As connectivity becomes less of a problem throughout the United States, more insurers may be turning to wireless devices, particularly for claims adjusters, to speed up the claims cycle and improve customer service. And with new uses and capabilities being developed, it might not be long before a sought- after wireless killer app makes land lines pass.

by Robert Regis Hyle

When insurance carriers close their eyes and look into the future, they see employees armed with laptops, able to reach out and communicate with others, free of any land lines that tie them to a desk. Thats hardly a dream for some insurers, particularly in the property/casualty field, as more carriers are equipping their claims adjusters with wireless connections. While many companies still prefer to do their adjusting the old-fashioned way, these old-school insurers may become viewed as industry ostriches, with heads firmly imbedded in the sand.
Connectivity is the key, and networks such as Verizon and Sprint are making that possible, not just in the major metropolitan areas, but throughout this big country. Dallas Oney, technical operations engineer with Ohio Casualty Group, believes along with the steadily improving geographical coverage since Ohio Casualty began using its wireless system for claims adjusters, improvements have been seen in the speed of the network and utilization of IP-based applications. From my experience, the so-called killer app for 3G networks is the everyday application that requires remote access via IP connectivity, he says.