Aon and Hi Marley Form Strategic Alliance to Boost Engagement Between Insurers and Customers

Aon plc a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions, has announced a partnership with Hi Marley to improve insurers’ customer engagement through an intelligent SMS texting platform.

Source: Aon | Published on June 21, 2019

The evolution of technology has led to growth within the on-demand economy and a fundamental change in the way we work, travel, recruit, buy and sell goods and services. As such, policyholders are demanding faster and easier ways to speak to their insurers from reporting a claim to amending a policy.

Aon has teamed up with Hi Marley to offer its seamless conversation platform to shift from antiquated calls to more efficient messaging via text, connecting the various stakeholders in the insurance ecosystem. In a crowded market of chatbots that simulate human conversation, Hi Marley has been created by industry veterans and differentiated by its insurance focus. Before, a lack of insurance specificity limited the conversation but now – using Artificial Intelligence – the conversation can be more predictive and help solve more customer queries. The platform has already helped insurers deliver 20% faster claim resolution and avoid more than four calls per claim.

While boosting customer engagement, the insurer benefits from increased efficiencies from Hi Marley’s technology that is easily integrated into existing systems. It also frees up time for skilled insurance professionals to focus on more complex issues.

David Ertmer, VP Claims at West Bend Insurance, whose team was an early adopter of the platform, commented: "This is built for insurance, which makes it easy to deploy – and, honestly, our people love it."

Aon is committed to helping clients navigate the InsurTech ecosystem and adopt new technologies that advance strategic initiatives and increase operational efficiency. Greg Heerde, Head of Americas Analytics for Aon’s Reinsurance Solutions business, explained: “As a broker, we see both sides of the insurance equation so we know what insureds are asking for and the challenges carriers are facing. Hi Marley’s platform and proven team stood out with their focus on insurance-specific situations. Hi Marley is bigger than just texting – it is connecting the entire insurance ecosystem in a simple, clear, and meaningful way. We are excited to bring this innovation to insurers globally.”

Mike Greene, CEO of Hi Marley, added: “We are excited to have the support and endorsement of Aon as we work to wow customers and improve carrier outcomes. We’ve been in the insurance industry – and in tech – for quite a while, so we know the ins and outs. This is custom-designed for the insurance space, because people in insurance should get dedicated, advanced tools, too. As we look to embrace the entire insurance ecosystem, including gents and brokers, we are helping insurance companies deliver a modern experience that puts customers first.”