Although property insurers were generally given high ratings for overall customer satisfaction, certain areas of the claims process still need improvement, according to the J.D. Power 2019 U.S. Property Claims Satisfaction Study.The study found that insurers scored the lowest on three key customer satisfaction metrics: how well customers were kept informed on the progress of their claim; the time it takes to settle the claim; and the fairness of the claim settlement. This suggests that communicating more effectively with customers should be a priority. Setting accurate claim length expectations also boosted customer satisfaction, as did providing concierge-type services upon first notice of loss, such as making hotel reservations, discussing repair options, notifying repair companies and scheduling estimates.
“As the industry keeps shifting toward more personalized, usage-based and on-demand insurance options, the ability to communicate effectively and make claimants feel at ease along the way will be a key differentiator for top-performing insurers,” said David Pieffer, property and casualty lead for J.D. Power Insurance Intelligence.