One factor, I guess, is that if you have an agent then you probably have the correct coverage vs. if you tried to buy your own policy online without guidance.
Some customers just like to have someone hold their hands when reporting a claim. I have some of those, but a lot of people now are used to calling their claim in direct to the company. It usually speeds up the process. If there is a hitch and the adjustor is taking too much time to get the claim going, the customer calls us. We can then intervene, call the adjustor and see what the problem is. That is called being of service.
Minutes after I dropped off my auto insurance premium installment to my Erie agent, I got into an accident. I was making a left turn and a guy darted out across the intersection from a no parking zone. I just did not see the guy. No injuries, thankfully!
The claim was settled within 20 days. I may pay a few more dollars for my coverage with Erie, but I like their service and will remain loyal to them. I enjoy “chewing the fat” with the agency owner when I drop off a payment. Having that personal contact just makes me feel more in tune with the Company.
This is why I’ve told my agency owners and various marketing reps that I absolutely REFUSE to give up the ability to take first notice of loss reports and submit them to the carriers. MY CLIENTS LOVE IT AND I REFUSE TO GIVE IN TO CARRIER DEMANDS FOR THE SAKE OF SAVING THEM PENNIES!!!
I’m amused that the thinking is that an online experience somehow delivers an inferior coverage to a local agent, but I don’t think that opinion is confirmed with fact. As Deplorable suggests, some customers just like to have the emotional connection of a local person to reinforce they are taking the right action, something that the industry should consider embracing, but since agent compensation plans are being modified toward “selling” and less toward “servicing”, do agents really wish to take this on? It appears that JJ is willing to sacrifice some of his personal financial interest to do just that!
Really? You sound just like a company man. The connection between a customer and agent is valuable indeed. They are less likely to go shopping with an “online” experience if the agent has taken good care of them and covered them properly. The agent also reaps referrals from the customer if they are happy.
We are constantly asked to go into a Gold Service program where the company handles all transactions with customers. I asked them what it did for the customer just receiving a 25% rate increase for no good reason. Oops, there goes the customer down the street dissatisfied. The agent might have saved the account by shopping it with other carriers.
Put an uneducated insurance consumer in front of a computer and have them fill out an auto or home insurance application. The limits of coverage are usually messed up. We have seen “rich” people get $10,000 liability on both auto and home or ACV on contents, then call us to say they got a better deal. Agents are valuable.
agents role in claims and public relationship. agents are really relationship with customers and insurance companies. and they are backbones of the company. they can satisfy the customers, knowing their limitation, and arrange to settle the claims to fullest satisfaction of customers. their role should be encouraged by insurance company and public at large
The agent/policyholder relationship has survived the electronic age. We are a trusted, local person/professional who many people rely on, even though they may not really understand insurance or risk management. We understand that electronics is just a tool for managing that complicated risk.
In the claims intake process, regardless of who is called first, I believe the agent provides a calming, fairly nonemotional effect (hopefully) delivered with empathy or sympathy.
As Deplorables noted above, we also often speed up the process if there is an unnecessary delay, which is really appreciated by the claimant.
knowall, I have seen company adjustors not interpret coverage properly and deny a claim that was actually covered. Had to read them chapter and verse on several occasions. Most common on property policies. We generally get it straightened out in due course, but have been known to go to the claims manager if the adjustor gives us grief. The customer appreciates the service we provide.
I found it best to use a hybrid approach. I loved having the customer call me first, so we could answer the question of whether or not a claim should be filed in the first place. If a minor PD with for sure no injuries, and accident surcharges are going to more than offset claims payments, it’s good for the client to know that. The up front call also gives a chance to explain the process and let them know we are here to advocate. However, to be the sole person capturing information, leaves us in the circumstance of having the company claims capture person ask a question we forgot to ask, which means more back and forth with the client. This delay hurts customer satisfaction. I have found it best to transfer the call to the capture person, but stay on the line to give assurance to the client they are not alone. I loved gold service for the routine reactive transactions, as it eliminates phone tag and frees up staff for more meaningful outgoing contact. But claims time is not routine for clients. It carries enough stress that agents should walk through the process with them.
Jeff, you did realize there is a charge for Gold Service, right? More than we are willing to give up on commissions. We do quite well servicing our customers with our staff and get full commissions on every piece of business.
One factor, I guess, is that if you have an agent then you probably have the correct coverage vs. if you tried to buy your own policy online without guidance.
Some customers just like to have someone hold their hands when reporting a claim. I have some of those, but a lot of people now are used to calling their claim in direct to the company. It usually speeds up the process. If there is a hitch and the adjustor is taking too much time to get the claim going, the customer calls us. We can then intervene, call the adjustor and see what the problem is. That is called being of service.
Minutes after I dropped off my auto insurance premium installment to my Erie agent, I got into an accident. I was making a left turn and a guy darted out across the intersection from a no parking zone. I just did not see the guy. No injuries, thankfully!
The claim was settled within 20 days. I may pay a few more dollars for my coverage with Erie, but I like their service and will remain loyal to them. I enjoy “chewing the fat” with the agency owner when I drop off a payment. Having that personal contact just makes me feel more in tune with the Company.
Prankster, was the darter at fault? If so, did Erie subrogate against the other guy? Was it a U/M claim?
This is why I’ve told my agency owners and various marketing reps that I absolutely REFUSE to give up the ability to take first notice of loss reports and submit them to the carriers. MY CLIENTS LOVE IT AND I REFUSE TO GIVE IN TO CARRIER DEMANDS FOR THE SAKE OF SAVING THEM PENNIES!!!
I’m amused that the thinking is that an online experience somehow delivers an inferior coverage to a local agent, but I don’t think that opinion is confirmed with fact. As Deplorable suggests, some customers just like to have the emotional connection of a local person to reinforce they are taking the right action, something that the industry should consider embracing, but since agent compensation plans are being modified toward “selling” and less toward “servicing”, do agents really wish to take this on? It appears that JJ is willing to sacrifice some of his personal financial interest to do just that!
Really? You sound just like a company man. The connection between a customer and agent is valuable indeed. They are less likely to go shopping with an “online” experience if the agent has taken good care of them and covered them properly. The agent also reaps referrals from the customer if they are happy.
We are constantly asked to go into a Gold Service program where the company handles all transactions with customers. I asked them what it did for the customer just receiving a 25% rate increase for no good reason. Oops, there goes the customer down the street dissatisfied. The agent might have saved the account by shopping it with other carriers.
Put an uneducated insurance consumer in front of a computer and have them fill out an auto or home insurance application. The limits of coverage are usually messed up. We have seen “rich” people get $10,000 liability on both auto and home or ACV on contents, then call us to say they got a better deal. Agents are valuable.
agents role in claims and public relationship. agents are really relationship with customers and insurance companies. and they are backbones of the company. they can satisfy the customers, knowing their limitation, and arrange to settle the claims to fullest satisfaction of customers. their role should be encouraged by insurance company and public at large
The agent/policyholder relationship has survived the electronic age. We are a trusted, local person/professional who many people rely on, even though they may not really understand insurance or risk management. We understand that electronics is just a tool for managing that complicated risk.
In the claims intake process, regardless of who is called first, I believe the agent provides a calming, fairly nonemotional effect (hopefully) delivered with empathy or sympathy.
As Deplorables noted above, we also often speed up the process if there is an unnecessary delay, which is really appreciated by the claimant.
knowall, I have seen company adjustors not interpret coverage properly and deny a claim that was actually covered. Had to read them chapter and verse on several occasions. Most common on property policies. We generally get it straightened out in due course, but have been known to go to the claims manager if the adjustor gives us grief. The customer appreciates the service we provide.
I found it best to use a hybrid approach. I loved having the customer call me first, so we could answer the question of whether or not a claim should be filed in the first place. If a minor PD with for sure no injuries, and accident surcharges are going to more than offset claims payments, it’s good for the client to know that. The up front call also gives a chance to explain the process and let them know we are here to advocate. However, to be the sole person capturing information, leaves us in the circumstance of having the company claims capture person ask a question we forgot to ask, which means more back and forth with the client. This delay hurts customer satisfaction. I have found it best to transfer the call to the capture person, but stay on the line to give assurance to the client they are not alone. I loved gold service for the routine reactive transactions, as it eliminates phone tag and frees up staff for more meaningful outgoing contact. But claims time is not routine for clients. It carries enough stress that agents should walk through the process with them.
Jeff, you did realize there is a charge for Gold Service, right? More than we are willing to give up on commissions. We do quite well servicing our customers with our staff and get full commissions on every piece of business.