick

Curbing prescription drug compounding in workers'compensation

• John Sarich, vice president of strategy for VUE Software

Pressing tech issue: Enterprise software vs. cloudcomputing?

• Farhana Alarakhiya, vice president at RMS
• John O'Connell, COO at RMS
• Jonathan Silverman, director, Worldwide Insurance atMicrosoft
• Neeraj Sibal, assistant vice president, EXL Analytics

Join the conversation at #PC360ClaimsTech at 1p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 9, to share your insights andquestions.

We'll also continue this discussion at the America's Claims Event in Austin, Texas, onJune 25-27. Please plan to join us there!