Auto Claims Considered Total Loss Deliver Less Customer Satisfaction: J.D. Power

Auto insurance claimants who incur a total vehicle loss are notably less satisfied with the claims experience than claimants who incur a repairable vehicle claim, a new study reports.

Satisfaction averages 811 on a 1,000-point scale among claimants with a total loss — 42 points lower than among those whose vehicle is repaired, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction StudySM released today.

This gap is largely due to a lack of satisfaction with the settlement among total loss claimants, with approximately one-half of these claimants citing the settlement they received wasn’t enough to replace their totaled vehicle with a similar make/model vehicle.

“Auto claims resulting in a total loss tend to be more complex, compared with vehicle repair claims, because in addition to filing a claim, claimants also have to purchase a replacement vehicle,” said Jeremy Bowler, senior director of the insurance practice at J.D. Power and Associates. “Ongoing communication and managing expectations are key throughout the entire claims process, as total loss claims take 18.2 days, on average, for claimants to receive payment, compared with just 12.5 days for the return of a repaired vehicle.”

Making the claimant aware of how quickly they’ll receive the settlement and providing a thorough explanation of how the settlement amount was calculated are crucial to improving the overall experience in those instances of total loss, Bowler said.

The study says that insurers can deliver a satisfying experience by addressing three primary needs throughout the claims process:

The study measures claimant satisfaction with the claims experience for auto physical damage loss. 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.

“It’s important for customers to examine the settlement offer and, in particular, verify the vehicle content and condition,” said Bowler. “The majority of customers who disputed their vehicle’s valuation most often cited differences concerning comparable vehicles (56 percent), vehicle condition (53 percent) and aftermarket accessories (18 percent).”

Auto-Owners Insurance ranks highest in overall satisfaction with the claims experience for a fourth consecutive year, achieving a score of 890. Auto-Owners Insurance performs particularly well in all six factors.

State Farm follows in the rankings with a score of 878, improving considerably from 2010.

Amica Mutual ranks third with 865.

New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. and USAA also achieve high levels of customer satisfaction, although they are not included in the rankings due to the closed nature of their respective memberships.

The 2011 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study is based on more than 11,500 responses from auto insurance customers who filed a claim within the past 12 months. The study excludes claimants whose vehicle only incurred glass/windshield damage or was stolen, or who only filed roadside assistance claims. The study was fielded March through July 2011.

Source: J.D. Power and Associates