Digital Damage Processing
A NEW LIGHT ON DAMAGE
20.05.2020
A major time and cost factor in claims settlement awaits insurers right at the beginning of the process: the preparation of an expert opinion by an on-site expert. ControlExpert‘s digital claims process makes this step obsolete.
“HELLO?! MY CAR HAS BEEN DAMAGED!”
If the body has been damaged in an accident, the claimant will in most cases report this to his/her insurance company by telephone. A claim handler answers the call and records all the requisite data. He receives damage photos from the claimant and then decides how to proceed depending on the facts of the case: Is it possible to make an assessment based on the photos, or does an expert need to be sent to assess the sit-uation? There is basically nothing to be said against a good assessment by the claim handler. However, there is even more reason to rely on information, expertise and technology at this point, rather than on estimates. “We offer insurers the option of sending us all claims, both large and small, as a matter of principle. On the basis of the damage photos and, if required, specific inquiries to the claimant, we can decide how the claim should be settled. This makes it easy to avoid costs for claim handlers, claims adjusters and lawyers. The basic prerequisite for this are the pictures,” says Daniel Klima, product manager at ControlExpert, describing the starting point of the newly established process.
HONEY, SEND ME A PHOTO
In this process, the claimant takes photos following easily understandable specifications – not only of the damage itself, but also of the vehicle and vehicle registration certificate. She or he then sends them directly to ControlExpert via an automatically generated link. Here, the photos are all screened by automatic image recognition. The vehicle identification number and license plates are compared with each other. A self-learning algorithm analyses the image information of the damage, using millions of existing damage data and, on this basis, generates a reliable expert report: the new generation of expertises. In unclear or complicated cases, the image data is sent to the vehicle experts at ControlExpert for human inspection. In cases where the AI cannot (yet) make any headway, the expert steps in with his or her expertise, usually acquired over a matter of decades. For comparison: The preparation of the expert opinion by an on-site claims adjuster takes between three and seven days from the time of the order to completion. In no case does remote diagnosis take more than two hours. Once the expert report has been drawn up, a set of rules adapted to the respective insurer takes effect: Depending on parameters such as damage amount and vehicle age, the damage can be paid out automatically on a fictitious basis. Alternatively, a suitable repair shop is recommended to the claimant and a repair appointment immediately suggested – also automatically, of course. And all this happens within a very short time period. “Digital claims processing offers several positive aspects to the claimant. Firstly, there is the time factor, of course. Secondly, the claimant also feels that she or he is an important part of the process, instead of just being the recipient of a message, as was the case previously. The claimant takes the photos, actively makes decisions and is always up to date on the latest situation. In this way, a crash that essentially is an unpleasant experience can suddenly turn into an unexpectedly pleasant experience”, says Daniel Klima, commenting on the customer loyalty potential. Digital claims processing, for example, not only offers the insurer time and cost savings, but also the chance to increase customer satisfaction and promote its services. In times when an insurance company can be changed with a single click, transparent and prompt processing from data collection to payment or repair is of enormous importance. The course for this is set at an early stage: with the decision for digital solutions.