The claims effect
Claims are sometimes represented as “moments of truth” for insurers and their policyholders – points at which the true value of the insurance product is revealed. But as we have seen, they are relatively rare touchpoints. And even when they do occur, the truth that is revealed may not be brand- enhancing for the insurer. Homeowners affected by the Marshall Fire, which destroyed more than a thousand homes in Boulder County, Colorado in the last hours of 2021, offered a decidedly mixed verdict on the performance of insurers following the conflagration. A year after the event, a survey of the affected homeowners was conducted by the nonprofit
United Policyholders in partnership with the Colorado Division of Insurance 4 . It revealed that more than 80% of respondents (275 individuals) had found that their insurance payouts were insufficient to cover the cost of rebuilding or replacing their homes to the standard required by applicable building codes. And when asked whether their claims experience would incline them to recommend their insurer “to a friend, relative or coworker,” a narrow plurality (41.3%) said it would, but a large minority (36.3%) said it would not.
Sufficient Insurance to Cover Rebuilding Costs?
23
Yes
No
275
43
Unsure
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
4. The survey results can be found here: https://uphelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2021-Marshall-Fire-One-Year-Survey-Data_FINAL-SUMMARY- DATA.pdf
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