Insurance claim filing moves to call centres

Glass Bytes says.

The study reports that several agency-based carriers are now encouraging customers to contact a call centre, rather than their agent, to file a claim.

It says satisfaction was found to be higher among those who filed claims directly with agents; those who filed claims directly with an agent rated the overall claims experience at a score of 886 out of 1 000 points during the fourth quarter of 2011, compared with an average score of 849 among those who utilised a call centre for the same quarter.

“Auto body shops handled the increased repair volume well, and insurance companies did a good job of keeping their customers informed, which helped manage customer expectations,” says Jeremy Bowler, senior director of the insurance practice at JD Power, Insurance Corner states.

“Communication between insurance companies and their customers is vital to satisfaction during the claims process.”

The study measures customer satisfaction with the claims experience for auto physical damage loss, Claims Journal reveals.

Depending on the complexity of a claim, the claimant may experience some or all of the following factors measured in the study: first notice of loss; service interaction; appraisal; repair process; rental experience; and settlement. Settlement is the most important factor in overall satisfaction among both total loss and repair claimants.

The 2012 US Auto Claims Satisfaction Study is based on more than 3 500 responses from auto insurance customers who filed a claim within the past six months.