Some QBE North America customers will now interact with an artificial intelligence virtual assistant while reporting claims.

The specialist insurer said its TextQBE services will improve and enhance conversations with customers during the claims process. As envisioned, the TextQBE assistant will help update and move QBE customers through the claim process quickly and simply.

“This intelligent conversation platform helps us take it to the next level,” Alyssa Hunt, senior vice president, Technical Operations at QBE North America, said in prepared remarks. “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 North America is offering the technology thanks to a partnership with Hi Marley, a Massachusetts-based InsurTech software-as-a-service startup that developed it. QBE North America claims to be the first carrier to integrate the platform with its core insurance system to enhance the claims experience for customers. QBE said initial positive results have led it to expand usage of the platform.

According to QBE, TextQBE was especially helpful during the 2018 California wildfires, where claims professionals couldn’t reach customers on their land line phones because they were destroyed along with the rest of the home. With the platform, QBE claims professionals could text customers right away, which was a huge relief to those customers struggling with the devastation, according to the company.

Eric Sanders, QBE North America’s senior vice president, Claims, said in prepared remarks that customer satisfaction regarding the new technology has averaged 4.6 out of 5.

Hi Marley, based in Boston, claims to have developed the first intelligent conversation platform designed specifically for the insurance industry. The company said its technology is specifically built for insurance, “with industry-specific artificial intelligence and functionality.”

Sources: QBE North America, Hi Marley Inc.