QBE Australia has revealed an overhaul of its catastrophe recovery process, with the use of its pioneering customer mapping technology.
The tool was initially designed by QBE to support customers impacted by the North Queensland floods in 2019. It has, however, “proven invaluable in navigating the challenges imposed by Australia’s worst bushfire season on record, with recovery efforts diversified across multiple states and locales.”
QBE said the customer mapping tool leverages existing technology overlaid with a range of data input layers, with the goal of providing an effective means to map customer data, segment affected areas, and guide the insurer’s response strategy and efforts.
“Last summer’s unprecedented bushfire season was undoubtedly the worst we’ve seen in Australia, with most states impacted during the same period,” noted QBE Australia Pacific chief claims officer Jon Fox. “Despite the vast geographical challenges this presented, we’ve actually delivered one of the strongest recovery efforts to date, in large part due to the data-driven technology strategy we’ve implemented and backed by our local agents based within these communities.”
Fox explained that the tool gave QBE immediate visibility over where customers were based in relation to the fires, and assisted in important decision-making as to where and when to direct efforts, energies, and suppliers. He highlighted that this freed up QBE staff and partners to take care of what Fox called the critical human response.
The insurer, which has a dedicated Bushfire CAT team, has now finalised over 81% of its total bushfire claims. These span 91% of domestic and commercial motor claims, 92% of residential contents claims, and 80% of commercial property claims. Geography-wise, QBE said it has closed 94% of bushfire claims in Queensland; 84%, Victoria; and around 80% in almost all affected states.
“The tool also supported us in the immediate aftermath of the fires, where we were able to identify customers who may have been impacted so we could check in with them and arrange any emergency payments or accommodation if required,” added Fox, who pointed to the level of detail they now use when it comes to data and analytics.
Aside from the customer mapping tool, QBE also has its own property decisioning tool which automates non-complex claims and intelligently makes technical decisions.
