Allstate is the largest publicly-held personal insurance company in the United States with more than 113 million proprietary policies. It is headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois and serves customers across the country. allstate customer service has a variety of customer service options including online payments, an app to track driving behavior and the ability to submit claims via mobile phone. It is also known for innovative products like Usage-based auto insurance, Drivewise to save customers money on their car insurance, Quick Foto Claims that allows customers to submit automobile damage claims using a mobile phone camera and telematics to reduce the cost of auto and home insurance.
Allstate has one of the best customer satisfaction ratings in the industry. In a 2022 study conducted by JD Power, Allstate received a 75 out of 100 score, which is higher than the industry average of 78. Its claim handling and shopping experience is rated highly as well. However, if price is the most important factor in a customer’s decision making process, Allstate may not be the right fit for some consumers.
Despite its top ratings, Allstate still has some serious customer service issues to work out. The company has been criticized for shady practices that cheat its policyholders, such as delaying or totally denying valid claims to force policyholders to drop their coverage and unfairly defending claims that should be paid. These practices have earned Allstate the dubious honor of being named one of America’s Worst Insurance Companies by the American Association for Justice.
The company has been trying to address these issues by cutting agents’ commissions on new business and requiring them to send existing clients to a call center for help with questions and problems. Tom Wilson, CEO of Allstate, calls this a “transformative growth plan” that should speed up the company’s sales and profits. But it’s a plan that ignores some fundamental realities. Clients who have long depended on a trusted relationship with their local agent are likely to be upset when they get referred to a call center.
In an effort to improve its customer support, Allstate has implemented a new artificial intelligence assistant called Amelia. Developed by the New York-based technology firm IPsoft, Amelia handles more than 250,000 conversations each month and assists Allstate call center employees in answering routine questions. The program uses natural language speech to communicate with customers and provides them with step-by-step instructions to help resolve their issues. Amelia has helped Allstate reduce talk times and increase first call resolution rates.
Allstate is working on other AI initiatives as well. It is partnering with the University of Ulster and Queen’s University Belfast to develop predictive models that can identify potential issues before customers call in, as well as recommend solutions. It is also looking at ways to personalize and automate its underwriting processes so that it can deliver the right coverage to customers at the right time.
Despite these innovations, Allstate is still more expensive than competitors like Progressive, USAA and Erie. But it does offer a variety of customer service options to make up for its higher prices, including 24/7 automated payments, an app to manage your policy and the ability to submit claims through a smartphone camera.