The first half
quarter of 2020 may have been rocky, but the PLNAR team continues to grow and
expand our vision for revolutionizing virtual claims. With that, we are pleased
to announce that Allan C. Robinson III has joined our Board of Directors!
Allan comes to
PLNAR from Horace Mann, where he acted as EVP of Field Operations and Sales
Management, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer and Chief Claim Officer. He
brings robust experience, vast knowledge and fundamental thought leadership to our
passionate team of experts, as well as over 30 years in claims service
management helping to shape, define and modernize claims management
processes.
The team and I are excited that Allan came to PLNAR during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic—even though many aspects of the future are uncertain, our mission has never been more essential. In the past few years, many industries started shifting away from analog, in-office workflows towards digital, but COVID-19 has made those shifts top-priority and vital to everyday operations. Luckily, PLNAR had already forged a new path for the insurance industry by creating the technology, platform and processes to enable interior property virtual claims.
We helped revolutionize virtual interior property claims by allowing claimants to use their smart phone app to take photos that generate 3D models with all measurements and context so carries can reduce claim cycles from days to minutes.
The insurance industry has seen devastating, historic
events before COVID-19, like Hurricanes Hugo, Katrina and Andrew and the
California wildfires to name a recent few. I’ve seen these events seriously
hobble the claims process from a shortage of onsite adjusters to assess the sheer
amount of damage, as well as the amount of time needed to design and
accommodate safe onsite inspections.
While COVID-19 is a very different kind of event,
it highlights the critical need for the insurance industry to prioritize digital
transformation and innovation. Now, more than ever, the interior claims process
must start virtually, from the homeowner, using their everyday devices. It has
been advised that adjusters do not go onsite during the COVID-19 pandemic to
inspect, due to social distancing and health concerns, and homeowners are understandably
reluctant to have adjusters in their home. Even after the COVID-19 crisis is
behind us–which is exceptionally hard to predict when that may be–PLNAR helps
carriers stay relevant and meet changing customer demands, avoid preventable
wait times and be better prepared for the unexpected.
Allan recognizes PLNAR’s ability to resolve one of
the biggest industry challenges—adjuster shortages and job satisfaction. By widening
the funnel of claims that can be handled virtually, quickly and largely
automatically, our technology gives adjusters more time to focus on larger,
more complex claims and losses and better segment the types of claims they
handle. These virtual tools also allow adjusters to step in and safely take
action on claims more quickly during catastrophic weather events, emergencies
and pandemics. Our technology gives adjusters more autonomy and better tools to
manage their time and focus, key elements to creating better outcomes for
customers and a sense of meaning and purpose for employees.
I’ve seen first hand that companies that adopt our technology will lead the way in providing a distinct competitive advantage, reducing expense ratios, improving LAE, shortening cycle times and drastically increasing customer satisfaction. Thanks to PLNAR, customers can self-service their claim on their own time with the easy to use app, creating peace of mind during an otherwise difficult or traumatic time for them.
Virtual adjusting also opens the door for more partnership opportunities with various vendors including contractors, roofers, water mitigation companies and other first responders, who can capture measurements and damages when first on site. Whether the images are captured by a customer or a vendor, the opportunity to use simple smartphone photos to improve the quality and accuracy of estimating via the PLNAR SNAP app, measurement tools, 3-D modeling and other tools is the key to providing a total virtual solution for the customer, adjuster and claim organization.
Allan coming on board the PLNAR team ushers in a
new era in our journey and solidifies the essential path we have been on for
years to bring virtual adjusting to all interior property claims and the
insurance industry as a whole. I look forward to working with him and the other
members of our Board of Directors to strengthen our mission and grow our
footprint in P&C claims and offer a vital solution to the many issues
insurance companies are facing in the COVID-19 era and into the new normal of
virtual claims.
PLNAR Announces Allan C. Robinson III Has Joined the Board of Directors
Robinson Brings Essential Expertise and Experience to Virtual Claims Revolution
PLNAR, a leading provider of virtual insurance claims, is pleased to announce that Allan C. Robinson III has joined PLNAR as a member of their Board of Directors. Robinson comes to PLNAR from Horace Mann, where he acted as EVP of Field Operations and Sales Management, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer and Chief Claims Officer. During his time at Horace Mann he led teams of sales leaders, agents, marketing & underwriting representatives and over 350 claims employees.
Robinson brings over 30 years of experience and thought leadership in claims service management to PLNAR, helping to shape, define and modernize claims management processes. Aside from Horace Mann, Robinson was also an instrumental leader at Allstate, Hanover and Encompass.
Robinson comes to PLNAR at a critical time in history, during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In the past few years, many industries started shifting from analog, in-office workflows to virtual claims management, but COVID-19 has made those shifts top-priority and vital to everyday operations now that customers and adjusters alike face social distancing guidelines and imperatives to avoid in-person contact and address shortage in available adjuster workforce.
“Allan is the perfect fit at the perfect time,” explained CEO Andy Greff. “His esteemed experience and all-encompassing knowledge in claims management will continue to heighten and expand the value PLNAR brings to insurance carriers looking to reduce cost and cycle time in the claims process and provide an exceptional virtual experience that protects the health and safety of customers and adjusters alike.”
Throughout his career, Robinson has focused on the same principles that guide PLNAR’s mission:
Providing excellent customer service leading to outstanding customer satisfaction
Reducing loss adjustment expense (LAE) and improve loss cost management
Shortening cycle times by creating repeatable processes
Even before the challenges
brought on by COVID-19, PLNAR helped revolutionize virtual insurance claims by
allowing interior property claimants to use their smart phone app to take
photos and work with a digital adjuster to file a claim through the app.
“What’s truly amazing about PLNAR’s platform is that it allows adjusters to widen the funnel of claims that can be handled virtually, and frees up time and resources for more complex claims while handling straightforward claims faster,” said Robinson.
PLNAR’s
use of innovative proprietary technology and existing team of experts coupled
with Robinson’s extensive knowhow, competencies and involvement in claims
services will accelerate PLNAR’s vision to revolutionize virtual claims
management.
About PLNAR
PLNAR is an InsurTech software provider transforming the claims
process by enabling Digital Desk Adjustment (DDA) of interior property claims
for significantly better customer experiences, shorter cycle times, and lower
costs. PLNAR’s platform gives desk adjusters the power to generate fully
realized 2D- and 3D-models of interior spaces from a digital photo and
streamline the interior claims process for quicker, more efficient settlement.
For more information, please visit the PLNAR website at www.plnar.ai
Over the last year, we’ve seen firsthand the impact our cost-saving, process-streamlining, policyholder-pleasing platform has had on insurance carrier bottom lines and claimant happiness. In this four-part blog series, we share the real power plnar has to help insurance carriers and policyholders alike respond to catastrophes, triage, re-inspections and building better virtual claims. In part 2 of this series, we are exploring how our platform helps carriers deploy inspector and field adjuster resources more efficiently and cut costs with virtual, self-service claims that policyholders will love.
Property insurance is a
necessity that most people hope they will never need to use—it provides peace
of mind, however, when the inevitable happens. Each year, about one in 20
insured homeowners will need to file a claim, and one out of 50 claims will be
because of unavoidable damage from natural events. When these events happen,
the insurance claim process should not add complex, inefficient and expensive
factors that burden carriers and delay pay-out to the policyholder.
Meeting changing customer expectations for user experience is just one benefit. plnar helps reduce costly and unnecessary overhead for carriers by allowing the homeowner to capture interior property data in the plnar SNAP app, eliminating the need to deploy field adjusters or inspectors for simpler claims. What once would require scheduling an onsite inspection, which could take days or weeks, can now be conveniently snapped with a policyholder’s phone and submitted via the plnar SNAP app.
Carriers dealing with overbooked field adjusters, missing or incorrect information, ineffective communication, inconsistent data, and long waiting periods must rethink their approach, or risk losing business. 40% of policyholders now expect virtual self-service claims, and carriers who can offer this option will be attractive enough to make many of them switch. plnar helps carriers meet this growing demand for self-service by bringing the interior property claims process into a mobile, digital landscape.
Common
types of claims that do not require an onsite inspection or adjuster include:
Water
damage from wind-driven storms
Pipe
burst / sudden water discharge
Water
leak from appliances
Sewer
backup
Low
severity of smoke damage
Low
severity of electrical fire damage
Ceiling
damage from a leaking roof
Vandalism
Field and desk adjusters are still a valuable part of the insurance business, but with plnar, their time is better focused on complex claims that need onsite inspectors, data analysis and estimation. This is particularly helpful in markets with limited agents. Insufficient resources often cause agents to work with incorrect data or information, causing readjustments of claims–which can double the cost. And that is no small amount of money as the average cost per claim for an adjuster’s visit is $300, sometimes up to $600.
By enabling carriers to outsource much of this process to homeowners, our platform can reduce overall claim costs by up to 70%.
plnar also speeds up the claims resolution timeline from start to finish. On average, it takes 14 days to resolve a claim; however, with plnar, the claim can start the minute the homeowner begins the process in the app, saving days in the claims’ cycle.
plnar is paving the way for insurance to seamlessly offer opportunities for increased customer engagement and happiness while meeting their needs more efficiently. We also help carriers cut down on avoidable and unessential costs and can save days in the claim process. These savings ultimately benefit both the carrier and policyholder by providing faster, more consistent, data, productive communication and cut down on the need for re-inspections.
Did you miss part 1 in our Building the Business Case for Plnar series? Click here to read about how our platform can transform catastrophe response from reactive to proactive.
The plnar team has been busy delivering on our promise to transform the claims process with simplified data capture: key word, “simplified”.
Recent user feedback puts our app’s ease-of-use rating at a 4.7 out of 5. One user told us they were “impressed with how easy it is…I thought it was going to take a lot longer.” Considering we are also delivering 95-98% accuracy on structure data collection, our ability to streamline and innovate the claims process is only going up from here. Read the rest of our October update to learn how we are bringing a truly seamless, painless experience to anyone making an interior property damages claim.
In all the time the plnar team has been working together perfecting the components of our platform, we’ve known we built something truly great. The last year, however, has demonstrated to us more than ever the impact our cost-saving, process-streamlining, policyholder-pleasing has when it matters most. In this four-part blog series, our team reveals the real power plnar has to help insurance carriers and policyholders alike respond to catastrophes, triage, re-inspections and building better virtual claims. In part 1 of this series, we will be diving into how plnar helps carriers proactively respond to the onslaught of claims associated with catastrophic events.
Catastrophes are stressful for everyone on a purely emotional level; layer on the logistical nightmare they create while racking up a huge bill for insurers, and they are a recipe for chaos, frustration, and process breakdown. The emotional price tag associated with these events also has a monetary price tag.
As hurricane destruction from three storms ravaged already vulnerable areas, additional flooding, tornadoes and drought-fueled wildfires cost the United States a record-breaking $306 billion last year. Of that $306 billion, insurers covered $90 billion, about 40% of the total damage costs. Experts cite shifting socioeconomics and population density in vulnerable areas as well as changing climate patterns as the main drivers of these increasing costs.
As the costs continue to rise for insurers, they also continue to rise for the people directly affected by catastrophic events. Increasing premiums, backlogs of unresolved claims, and gaps in coverage due to spotty documentation plague policyholders who are already facing a long, slow recovery and rebuild process.
While not all catastrophes are predictable, some, like hurricanes or spreading wildfires, have windows of time where carriers can interact with policyholders and put proactive measures in place before disaster strikes. With the plnar platform, carriers can send policyholders notifications through the plnar SNAP app to take safety precautions and prompt users to record new or updated documentation about their home and belongings. Later, if the policyholder’s home is affected, this information can be used to start a claim without needing to deploy an on-site adjuster. If there is additional damage to document when the policyholder returns home, they can do so through the same plnar SNAP app without needing to call an on-site adjuster. This enables carriers to pay out portions of a claim even before the policyholder returns home after evacuation, and reduces adjuster backlogs and long wait times for policyholders.
The plnar digital desk adjustment platform provides policyholders with peace of mind by making it easier for insurance adjusters to start catastrophe claims before the event happens, while also utilizing simple, actionable alerts through the plnar SNAP app.
Getting claims dollars into the hands of policyholders faster speeds along the recovery and rebuild process by giving them the chance to hire contractors faster, get reimbursed for lodging, and stay safely away from their home while taking care of business.
Most importantly, the policyholder has accurate 3D models of their home, pre-damage, to help designers and contractors make their home look as good as new as fast as possible.
By enabling proactive, responsive communication and simple, fast property data collection through the plnar digital desk adjustment platform, carriers can provide a better customer experience while reducing costs and speeding up the claims process.
Catastrophes put an intense demand on adjustment resources for carriers, and plnar alleviates this pressure by empowering policyholders and reducing adjustment costs for carriers. While nothing can completely eliminate the stress and cost associated with catastrophes, policyholders can trust the plnar platform to get money in their hands faster and provide accurate information about their home for redesign and repair. By leveraging the plnar platform, carriers can become a caring, competent provider that makes policyholders feel respected and care for, all while lightening the burden on the bottom line.
