Through the first six months of 2008, over 100 catastrophic events have occurred in the United States, totaling in excess of $10 billion in insured losses. This count is higher than the annual totals of five of the past ten calendar years. The number of tornadoes touching down is already nearing the ten-year annual average, 2.5 million acres of land have burned in wildfires in California, and in June alone 5 million acres of land were flooded in the Midwest, breaking historic river levels and forcing the evacuation of 40,000 properties.

Hurricane activity, such as what we witnessed with Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, is increasing and seasonal forecasts are predicting higher than average occurrences. Additionally, the risk of wildfires is still high and tornadoes, hailstorms, and floods continue to wreak havoc in many parts of the country. Insurance companies from coast to coast are on high alert with storm teams constantly at the ready, but what changes have they initiated to ensure that the customer experience is a positive one in such devastating circumstances?

The answer for many is none. Insurance companies talk about improving customer service, but very little has been done over the years to change the consumer experience. For insurance companies, often the only time they face their policyholders is after a claim has occurred—the proverbial magic moment. The insurer stands toe-to-toe with the customer, yet the toolkit of the average adjuster still consists of a clipboard, pen, paper forms, tape measure and camera. However, a few early adopters are embracing new mobile tools made available through dramatic improvements to the wireless infrastructure and hardware landscape.

There are very few examples in the insurance industry of a greater need for mobile computing than a property claim. Even an automobile can be towed to a garage for an estimate, but a residential or commercial property claim must be scoped on the loss site. In the event of a catastrophic property claim, there is no greater need for a pen-based computer (tablet, slate, or PDA) and the use of mobile technologies. While laptop computers have enabled a certain degree of mobility, standing ankle deep in a flooded basement does not afford an adjuster the opportunity to pull up a table and chair and start keying in information.

Those using laptops typically capture data using pen and paper and then transcribe that data into estimating software at a later time, either in their car, back at the hotel, or when they eventually make it into the office. Tablet computers allow data entry with the use of a stylus pen, thus replacing the clipboard and giving the adjuster a truly mobile experience on site no matter what the conditions. Additionally, it reduces the need for double entry and dramatically speeds up the process.