Many insurtechs talk about the “customer experience.” Their focus is usually on SELLING insurance in a way that minimizes human intervention. Translation: Fast, Easy, and Cheap. I’ve written many times before (and will again very soon) that it is IMPOSSIBLE to provide a relevant premium quote in 60 seconds or less as some insurtechs claim in their hype.
The REAL customer experience, though, is what an insured goes through following a loss. This is where traditional channels of agents and insurers have the opportunity to excel in a way a phone app never can. Yet, all too often we fail miserably.
Incidents that lead to insurance claims are often emotional and even traumatic. I wrote about my personal and largely unsatisfactory claim experience a few months ago and that involved a simple auto collision claim. Imagine a poor claim experience when someone loses everything.
Such is the case in a recent article written by Karlyn Carnahan published at InsuranceThoughtLeadership.com. In this first-hand account, Karlyn details her extended family’s experience when their homes and business were wiped out by the Paradise, California wildfire. PLEASE read this article. It addresses the critical importance of humanizing the claims process and provides constructive criticism that every insurance professional should take to heart. It also illustrates why there is more to choosing an insurance company than price.
‘Tis the season for giving. I hope you’ll consider ordering copies of my book (print or e-book) for your staff.
More about Bill Wilson…
I’ve been reading and writing articles and presenting seminars and webinars about P&C insurance claims for over 30 years and this is the most educational article I’ve read on the subject. In addition to this blog article, I’m posting a link to the article on my LinkedIn discussion board and my Facebook page as well as sharing it in the seminars and webinars I do.
William C. Wilson, Jr., CPCU, ARM, AIM, AAM is the founder of InsuranceCommentary.com. He retired from the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America in December 2016 where he served as Assoc. VP of Education and Research and was the founder and director of the Big “I” Virtual University for over 17 years.
He is the former Director of Education & Technical Affairs for the Insurers of Tennessee and, prior to that time, he was employed by Insurance Services Office, Inc. He is a graduate of the Illinois Institute of Technology with a B.S. degree in Fire Protection & Safety Engineering.
Copyright 2016-2018 by InsuranceCommentary.com. Reprinted with permission.
