CSAA launches specialized unit, continues COVID-19 services

CSAA Insurance Group announced the launch of its CSAA Specialized Services unit, which will provide call center support, claims management and customized employee training. Born from an employee innovation challenge proposed during the start of the pandemic, the unit will also continue to offer services in COVID-19 contact tracing and other pandemic-related services, such as managing unemployment claims, conducting surveys regarding personal protection equipment and operating a vaccine hotline. 

In March 2020, while some individuals were working from home, laid off or furloughed, and as the number of auto accidents decreased, insurance companies witnessed a plummet in the volume of claims and customer service needs. CSAA, which sent its employees home to work remotely, presented a company-wide innovation challenge the following April. When asked how the company could continue to expand its outreach and opportunities amidst the chaos of the pandemic, one employee noted that the government was in dire need of contact tracers.

Joey Daryanani, vice president of specialized services at CSAA, explains in an interview with Digital Insurance that the services and mission of contact tracing echoes the goals of CSAA. Daryanini notes that contact tracing services include “investigation, documentation, de-escalation, customer satisfaction – all of the areas that CSAA is well known for. Then you had this component that we could help in the community that we serve, [which is] also a significant core belief of ours.”

CSAA had the infrastructure and telephone technology in place for call center services, as well as virtual training already available. Daryanani says, “I got really lucky before the pandemic. We decided to invest in virtual training, who would've known that that is a service or commodity today.”

With the opportunity to give back to the community, CSAA reached out for volunteers. “I admire this company. It's never failed. When we pull out a call of action to employees saying we need volunteers, we will get hundreds –  no matter what it is for. That's just the kind of company we are,” says Daryanani. 

Soon after, CSAA was also asked to help process unemployment claims for a large state on the West Coast, survey schools to analyze PPE needs for students and later expanded to manage third-party administrator claims and training initiatives. 

Daryanani explains that last year, CSAA promoted over 100 people from specialized services to its claims and services departments.

“When everything came back – and it came back roaring – our people simply transitioned back into their own roles. They were happy to do that. It was heartwarming for them to have serviced in this area. And the other benefit is… Companies have initiatives that are forced top-down. This…idea came from an employee.”

CSAA plans to continue offering employee innovation challenges, receiving feedback from its employees and expanding specialized services’ solutions and outreach. “Our employees will take us there,” asserts Daryanani, “This is a long-term opportunity for us.”