Anne Bourgoin, Bodywork, Bodywork industry business management, Headline
CONTACTLESS, THE FUTURE OF CLAIMS
(Article published in L’Automobile Collision magazine, October 2023)
By Anne Bourgoin
The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t just have negative repercussions. Many innovations have progressed in a very short time, and among them the growing use of mobile tools and artificial intelligence (AI).
The Solera company has broken new ground by developing a virtual auto appraisal solution for contactless insurance claims, by simply clicking on your cell phone. “The collision and body shop industry has changed dramatically over the years. And yet, the area of collision claims has remained virtually the same,” explains Bill Brower, Solera’s Vice President of Industry Relations.
Armed with this insight, Bill Brower looked into the problem and created the concept of contactless claims almost seven years ago. “It really took off when COVID-19 came along. The natural next step for customers is to use their smartphone without having to get in touch with anyone to make their claim. Obviously, we’re talking here about claims that aren’t injury-related,” he explains.
A Simple QR Code
By scanning a QR code specific to the policyholder, they can file a claim within minutes. The AI will instantly make the links thanks to the photos provided related to the vehicle plates and the damage sustained. It is also possible to order a tow on the spot, thanks to the GPS position. The estimate takes less than five minutes.
Customers can select the desired collision centre, schedule an appointment and even reserve a rental car. Having received the file with photos of the damage and the estimate, the body shop can respond, make modifications and send the final estimate to the customer. All that’s left to do is confirm and send payment. If necessary, a text chat can be used to discuss with all parties involved: insurers, collision centres, etc.
Are You Ready?
“Change takes time. But insurers using claim automation and digital tools are achieving excellent results. One of the benefits is greater business resilience. AI makes it possible to do more in less time. It therefore increases productivity and strengthens the sense of trust between collision centres and OEMs,” says Bill Brower.
According to a 2022 study by Solera, 79% of insurance customers said they would trust AI-powered automotive claims. Among repairers, however, 64% said they faced scalability issues and 51% internal adaptation challenges. “In my experience, with virtual assessment, processing, remote vehicle inspection and the use of AI or other remote solutions, 80% of all these claims can be handled virtually in the future,” believes Bill Brower.
Although full claim automation is still more of a promise than a reality, the automotive aftermarket had better listen to Bill Brower and get to work on the subject quickly.
Comments are closed