When you want insights into claims technology issues, you have to go straight to the industry professionals who can provide real answers: senior-level claims executives.
PropertyCasualty360.com recently spoke with five such professionals and asked them how technology is streamlining the claims process at their companies and in the industry as a whole, and the effect of technology on how adjusters do their jobs and their roles within each company.
Each claims executive also was asked about the value and use of mobile technologies in the adjustment process, how technology influences customer satisfaction with the claims process, satisfaction levels with claims systems, and the never-ending quest to refine the claims processes to increase quality.
Below you will find links to each interview as well as a key quote from each of our claims executives, who hail from Cincinnati Insurance, Zurich North America, Esurance, Crawford & Company, and Farmers Alliance.
Adjusters Become More Specialized
Gary Givler, Vice President and Manager of Claims Operations, The Cincinnati Insurance Companies
"Five years ago, we furnished our field claims representatives with card-enabled tablets that allowed us to expedite loss-related communications, revise assignment processes, manage catastrophe claims more effectively and collaborate more efficiently with our 4,200 company associates."
Improving the Workflow
Steve Hatch, Chief Claims Officer, Zurich North America
"The development of our claim handling systems and applications is ongoing, with the understanding that we must, at a minimum, keep pace with the market's technology. To that end, we are utilizing predictive models to get claims in the right hands as early as possible."
Self-Service Key Areas for Insurers
Mark Hoffman, Claims Technology Manager, Esurance
"We have developed functionality to provide Esurance customers with automated notifications as the claim develops, current information regarding the status of their claim, and links to information to assist them with understanding the claims process. In the very near future, we expect to deploy similar functionality to all parties in a claim, not just Esurance policyholders."
Streamlining the Process
Ken Tolson, Vice President, U.S. Property & Casualty Eastern Region, Crawford & Companye
"The most significant impact that technology has is that it shortens the lifespan of a claim—everything from contact to inspection to settlement time frames. It makes information more readily available to those who need it, including field adjusters, managers, and clients."
Mobile's Ah-Ha Moment
John Foster, Vice President of Claims, Farmers Alliance Companies
"Cellphones are 'phones' in name only. They do so much more and seem to be used less and less for actual phone conversations. Photos and video taken by people involved in auto accidents are very helpful. They add a whole new dimension and help the adjuster visually understand what occurred as opposed to looking at photos taken later or reading a written accident report."
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