Insurance decisioning: Bridging automation and customer experience

In essence, insurance decisioning is the leverage of information and insights plus intellectual and contextual understanding of the loss to arrive at a determination that delivers the optimal outcome. (Credit: Black Salmon/Shutterstock.com)

Despite its seemingly easy to understand definition, automation in the insurance industry often means different things to different people. For some, automation covers the entire process, from FNOL to settlement. For others, it means automating sub-processes in the claim lifecycle such as damage estimates or payments. The reasons an insurer will explore automation opportunities are equally as varied – like improving speed to respond, reducing workload for staff or enablement of a digital initiative. And because of this, insurance automation initiatives may fall short in delivering what customers truly want – a seamless, simple, great experience when dealing with their insurer.

A big part of the problem is that the act of automating processes is relatively easy. But which process can be automated? Which process should be automated? And how can you really tell the difference?