The 2009 Auto Claims Satisfaction Study measures claimant satisfaction with the claims process for an auto physical damage loss. Depending upon the complexity of a claim, the customer may experience all or only some of the following factors:

• first notice of loss
• service interaction
• appraisal
• repair process
• rental experience
• claim settlement

The study finds that claimant expectations and satisfaction vary considerably across the six different repair claim paths they may experience, depending on who they deal with at various points in the process. For example, satisfaction tends to be higher among customers whose claims experience involves reporting their claim to their local agent, rather than directly to the insurer. Despite differences in the various paths, simply following up with the claimant at the end of the claims process may provide a substantial lift in satisfaction across all experiences.

"While insurance providers often have their own unique strategy to handle claims, it's important that providers focus on optimizing the process to improve satisfaction," said Bowler. "Some claimants may have only one contact point with the insurance provider throughout the entire process, making that one contact even more crucial in determining the customer's overall satisfaction with the claims experience."

Other highlights from the 2009 Auto Claims Satisfaction Study include:

• With a score of 883, Auto-Owners ranks highest in providing a satisfying claims experience for auto insurance customers for a second consecutive year. Auto-Owners performs particularly well in the first notice of loss, service interaction and claim settlement factors.
• GMAC follows Auto-Owners in the rankings with a score of 871, and The Hartford ranks third with a score of 870.
• USAA, which is open only to U.S. military personnel and their families, and therefore is not included in the rankings, also achieves a high level of customer satisfaction.

About the Study
The 2009 Auto Claims Satisfaction Study is based on 11,616 responses from auto insurance customers who filed a claim within the past 12 months with their current auto insurance provider. The study excludes customers who only had glass/windshield damage and theft/stolen vehicle, or only roadside assistance claims. The study was fielded from June to July 2009.

For More Information:

• View Auto Claims Satisfaction Ratings
• View Other Insurance Ratings
• Read More Insurance Articles
• Read the 2009 Auto Claims Satisfaction Study Press Release
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