Even the mildest auto accident can be jarring to affected parties, often impeding the exchange of relevant information between drivers. During the commotion, drivers also may experience difficulty recalling details necessary for insurers to process their claims expeditiously.
Nationwide Insurance now offers a solution to this generally precarious procurement of claim data, in the form of a free application for the iPhone. Now available at the Apple App store, Nationwide Mobile enables Nationwide customers to gain access to local resources, thoroughly document any given accident, and submit claim information.
Expedite a Return to Normalcy
Although the app is available gratis to all iPhone users—regardless of their choice of auto insurer—only Nationwide customers actually can initiate the claim process at the scene of the accident. Nevertheless, the app can alleviate some of the stress for all insureds by simplifying the process as a whole. Its development is based largely on the consumer trend of mass adoption of smart phones, Nationwide says.
The Columbus, Ohio, insurance and financial services company researched various concepts relating to how customers seek to interact with their insurers. Nationwide then weighed the features ranked highly by customers to create the app, which the company views as part customer service initiative, part claim technology initiative.
“The Nationwide Mobile app for iPhone is an example of our commitment to developing innovative solutions that help simplify our customers’ lives,” says Susan McManus, associate vice president of interactive marketing for Nationwide. “We wanted to create an app that equips [our] customers with tools to help them take some of the appropriate next steps after an accident and expedite getting back to normal. We plan to add more features in the future.”
Ostensibly, the app removes the guesswork during the information-gathering phase while clarifying the expectations of both policyholders and their insurers. For instance, policyholders no longer wonder about the next step, and the process is neither delayed nor its integrity compromised due to insufficient documentation. Insureds realize they have done everything in their power to speed up claim handling so insurers can work on investigating and resolving each file.
On a fundamental level, the claim process hasn’t changed. In fact, it’s exactly the same; it just now originates from the iPhone. Aside from definite panache, the app offers practical advantages. As noted earlier, it allows Nationwide customers to begin the claim process at the scene of the accident.
“Our customers tap into the same first notice of loss (FNOL) system as when filing online,” McManus says. “What has changed is they can now submit the initial notice of loss through the iPhone instead of a home computer. Users also can specify a time preference for a follow-up from a call-center representative.”
Navigating the App
The app provides a simple interface by which drivers can collect and exchange accident information. Following a crash, users navigate through a series of intuitive prompts to collect and store essential information, including the name, address, and policy number of the other driver(s) involved. They also can gather contact information for witnesses and utilize the iPhone camera to document the accident visually. These photos, along with all of the other data required to process the claim, then can be submitted directly to the insurer.
“One customer contacted us to say [he] had a minor accident,” McManus recalls. “The next day while [he] had some free time, [he] took pictures of the accident, and he then submitted those photos through the iPhone. It’s really that simple.”
The process is further streamlined with the iPhone’s built-in GPS capabilities, which serve to remove the margin for human error by pinpointing the exact location of the accident. GPS works in tandem with the app’s other functionalities, too, so drivers
can locate nearby Nationwide agents for assistance or Nationwide Blue Ribbon repair service facilities.
Apple of Your Eye?
Users already are harnessing the convenience and peace of mind this new application affords to minimize their “wait” time. This refers to swifter claim processing and less time spent lingering at the scene, as the app features tools to contact local authorities, emergency services, and towing companies after an accident.
Nationwide says 20 claims have been filed so far via iPhone, not to mention some non-legit ones, which the company has taken in stride. “We have been surprised by the number of people playing with and test-driving the app, in turn submitting fake claims to see what would happen,” McManus says. “Internally, we sent out a note to make sure all bogus claims were being filtered.”
Nationwide says it could not have anticipated the extent of the positive feedback garnered by this latest innovation.
“Anecdotally, we’ve seen glowing reviews on Twitter and other social networking sites,” McManus says. “We feel confident that we have found another modern way to demonstrate our brand promise of ‘being on your side.’”
Given the proliferation of iPhone apps that stave off boredom or momentarily amuse its users, it is refreshing to stumble upon one that not only positively benefits policyholders and insurers alike but also fine-tunes the claim process. And so it would seem the hype surrounding the app may very well be justified.
Christina Bramlet is the senior editor for Claims Magazine. She can be reached at cbramlet@sbmedia.com.