The mobile app is available for free download from Apple’s App Store and Google Play. Capital Insurance Group’s targets the company’s auto insurance clients.

“As the leading Western regional insurance company, Capital Insurance Group, CIG, realized that we needed to give our independent agency base the ability to compete with national writers,” said Sandie Borthwick, corporate marketing manager at Capital Insurance Group, Monterey, CA.

“Therefore part of our overall mobile strategy is to keep our independent agents connected with the policy clients in the mobile arena,” she said.

“We looked at the main concerns of both our independent agents needs and their policy clients and opted to focus our energy on CIG personal lines auto policyholders. We were looking at what would be the most common needs of the policy client as well as what would bring them the most convenience.”

Capital Insurance Group claims to be the leading regional property and casualty insurer in the Western United States. The company’ insures personal automobile, homeowners, renters and apartment building owners.

Mobile management
To use the app, Capital Insurance Group auto clients need to create an online profile.

A client’s coverage information and personalized policy is available within the app.

Via the app, consumers can view their proof of insurance and submit a claim. Users can also upload photos that go along with their claim.

As part of submitting a claim, the app includes information to let drivers exchange information and document incidents.

The status of the claim can also be tracked via the app.

Consumers can also connect with roadside assistance via the app. This feature lets consumers find local towing or rental car services or connect with their insurance advisor.

Mobile utility
Leveraging mobile to help streamline the claims process is a growing trend for insurance companies and financial institutions.

For example, the United Services Automobile Association is using a variety of mobile initiatives to help consumers file claims quickly, including voice recognition (see story).

As consumers continue to take to their mobile devices for complex transactions such as filing a claim, keeping the experience as seamless as possible is key.

“We believe that this partnership with our independent agents will allow them to give the highest possible level of customer service to their clients while being fully supports by CIG’s technology,” Ms. Borthwick said.

“As we move forward we will be adding additional lines of business to our mobile app, until we have added home, commercial lines and billing,” she said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York