How P&C insurance adjusters win with rooftop geocoding

In the wake of disasters like catastrophic weather events, wildfires, and other incidents, the significance of property and casualty (P&C) insurance claims agents and adjusters becomes essential. Their role is pivotal, yet often challenging, as they navigate the aftermath to assess damages, estimate repair or replacement costs, and process insurance claims.

Claims agents and adjusters often face difficulties deploying to areas affected by disasters and obtaining accurate information amid chaotic circumstances. Despite these challenges, adjusters work tirelessly to guarantee that policyholders are fairly compensated for their losses while safeguarding insurance companies from potentially fraudulent claims.

Fast response times are critical to ensuring accurate assessment of losses and quicker settlements for insureds. It comes as no surprise that insurance companies are continuously looking for ways to reduce response times. Smarty's US Rooftop Geocoding is among the best solutions that insurance companies can use to minimize the time between a claim being filed and adjusters arriving on scene.

What is rooftop geocoding?

Rooftop geocoding is the process of matching an address to the precise coordinates of the primary structure on the parcel. Unlike the parcel-centric geocoding method that only uses street addresses or ZIP Codes, rooftop geocoding provides more accurate and reliable location data.

Regrettably, the term "rooftop geocoding" is frequently employed in marketing to refer to geocodes near a building's roof. However, these geocodes might be located hundreds of feet away from the structure, potentially hitting anywhere on the property, the street in front of the premises, several houses down, or even a few blocks away. This ambiguity can be detrimental for insurance companies requiring precise location data, as decisions based on inaccurate geocodes can lead to flawed outcomes.

When geocodes misalign, businesses may inadvertently base their strategies and decisions on flawed or imprecise information. To be classified as a rooftop geocode Smarty™ ensures the geocode accurately pinpoints the rooftop itself. Achieving this level of accuracy is crucial for insurance claims departments for effective decision-making.

Smarty provides clients with detailed information about each geocodes accuracy. By doing so, we empower insurance companies with the knowledge they need to assess the reliability of the data they're working with. This transparency ensures that our clients are never left in in the dark. 

How P&C insurance can maximize geocoding

Streamline claims and adjusting

Rooftop geocoding has become indispensable for optimizing claims processing. By tapping into precise geocoding data, claims agents and adjusters can rapidly evaluate risks, validate policy coverage, and estimate claim values. Approaching claims with exact location data intelligence significantly reduces manual errors and amplifies operational efficiency.

Rooftop geocoding not only benefits claims processing, but also revolutionizes adjuster deployment strategies. Equipped with exact coordinates, insurers can assign adjusters based on geographical proximity to the claim site, ensuring prompt and accurate responses. The strategic deployment of adjusters through rooftop geocoding provides timely and responsive claims handling, leading to heightened customer satisfaction.

Pair geocoding with address enrichment for best results

It's never fun to bombard your client with many underwriting questions, but it must be done to get a complete picture of the risk you're insuring. Sometimes, clients know the answers, sometimes they don't, and oftentimes they unknowingly give inaccurate answers. Ambiguity on insurance applications can lead to complications when it comes time to manage claims and assess damage. 

Smarty's US Property Data paired with US Rooftop Geocoding gets you the exact location of your risk, and tells you its features. For example, you can know the construction type, the structure elevation, the square footage, the subdivision, and much more. 

This enriched property data allows insurers to refine risk evaluations, leading to precise pricing, tailored coverage recommendations, and proactive risk mitigation efforts. Embracing geocoding and data enrichment isn't just a strategic business decision; it presents an opportunity for insurers to foster innovation and gain a competitive edge within the insurance sector.

Moreover, these benefits extend beyond financial gains. Insights derived from geocoding and data enrichment empower insurers to strengthen their risk management strategies. By identifying specific property characteristics and related risks, insurers can proactively devise loss prevention initiatives and offer valuable advice on risk mitigation to clients, reinforcing the insurer-client relationship and preventing potential losses.

Key takeaways

Rooftop geocoding is a crucial tool for P&C insurance adjusters looking to improve response times, customer satisfaction, and the accuracy of location data. Take Smarty's US Rooftop Geocoding for a spin, and tell us what you think.