Insurer Enables Auto Policy Selection and Payment Via its Kiosks

Consumers in Tennessee shopping for car insurance from Direct Auto Insurance have a new option to select a policy and pay for it using the insurer’s Direct on the Spot kiosks.

Set up in 18 Direct Auto Insurance locations, the kiosks are designed to broaden the insurer’s reach among consumers, says Josh Jarrett, vice president of product management. “We need to keep lowering costs so we can pass savings on to our customers, and we need to keep pulling time out of the insurance transaction so we can save them time,” Jarrett says. Kiosks can help with that, he notes.

To use a Direct on the Spot kiosk, a consumer taps the screen to start the process. The consumer then places her driver’s license through a scanner. A quote is produced, and if acceptable, the consumer swipes a payment card through a reader on the kiosk. An insurance identification card is produced once the payment is made. The kiosks accept credit and debit cards, and cash. Sensitive information, like a driver’s license number, is masked to prevent disclosure to unauthorized persons, Jarrett says. The kiosk also captures an image of the consumer when a payment is made that can be verified should a dispute arise. Existing customers also can make payments via the kiosks.

If more help is needed, the consumer can use a built-in handset to speak with agent. That agent can remotely view the kiosk screen and walk her through the process. Many customers need no help, Jarrett says, with one customer getting a quote in 62 seconds. A policy purchase can take place in five minutes.

“There is currently a convergence of mobile, self-services, digital signage and point-of-sale along with rapidly changing consumer behaviors, and the kiosk leverages all of these,” Jarrett says. This has the possibility of overhauling the insurance shopping experience, he says.

By the end of November, Nashville, Tenn.-based Direct Auto Insurance plans to make the kiosks available at more Tennessee locations with plans to expand into additional states in 2014. It is targeting malls, grocery stores, car dealerships and state motor vehicle office locations as possible other locations. Direct Auto Insurance operates more than 400 stores in 13 states.

Jarrett says the kiosks augment the company’s locations. “Kiosks also give Direct the ability to rapidly expand our distribution in a low-cost fashion by partnering with brick-and-mortar retailers and being more convenient and accessible than ever.” And to incent consumers using the kiosks in retail locations, the kiosks can dispense a gift card when a quote is prepared, Jarrett says.