A project by Seguradora Zurich was recognized as one of the most innovative in the world last Wednesday, June 14th. The announcement was made in Milan, during the Qorus-Accenture Innovation in Insurance Awards ceremony, an international award that highlights insurance companies and insurtechs that demonstrate a visionary spirit and are at the forefront of transformations in the insurance market.
The winning project was the “Remote Diagnosis of Claims”, started in 2021 by the insurance company, and which consists of the development of a technical and specialized call center that helps to remotely identify damage to electronics and appliances covered by insurance insurance company’s extended warranty.
“This achievement underscores the talent, dedication and strategic vision of the entire Zurich team, which seeks to place the customer at the center of its actions and continues to drive innovation and excellence in the sector”, says Jason Sampaio, Superintendent of Claims of Affinities of the Zurich Insurance Company.
The project won gold in the “Reimagining the customer experience” category, as it reduces the time it takes to handle and resolve the claim, providing a practical, agile and efficient journey for the customer. The initiative also adheres to the company’s sustainability principles, as it avoids unnecessary trips to the policyholder’s home, and thus reduces the carbon emissions of its operation.
The award took into account three award criteria: originality; long-term strategic impact and return on investment; and its ability to be applied on a wider scale in other markets and countries. Established in 2016, the awards provide a forum for organizations to share best practices and continue to witness the evolution of insurance in a changing world.
In 2023, 352 innovations were registered, from 223 institutions and 43 participating countries. Zurich’s UK business unit was also awarded a silver trophy in the “Workforce Transformation” category.
The innovation of remote diagnosis
The Remote Diagnosis in Claims project was an innovation developed by Zurich in Brazil with the objective of improving the customer experience in the repair of products that have extended warranty insurance, a segment in which the company is the market leader in the country.
After activating the insurance, the customer is directed via voice channel or WhatsApp to contact a technical service center, which, through photos or video calls, will be able to understand the damage to the insured product and how it should be repaired – before, this was done in person. In this way, the claim is pre-approved and the insurer itself activates the nearest assistance, which contacts the insured to schedule a single visit, already with the necessary parts for the repair.
“In addition to limiting face-to-face contact with the customer during the process – an essential issue during the period of social isolation during the pandemic – the project reduced the average customer service time by 40%, who can have their product repaired faster,” Jason explains.
According to the superintendent, the implementation of remote diagnosis improved the customer satisfaction index in this line of business by 16 points. “For these reasons, the project gained momentum after the most acute period of the pandemic and is still fully operational at the company. Currently, 61% of extended warranty repair claims are resolved with remote diagnostic support,” he explains.
For Jason, the project materializes in actions the promises that Zurich is committed to fulfilling with the various publics with which it relates: partners, employees, the planet, and, above all, its customers.
“As leaders in a segment that directly involves our business partners, an initiative focused on providing the best customer experience and still generating a positive environmental impact is one of the best ways to generate mutual value. We are happy for the recognition, and we will continue working to evolve together, in search of a better future”, he concludes.