Western National

Business Benefits

• With ClaimCenter, reduced cycle time between FNOL and payment
• Transformed the collection and use of data to improve service to agents and customers

The Story

Western National Insurance Group, headquartered in Edina, Minnesota, is a super-regional P&C insurance group comprising nine insurers writing more than $520 million in direct premium through independent agents in 19 states, plus surety in an additional seven states.

The complexity of this super-regional’s operations spurred the company to think about a long-term path to efficiencies and improved customer engagement made possible by using a digital platform. That services platform would need to drive excellence in every functional business area and pave the way for the insurer to continue to evolve.

Beginning with its claims area, the insurer made a key decision in 2018 to replace its third-party claims management system with Guidewire ClaimCenter and deployed SmartCOMM from Smart Communications for customer communications management. Smart Communications is a Guidewire PartnerConnect Technology partner.

“Our company was challenged with collecting and using data,” said Lisa Horn, Director of Claim Technology at Western National Insurance Group. “Guidewire provides us with a platform in which we can totally transform our organization in how we collect and use data and how we service our agents and customers.” Richard Long, Senior Vice President for Claims at Western National, believes his company’s DNA is based on the relationships its adjusters build with policyholders. “The technology they use should enhance their judgment and allow them to stay focused on the customer experience rather than hinder them with busywork.”

With its mission to increase business agility and drive further growth, Western National eyed benefits derived from its deployment of ClaimCenter, such as a reduced cycle time between FNOL and payment. Then the insurer broadened its digital footprint with Guidewire, transforming its underwriting, policy administration, billing, rating, and reinsurance management core operations. The company also selected Guidewire EnterpriseEngage to provide a seamless omnichannel digital engagement experience to its policyholders, agents, customer service representatives, and vendors. With the selections of PolicyCenter and BillingCenter, Western National is now a full Guidewire InsuranceSuite customer.

“We can do anything we want with the Guidewire platform today,” said Horn, “and we know we’ll have the capability to accomplish things that we’ll need to do tomorrow that we haven’t even thought about.”