Within the transportation and logistics arena, automotive fleet operators face unique and complex claims challenges related to cycle times, costs and safety. Whether serving a commercial leasing firm, corporate vehicle fleet, or trucking and transportation company, Sedgwick is focused on shortening cycle time; minimizing loss adjustment expense; and maximizing telematics and safety data to improve claims outcomes and create a robust safety directive.
Fleet management companies (FMCs) are primarily focused on repairing a vehicle without necessarily driving down the cost of the loss. Combine this with the inventory shortages that body shops nationwide are experiencing due to supply chain disruption and it’s easy to see why today’s repairs are taking longer. And while customers wait, the costs go up.
At the same time, FMCs generally are equipped to handle only first-party loss data, complicating not just rapid response and claims intake — typically, TPAs must be contacted separately from FMCs for third-party losses and injuries — but also driver scoring methods that result in safety directives. Without consideration for third-party accident data, there’s a chance an FMC could issue an inaccurate picture of a driver’s behavior, which impacts driver selection, not to mention a client’s liability costs.
Setting the bar for client advocacy
A new service from Sedgwick’s automotive solutions division is set to change the legacy processes by which fleet claims are handled. For a single per-claim fee, claims specialists will immediately triage each loss and contact the insurer, a repair shop and the driver or operator before assigning the claim to the nearest appraiser (with 1000+ to choose from across the country). Sedgwick leverages its own coast-to-coast network of direct-repair facilities — the fastest growing in the nation — to streamline auto repairs.
Sedgwick’s auto experts think creatively and always with the aim of getting vehicles back on the road quickly and with minimal inconvenience. This means weighing alternative auto physical damage (APD) solutions that may not include repair. To this end, our team offers self-service photo estimatics, field appraisals and more as part of our commitment to improved claims outcomes.
Creating a simpler, more personal insurance product
Perhaps the key difference between Sedgwick’s new offering for private fleets and the typical FMC product lies in the gathering of third-party loss data. From the time of the accident onward, Sedgwick is the sole point of contact for both first-party and third-party damage claims — creating ease and simplicity in response as well as the claims intake process during an otherwise chaotic and frightening time for all involved. This benefit of consolidation extends to drivers’ wallets: Where most drivers carry insurance cards for each point of contact in an accident — FMC, mechanical repair network, TPA — Sedgwick keeps it to two: one card for accidents and one for maintenance. In this way, Sedgwick’s fleet solution resembles what a consumer driver might receive with their personal line of coverage.
By collecting first- and third-party loss data, Sedgwick gets a complete picture of the accident. Having the full scope of collision data yields a major market advantage. In many cases, complete collision data supports driving down of indemnity spend. (Sedgwick is graded on controlling loss costs for this claims solution.) More significantly, third-party data is crucial for obtaining an accurate driver scoring report and safety directive. Fleet operators select drivers in compliance with a number of state and federal regulations. Trust in a behavioral record allows both drivers and operators to hit the road with confidence.
The takeaway
Holistically, Sedgwick’s fleet services program works to reduce collision costs and prevent further collisions from happening. the program does not reinvent the auto liability claims wheel so much as provide a tech-enabled answer to what FMCs have never been able to do on their own. By collecting first-party and third-party loss data, Sedgwick simplifies the claims workflow while reducing cycle times, improving customer contact and service, and generating a robust and accurate driver report that empowers fleet managers to make smarter decisions.
Because passenger fleet vehicle drivers and operators have a specific set of safety and liability protection needs — many closely resembling those of consumer drivers — at the core of Sedgwick’s fleet program is an accident management product that combines the benefits of a consumer driver’s personal line of coverage with an extensive repair solutions network — delivering to fleet operators a faster way to get their assets back on the road and minimize profit and productivity loss.
Learn more > read our flyers on transportation fleet services and fleet services for private passenger vehicles, or contact kyle.dunlap@sedgwick.com.