Insurers rush to connected-home devices along with consumers

With about one in four American households expected to have a "smart home" item by the end of the year, and Amazon's report that its Echo products were its largest Black Friday sellers, it's no surprise that an increasing number of insurers are launching applications for the devices. Typically voice-activated, these devices represent another channel of contact with policyholders at a time when insurers are looking for more opportunities to do so. Here are some leading insurers getting a jump-start on leveraging these items. (This list has been updated from an earlier version.)

Nationwide’s Amazon Echo skill, launched in November 2016, allows customers to educate themselves on the insurer’s core offerings, learn “common product definitions” and receive agent contact information for a quote. The carrier recently expanded the offering this summer by adding its usage-based insurance SmartRide application to the list of services. Customers can now tap into Nationwide’s safe-driving program on the voice-enabled device to receive data on personal driving habits.

Liberty Mutual rolled out Echo skills for itself and subsidiary Safeco Insurance in September 2016 with several different capabilities. Liberty Mutual’s application offers policyholders auto insurance estimates through its Guestimator tool and access to its MasterThis online resource, which suggests solutions to problems clients could have on the road or at home. Additionally, Safeco’s skill enables clients to learn industry jargon using an “insurance glossary.”