P&C Industry Improves Image in Multiple Studies

Customer satisfaction with property claims has significantly increased in 2012, according to a new survey.

The J.D. Power and Associates U.S. Property Claims Satisfaction Study found that overall satisfaction in 2012 improved to 833 on a 1,000-point scale, which is an increase of 10 points from 2011.

According to the study, high-wind claims, which include tornado and hurricane damage, accounted for 33 percent of all claims filed, an increase from 21 percent in the 2011 study. Among clients who filed a claim for high-wind damage, satisfaction remained relatively unchanged.

While USAA leads property/casualty insurers in the 2012 Temkin Experience Ratings, Amica Mutual ranks highest in overall satisfaction with a score of 894 in the J.D.Power study.

Amica Mutual performed well in the five areas covered in the JD Power survey, which included claim settlement, first notice of loss, estimation process, service interaction and repair process.

Overall, property/casualty improved the most from last year in customer experience among insurers, according to the Temkin Group.

The 2012 Temkin Experience Ratings found that across the industry, eight property/casualty insurers earned higher scores in 2012 and were top gainers with an increase of 5.3 percentage points from 2011.

Meanwhile, Berkshire Hathaway, Zurich Financial Services and Travelers were among the 10 most admired companies in the property/casualty category by executives, directors and securities analysts, according to a Fortune Magazine report.

In its fifth year, the JD Power & Associates study measures satisfaction with the property claims experience among customers who filed a claim for damages covered under their homeowners policy.

Among highly satisfied claimants with scores of 901 or higher, 84 percent say they definitely will recommend their insurer, while 81 percent say they definitely will renew with their insurer, according to the U.S. Property Claims Satisfaction Study.

A positive claims experience fosters significantly higher long-term loyalty among claimants while a negative claims experience may cause claimants to be more likely to switch insurers.

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