Our industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Technology and innovation created opportunities to enhance service and customer experience like never before. But in an era that’s driven to do more – to be better and faster – it’s critical not to let the little things fall by the wayside.
Speed Means Nothing Without Accuracy
In today’s time, customers expect a response or information quickly. While insurance companies can work to be the fastest in responding to customers, it doesn’t mean much if there are mistakes. Across the board, we’ve heard from agents and brokers that errors in quotes and policies are an industry-wide issue.
The Hartford has taken the time each year to ensure we’re actively listening to where we’re doing well and finding opportunities to improve. We do this through:
- Surveys
- Focus groups
- In-depth interviews
We know how frustrating it is to get a quote that’s not accurate. We’ve taken that topic to heart and worked hard to improve not only the time it takes to issue quotes, but also the processes and technology we use to improve quality.
We’re piloting a new quality review with some of our agency partners for quotes and issued policies to help them reduce the time and costs they’re spending to conduct their own reviews between the submission, quoting, binding and issuing processes.
Our approach uses a combination of technology automation that allows our underwriters and account managers to clearly note even the slightest changes from the initial quote to submission and every update thereafter.
The goal is to reduce errors and provide a higher quality output that takes work off of the desks of our agents and brokers. We want to make it easier for them to get what they need for their clients with the highest degree of quality.
Responsiveness Is More Than a Courtesy
Beyond just the speed at which insurers conduct normal business operations are the seemingly simple tasks that make or break relationships.
At The Hartford, we’ve worked hard to simplify and streamline the day-to-day activities for our underwriters so they can focus their time on what matters most: partnering with distribution partners to underwrite solutions that offer the right protection.
Some of the critical pieces in the process of creating the best outcomes for clients include:
- Responding to questions
- Returning calls in a timely manner
- Making the time to talk with agents and brokers about specialized expertise needed
Taking that a step further, though, we know our partners want to win. And we want to win together. We both want the best solutions, the right level of protection and best-in-class service for clients.
Delivering on all of that starts with partnering on the right accounts. At The Hartford, we’re using data to:
- Pinpoint the accounts where we believe we can win together
- Offer the right coverages
- Help create the best solutions for mid- to large-sized and specialty businesses
We’ve made investments across third-party data, predictive analytics, automated qualification and an intuitive customer relationship management (CRM) experience for our underwriters continually that increases our confidence when we tell an agent we want to pursue an opportunity.
Technology, Data & Analytics Must Work Together
With the speed of enhancements and opportunities that exist in our industry, the difference between those who success or fail is all about having the right:
- Resources
- Skillsets
- Scale to invest in innovation
This is a fascinating time where insurers can make choices on what really matters. A lot of effort has been placed on the more advanced technologies, but we can’t forget the basics.
Data and analytics, whether home grown or from third parties, can work together to supplement processes and help make insurers, like The Hartford, more efficient. And as we gather more data, we can predict more about the potential for losses and where clients can invest to create safer environments for workers and customers, avoiding costly losses and litigation.
The Hartford’s claims team puts data to use every day. We know that making better use of data and insights leads to better outcomes. We’re transforming how we use data, using root-cause analysis to identify all of the factors that can impact a claim, whether it’s:
- Biological
- Psychological
- Social
We’re committed to getting injured workers back to work safely, but faster than the national average. We’ve analyzed and understand the direct insurance and non-insurance costs of having employees out of work. So, we know that every day sooner we get employees back to work safely is money that our insureds save.
Avoiding claims in the first place is obviously even more ideal. We help our insureds with risk management strategies by using claims data and trends to inform them of opportunities to reduce losses.
For example, if there’s a trend in a certain location of a building where slip and falls occur, our risk engineering team can recommend solutions to help eliminate that risk. If our data shows the same type of injuries occurring in a manufacturing setting, we can offer options to improve processes and create a safer environment.
Above All Else, Execution Matters
Providing exceptional service, whether to agents, brokers or customers, is the best way for a carrier to differentiate. While many focus on high-impact innovation or technology, sometimes getting the simple stuff right is even more challenging.
I’m proud that our team at The Hartford cares about the little things just as much as the big ones and we’re driven to improving both. Consistency, responsiveness, sharing knowledge and expertise – it all matters. What differentiates insurers and creates the best experiences for clients is building partnerships across:
- Underwriting
- Risk engineering
- Claims
- Service
- Agents and brokers
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The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., (NYSE: HIG) operates through its subsidiaries, including the underwriting company Hartford Fire insurance Company, under the brand name, The Hartford,® and is headquartered in Hartford, CT. For additional details, please read The Hartford’s legal notice at https://www.thehartford.com.
