When most people think about filing flood insurance claims, “easy” and “fast” might not be the first words that come to mind.
But innovators in flood insurance are leveraging technology to make the claims process just that. That’s in part thanks to remote adjusting, which allows policyholders to file a claim completely digitally, on their phones, from wherever they are.
In 2021, technology and process improvements will enable flood insurance policyholders to file claims on their own time, on their own terms. Here’s an overview of how remote adjusting can make that happen.
Remote Adjusting Makes Filing a Flood Insurance Claim a Lot Faster
Choice is an important part of customer experience today. Customers want to feel empowered to have control over how and when they use a service, and they want to communicate in a way that feels natural. Afterall, dealing with flood damage can be stressful, but filing a claim doesn’t have to be.
Remote adjusting gives digital natives the ability to file a flood insurance claim the same way they order food delivery on their phone. That’s especially assuring for tech-savvy Millennial property owners, who are now buying homes in record numbers.
Nowadays customers of all ages expect instant service, too: 90 percent rate an “immediate” response as important or very important when they have a customer service question. With access to a mobile flood insurance platform, a policyholder doesn’t have to wait until the next business day to contact an agent or adjuster.
But mobile-friendly remote adjusting is just an option, not a new requirement. Some policyholders might still prefer to file their claim via mail and phone because that’s the method they’re used to. Those customers won’t be forced into digital systems, but the digital system is now available for the people who want it.
Remote Adjusting Adds Choice to the Flood Policyholder Experience
Choice is an important part of customer experience today. Customers want to feel empowered to have control over how and when they use a service, and they want to communicate in a way that feels natural. Afterall, dealing with flood damage can be stressful, but filing a claim doesn’t have to be.
Remote adjusting gives digital natives the ability to file a flood insurance claim the same way they order food delivery on their phone. That’s especially assuring for tech-savvy Millennial property owners, who are now buying homes in record numbers.
Nowadays customers of all ages expect instant service, too: 90 percent rate an “immediate” response as important or very important when they have a customer service question. With access to a mobile flood insurance platform, a policyholder doesn’t have to wait until the next business day to contact an agent or adjuster.
But mobile-friendly remote adjusting is just an option, not a new requirement. Some policyholders might still prefer to file their claim via mail and phone because that’s the method they’re used to. Those customers won’t be forced into digital systems, but the digital system is now available for the people who want it.
Remote Adjusting Streamlines Claims of All Sizes
Another major benefit of remote adjusting for policyholders is that it enables immediate service after minor flooding events.
Following a major flood like a hurricane, a large crew of repair and insurance personnel typically travel to the flood site to help victims on the ground. But catastrophic weather events aren’t the only cause of flood damage – sometimes damage is localized to only one street or property.
For these types of claims, policyholders don’t need to wait for an adjuster to travel to their home. They can simply submit their claims materials when they’re able, and a remote adjuster can provide feedback on the policyholder’s time.
A Flood Insurance Customer Experience that Works for Everyone
The pandemic has ushered in digital transformation across industries, and flood insurance is no exception. Remote adjusting saw widespread adoption in 2020 to help flood victims amid COVID-19 constraints. But thankfully, the benefits of remote adjusting will continue to improve the flood insurance customer experience long after the pandemic ends.
National Flood Services is continuously looking for new ways of raising flood risk awareness and ensuring people have the coverage they need. Remote adjusting is just one innovation that makes that possible.
Step 5: Help Customers Get Appropriate Flood Insurance
A flood mitigation plan can go a long way toward reducing the damage floodwater can cause. But the best mitigation in the world can’t prevent all flood damage. That’s where flood insurance comes in.
Helping your customers get an appropriate flood insurance policy reassures them that, if a flood damages their property despite their best efforts at mitigation, they’ll have the resources they need to rebuild and return to normal as quickly as possible.
For best results, walk your customers through our online application to help them answer any questions they’re not sure about. As many as 80 percent of Americans aren’t comfortable buying flood insurance online. Offering real-time support can go a long way toward making sure their good intentions in protecting themselves and their families translate to good results in the event of a flood.
Stay Up to Date with NFS Flood Resources
Unfortunately, climate change and current development practices mean that flooding and the damage it causes will be with us for a long time.
The good news is that you can play an important role in keeping your customers safe and helping them protect the people and things that matter most to them. For resources to share and information about flood mitigation, you can turn to the NFS website. We’re constantly updating our resource libraries to ensure that you’ve got the tools you need to help keep your customers safe.
