The world of auto insurance claims and vehicle repairs can be complex and confusing for consumers. With so many interactions and touchpoints with the carrier and the repairer along the road to recovery, CCC commissioned a study to uncover the moments that truly matter — or the
The customer's perspective: A unified experience
Our "Moments of Truth" study collected data from 2,400 policyholders who had filed first party claims and completed the automotive repair process within the past two years.
Rather than just asking consumers to identify the moments that mattered to them, we ran multiple linear and logistic regression models to quantify the moments with the greatest impact on satisfaction scores and carrier retention outcomes. This data-driven approach allowed us to move beyond subjective responses and uncover actionable insights that can guide both insurers and repairers in optimizing their processes.
The study evaluated almost 50 moments — including drop-off experience, receiving the initial estimate, repair quality, communication frequency and many more.
One of the key findings from the report uncovered the importance of the insurer-repairer relationship in delivering satisfying customer experiences.
Top findings
According to the research, consumers were more satisfied with their insurer when they were happy with the quality of the repair, the length of time it took to schedule the repair, and the length of time it took to get the repaired car back. And consumers were more satisfied with repairers when they received clear communication about the claims process and had a positive insurer drop-off experience.
This indicates that from a consumer's viewpoint, the insurance carrier and the repair facility are integral parts of a single, cohesive process. When a claim is filed following an accident, the consumer expects smooth coordination between the insurer and the repairer. They don't see these entities as separate; rather, they expect them to operate in unison — often indistinguishable from one another when it comes to service delivery.
Find the win-wins through moments of truth
Because the research findings suggest that customers hold carriers and repairers accountable collectively for a single outcome — the seamless return to normal life — carriers and repairers would do well to collaborate on designing and executing a customer experience that ensures smooth coordination, resulting in higher satisfaction and trust for both.
Both insurers and repairers need to identify and agree on collaborative strategies that benefit the customer — without disadvantaging the other.
Collaboration should focus on:
● Transparency: Both for the customer and between carriers and repairers themselves. Each relies on the other to deliver key moments of truth that enable customer satisfaction. Maintaining transparent lines of communication is an important step in delivering transparency and trust.
● For insurers: The findings suggest that carriers are relied on as much as repairers are for supporting high repair satisfaction for their customers. To do this, carriers could work with their repair partners to enable even greater transparency and speed into their process at scale, while delivering on consumers' stated preferences for communication frequency.
● For repairers: There are two moments of truth that the repairers look to their insurance partners to deliver: clear communication about the claims process and a satisfying initial insurer contact. If the insurer has not delivered on these, the repairer can play a role in helping consumers understand the combined claims and repair experience, supporting the consumer's desire for transparency.
● A unified experience: Being unified is crucial in maintaining customer confidence with both parties. By working together to manage today's complex claims and repairs, carriers and repairers can support a cohesive customer experience that places the policyholder at the center of both worlds.
Enhancing transparency & collaboration through technology
Various technologies are available today that can ultimately help facilitate better customer satisfaction outcomes.
● Event-driven systems: Technology platforms that can trigger the most appropriate next steps based on previous activity or "events" — like a photo being submitted after First Notice of Loss or the locking of a supplement — can enable seamless communication between repairers and insurers by facilitating real-time sharing of information across the parties involved in a transaction.
● Integrated estimating software: A system that integrates diagnostics, parts suppliers, and documentation helps streamline the process and ensures clarity for trading partners and consumers, ultimately enhancing transparency and trust.
● AI-powered predictive analytics: AI-driven predictive analytics not only help anticipate issues like parts delays or claim discrepancies — they can also help jumpstart estimating and optimize resource allocation, all while providing transparency to support more confident, data-driven decisions. This transparency, combined with improved speed, efficiency, and personalization, enhances the entire claims and repair process, driving a better customer experience.
The path to improved customer satisfaction lies in the collaboration between insurers and repairers. By recognizing their interdependence and focusing on shared goals, both parties can deliver a seamless experience that meets or exceeds customer expectations. This, in turn, will build trust, not only between the customer and the companies but also within the ecosystem itself, ensuring that each "Moment of Truth" is handled with the care it deserves.
