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QBE North America, the New York-based specialist insurer subsidiary of QBE Insurance Group Limited (Sydney), has announced the availability of artificial intelligence-based services called TextQBE to enhance conversations with customers during the claim process. The capabilities are built on InsurTech Hi Marley’s (Boston) “intelligent conversation” platform, and represent QBE’s stated commitment to providing customers with an “unparalleled experience of excellence.”

Through the new capabilities, select 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, according to a joint insurer/vendor statement.

“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,” comments Alyssa Hunt, SVP, Technical Operations, QBE North America. “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.”

QBE is the first carrier to integrate Hi Marley’s intelligent conversation platform 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, according to the joint statement

The insurer reports that TextQBE proved especially helpful during the 2018 California wildfires, during which claims professionals couldn’t reach customers on their land line phones that were destroyed as policyholders’ homes were consumed by the fires. Using the Hi Marley-powered intelligent conversation platform, QBE claims professionals could text customers immediately, providing a critical communications to policyholders affected by the fires’ devastation.

Helping Policyholders Accustomed to Real-Time Communications

“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,” comments Eric Sanders, SVP, Claims, QBE North America. “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.’”

“We are thrilled to work alongside an innovative leader like QBE to integrate our solution with their core claim handling platform,” comments Michael Greene, CEO, Hi Marley. “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.”

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