Company: Electric Insurance Company
Company Description: Electric Insurance Company® is a national leading provider of personal and commercial lines insurance products. Established in 1966 specifically to serve GE employees, Electric Insurance now extends its superior personal lines products and outstanding service to discerning consumers inside and outside of the GE community.
Nomination Category: Customer Service Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Customer Service Department of the Year

Nomination Title: Electric Insurance Company - Customer Service Department of the Year - Claims

Tell the story about what this nominated organization/department achieved since January 1 2011 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

At Electric Insurance Company® our approach is to go beyond the realm of ordinary claims service. We’re committed to being Always On® for each customer, providing unparalleled service and taking a personal interest in protecting them from unexpected losses. Our core values of Customer Focus, Care, Commitment, Responsibility, and Integrity are reflected in everything we do.

Our claims service starts prior to a claim ever being reported. We monitor and track weather events to identify customers in harm’s way, then make proactive callouts letting them know how to stay safe and what to do if they need to place a claim. Recognizing that claims don’t always occur during business hours, our Business Continuity Plan ensures we can manage claims even when our office isn’t open.

In 2011, we were put to the test as severe weather wreaked havoc across the country. In late April, a devastating series of tornadoes touched down across the southern U.S. Our adjusters dealt with the unanticipated disaster quickly and efficiently. Even on Easter Sunday, adjusters worked from their homes attending to customers impacted by the tornadoes. When deadly tornadoes tore through Joplin, Missouri, in May, our adjusters again leapt into action, making immediate contact with customers whose homes were severely damaged. Working from their homes, our adjusters contacted customers through midnight Friday evening and again early Saturday morning. From late April through May, our new claim volume doubled, yet our service never wavered.

When Hurricane Irene swept up the East Coast in August, department lines blurred as everyone pitched in to provide the high standard of service our customers expect. Although our office was in the path of the hurricane, we focused our efforts on effectively handling the large influx of claims quickly and conveniently. Department-wide floor meetings kept everyone working together as a team. Handouts with event-specific coverage and process information were distributed to auto, subrogation, and injury adjusters who set aside non-critical work to take claim reports from customers impacted by the hurricane. A support team walked the floor to answer their questions quickly and accurately, ensuring our service quality never faltered. We worked into the evening and through weekends to answer our customers’ calls. We overnighted emergency cost of living allowances to affected customers to ensure they had a roof over their heads, even if it wasn’t their own. We worked to get displaced customers back in their homes as quickly as possible. Despite the fact Hurricane Irene was the second largest event in company history, service remained seamless and uninterrupted for our customers.

During these historic weather events, our dedicated team of adjusters delivered big results:

In 2010, 2011, and Hurricane Irene:

Average Speed of Answer (Seconds) 2010-13, 2011-1, Hurricane Irene-8
% Calls Answered Within 20 Seconds 2010-91%, 2011-93%, Hurricane Irene-99%
Likeliness to Renew 2010-99%, 2011- 99%, Hurricane Irene- 100%
Overall Satisfaction 2010-98%, 2011-99%, Hurricane Irene-99%

Electric Insurance Company’s response to the unprecedented weather events of 2011 underscores our firm commitment to being Always On® for our customers. We can be relied upon when we are needed most.

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Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader(s) of the nominated organization/department:

Maureen Hegarty is the Vice President of Claim Operations for Electric Insurance Company®. She joined the company in 1989 and is responsible for all facets of its countrywide personal lines home, auto, and excess liability claims. Throughout her career, Maureen has held a variety of managerial roles in underwriting, sales, service and compliance which have provided her with a broad perspective on insurance operations. Maureen earned the esteemed 2009 Women in Insurance Leadership Award from Insurance Networking News (INN) magazine. Her leadership extends into Electric’s mentoring programs, women's network, and community service. She holds a B.A. from Ithaca College, NY.