At the recent ACE conference, Katie Peet, social media director for State Auto Insurance Companies, discussed how social media has grown over the past year, the public's expectations of how it will be used, and why it's vital to reaching insureds.
According to the Red Cross, 76% of people turn to social media during a disaster. They use it to connect with others they care about and to get information.
Peet said that 20% of Americans will be active on Twitter in the next year and that number is expected to grow. During a disaster, 24% use social media to let people know they are safe; 37% use it to find supplies, shelter or survival resources; and 44% of people use social media to ask their friends to contact responders for help.
Interestingly, 80% of survivors of a major event expect to be heard on social media, anticipating that emergency agencies will monitor and respond there. Older residents actually expect agencies to monitor social media even more than their younger counterparts.
For the people who get their information from social media during a crisis, Facebook is the number one outlet with 18% of users receiving emergency information from it.
What makes social media so popular during a crisis? “People share their experiences on social media,” explained Peet. “They want to feel more connected in their worst moments, and they can get instant feedback.”
Insurers are finding that they can use social media proactively to educate residents before an event occurs. Travelers uses it to warn residents before a hurricane with recommendations on how to prepare for the storm. Chubb also offers tips for protecting unoccupied homes during hurricane season. The Weather Channel spreads warnings over multiple channels when severe storms are heading to a specific part of the country.
Another option is providing “just-in-time updates” to respond to a specific event and get residents the information they need immediately. Social media can also be used to correct misinformation such as reports of tornadoes or hail striking a particular area. Insurers can use it to provide information from the front lines before, during and after a disaster.
Launching your social media effort
The best use of social media involves a concerted effort beyond just the designated social media team. Definitely ask them which social media outlets they use and monitor. Know what the plan is to respond for a disaster and especially for any complaints.
If you're not used to being on social media, select one network to begin with and use it to solve a problem, answer a question or fill a need. You can't use it if you don't understand how it works. Schedule about 15 minutes every few days to see what's out there. Use social media to get information and follow someone on Twitter. (You can basically search Twitter for any topic.) Twitter uses hashtags to label topics such as #Joplin, #Moore or #Sandy for major disasters.
Be prepared to respond. Create standard answers to common questions and know what information to release when based on customer needs. Keeping the lines of communication open between the adjusters on the front line and the social media team will help ensure that accurate information gets out at the right time.
Don't be afraid to use smaller weather events as a dry run for large catastrophes. It's a great way to see how the company needs to respond and to formulate a workable strategy. Be proactive and always consider – what does our customer need to know?
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