I have written a great deal about how technology can make a difference in how an insurance carrier reacts to a catastrophe, but all the tools in the world are meaningless if a carrier does not offer the personal touch that people need when they are in the midst of a tragedy.

That point was brought home to me again last week as I read the accounts and watched the incredible videos of the tornados that ripped through the southern U.S.

Twenty-one years ago, I was in a similar situation. Fortunately, the storms that ravaged portions of southeast Indiana and Cincinnati on June 2, 1990 did not take any lives, but they gave me a first-hand look at how well—or not so well—insurers can react to the needs of their policyholders.

My family huddled in the basement that night after seeing a television report that a tornado was headed in our direction. Within minutes we could hear windows popping on the floor above us, but had no idea how devastating the storm really was.

Want to continue reading?
Become a Free PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader

Your access to unlimited PropertyCasualty360 content isn’t changing.
Once you are an ALM digital member, you’ll receive:

  • Breaking insurance news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
  • Weekly Insurance Speak podcast featuring exclusive interviews with industry leaders
  • Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
  • Critical converage of the employee benefits and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, BenefitsPRO and ThinkAdvisor
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Catastrophe & Restoration