About one in 18 homes has an insurance claim each year, according to data from the Insurance Information Institute.
Increasingly, customers are finding it easier to file those claims digitally, through insurers’ apps and online portals. Customer satisfaction with auto and home insurers’ digital claims process rose 17 points this year, according to a recent J.D. Power study. Overall satisfaction with the digital claims process is now 871 on a 1,000 point scale.
The boost comes largely from improvements to the range of services offered on mobile apps and websites as well as their visual appeal. Customers were most satisfied with apps’ ability to report a claim, submit photos or videos and receive updates from the insurer.
Insurers have been increasingly making changes to their apps to improve customer experience. Companies implemented an average of 6.75 updates to their mobile apps in 2023, with the most changes occurring in the claims functions.
Improvements are still needed when it comes to human follow-up. While 84% of claimants say their insurer provides an easy digital communication process, only 39% say their insurer always responds in a timely manner to emails and text messages. Some customers (20%) say they’ve had to use more than one channel when they had a question, creating frustration.
“The digital channel has now surpassed traditional phone-based communication as the most satisfying way for insurance customers to submit a new claim,” said Mark Garrett, J.D. Power’s director of global insurance intelligence, in a statement. “Auto and home insurers have finally gotten the digital formula right with streamlined reporting tools, proactive updates and well-designed apps. However, the industry still has some work to do when it comes to helping insureds navigate between digital and offline channels, which can sometimes create unnecessary friction in the claims process.”
The slideshow above highlights the most common home insurance claims.
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