Through the new innovation, some customers reporting claims will receive immediate responses from an artificial intelligence virtual assistant. The TextQBE assistant will help update and move QBE customers through the claim process in a quick and simple fashion.
"We know that speed and convenience of communication is key to delivering the experience of excellence for our customers, and this intelligent conversation platform helps us take it to the next level," said Alyssa Hunt, Senior Vice President, Technical Operations. "We're able to give customers the option to communicate how they prefer, and the virtual assistant's 'intelligence' enables us to offer customers the answers to simple questions about deductibles, receipt of photos and other documents rapidly on a mobile device."
The intelligent conversation platform is the product of InsurTech company Hi Marley, and QBE is the first carrier to integrate the solution with its core insurance system to enhance the claims experience for customers. QBE is currently expanding usage of the platform based on initial positive results, and is exploring innovative ways to use it to bring the best our industry has to offer to its customers.
TextQBE proved especially helpful during the 2018 California wildfires, where Claims Professionals couldn't reach customers on their land line phones because they were destroyed along with the rest of the home. With the platform, QBE Claims Professionals could text customers right away, which was a huge relief to those customers struggling with the devastation.
"Everything we do is with our customers in mind. The claims environment has evolved, and we are responding to customers who have become accustomed to receiving information in real-time, on a mobile device," said Eric Sanders, Senior Vice President, Claims. "Customer satisfaction scores through the service have averaged 4.6 out of 5 – many with comments such as 'great customer service, fast and friendly, answered all my questions.'"
Michael Greene, CEO of Hi Marley, said, "We are thrilled to work alongside an innovative leader like QBE to integrate our solution with their core claim handling platform. Their team is helping us push the limits in what artificial intelligence and messaging can do to empower insurers to delight customers. The recent California wildfires were just one example of where we get to come alongside forward-thinking carriers like QBE in taking care of insureds when they need it most."
About QBE
QBE North America, an Integrated Specialist Insurer, is part of QBE Insurance Group Limited, one of the largest insurers and reinsurers worldwide. QBE NA reported Gross Written Premiums in 2018 of $4.7 billion. QBE Insurance Group's 2018 results can be found at www.qbe.com. Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, QBE operates out of 31 countries around the globe, with a presence in every key insurance market. The North America division, headquartered in New York, conducts business through its property and casualty insurance subsidiaries. The actual terms and coverage for all lines of business are subject to the language of the policies as issued. QBE insurance companies are rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best and "A+" by Standard & Poor's. Additional information can be found at www.qbe.com/us, or follow QBE North America on Twitter.
About Hi Marley, Inc.
Hi Marley, based in Boston, MA, is an InsurTech software-as-a-service provider offering the first intelligent conversation platform specifically designed for the insurance industry. Hi Marley enables insurance companies to communicate with their customers through messaging and deliver a fast and easy customer experience. It's built for insurance, with industry-specific artificial intelligence and functionality. The platform has flexible APIs and requires zero integration to get started. Additional information can be found at www.himarley.com.