TECHNOLOGY
F 34
“ALEXA, AM I COVERED?”
rom weather updates and music requests to online factchecking, virtual assistants such as Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant are becoming commonplace in the UK. Set to outnumber humans by 2023, questions still remain over how insurers should embrace this technology. Although these devices first appeared 10 years ago, insurance sector interest has been relatively muted. But, with LV= launching the first car insurance voice skill for Alexa and Google Assistant in January, this could be about to change. Through its application, LV= customers can get answers to the most commonly asked questions about their motor policy and, since launch, it has recorded nearly 500 sessions across Amazon and Google smart devices. “Car insurance is our largest product so we thought it was logical to start where we could have the most significant impact, while at the same time test and learn this new technology,” explains Jon Mansley, sales and marketing director at LV= general insurance.
As virtual assistants become ever more embedded in our daily lives, Sam Barrett looks at the insurers taking tentative steps to utilise this technology
INCREASING UPTAKE Although it claims the title of first UK motor insurer to use the technology, LV= is not the first insurer to get into bed with Alexa. Aviva launched a pension skill in August 2018, allowing customers to ask the virtual assistant how much was in their pension pot, while DAS launched a legal expenses voice skill in January 2018, following it with a cybersecurity one later the same year. Robin Stagg, head of propositions and marketing at DAS UK
These are the top questions asked on LV=’s voice assistant. ● Can I drive another car on my policy? ● Can I drive abroad? ● Are my windows covered? ● Am I covered for fire? ● When do I have to pay an excess?
ISTOCK
TOP FIVE MOTOR INSURANCE QUESTIONS
thejournal.cii.co.uk / The Journal / April - May 2020
34-35_Alexa_April-May 2020_Cll The Journal 34
20/04/2020 09:19
