{"id":23141,"date":"2025-02-10T14:09:26","date_gmt":"2025-02-10T14:09:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.insurancejournal.com\/?p=811371"},"modified":"2025-02-10T14:09:26","modified_gmt":"2025-02-10T14:09:26","slug":"bringing-positive-vibes-back-to-personal-lines-insurance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/10\/bringing-positive-vibes-back-to-personal-lines-insurance\/","title":{"rendered":"Bringing Positive Vibes Back to Personal Lines Insurance"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Art-cognitive-anthropology-positive-vibes-mental-model-feeling-safe-protected-happy-home-in-backgroundFirefly_9967e3d5-b449-46d9-8c59-30a3546da76e-580x451.jpeg\"><\/p>\n<ul class=\"nav nav-tabs tabs tabs-entry\">\n<li class=\"active\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insurancejournal.com\/news\/national\/2025\/02\/10\/811371.htm\">Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insurancejournal.com\/news\/national\/2025\/02\/10\/811371.htm?comments\" rel=\"nofollow\">0 Comments<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"article-content clearfix\">\n<p class=\"cm-logo\">Nationwide\u2019s Casey Kempton has a vision to bring positive vibes back to engagements between personal lines insurers and their customers\u2014and it starts with understanding the \u201cmental models\u201d that homeowners and drivers reference to understand insurance.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-inline-sidebar article-inline-sidebar-left\"><em><strong>This is an excerpt of an article first published in Insurance Journal\u2019s sister publication, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carriermanagement.com\/features\/2025\/02\/06\/271503.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Carrier Management<\/a>.<\/strong> <strong>Click the link and enter your email to read the full story.<\/strong><\/em> <\/div>\n<p>Kempton, who has been president of Nationwide Personal Lines for just about a year, has a research background in cognitive anthropology\u2014in her words, \u201cthe understanding of culture as it exists in the minds.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For the last two decades, she has been observing the insurance customer culture\u2014and the mental models they rely on\u2014like \u201cswitch and save.\u201d Those shortcuts to understanding personal lines insurance are ripe for change, she believes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think the industry, in general, has an opportunity to bring the value of the protection that we provide on multiple dimensions [into] a much more positive light than the way that we, collectively, have engaged customers previously,\u201d she told Carrier Management recently.<\/p>\n<p>Kempton was responding to a question about why she chose to accept a position in personal lines, after most recently leading commercial lines digital business initiatives at Chubb, at a time when both auto and homeowners insurers were dealing with their biggest challenges in decades. In short, there\u2019s a lot of opportunity to put an understanding of mental models to work in personal lines, she suggested.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_811377\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-811377\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Casey-Kempton-300x300-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-811377 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Casey-Kempton-300x300-1.jpg\" alt width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Casey-Kempton-300x300-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Casey-Kempton-300x300-1-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-811377\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Casey Kempton<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m not suggesting that customers see it negatively, but you do hear sometimes, \u2018I\u2019m not sure if the insurance company is nickel and diming me\u2019\u2014just in general, not any company. Or \u2018I\u2019m not sure at the moment of claim that I really have confidence in what\u2019s going to happen because I don\u2019t 100 percent understand what I\u2019m covered [for].&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur product [is] a legal contract,\u201d which independent agents and captive agents need to translate for customers. It\u2019s not something customers have to think about every day. \u201cSo, at a moment of loss, there\u2019s a little bit of panic that comes,\u201d she said, giving just one example of where she sees opportunity for carriers like Nationwide \u201cto really just lean into the market.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"bzn bzn-sized bzn-intext-2\">\n<ins data-revive-zoneid=\"162\" data-revive-topics=\"personal-lines\" data-revive-companies data-revive-block=\"1\" data-revive-id=\"36eb7c2bd3daa932a43cc2a8ffbed3a9\"><\/ins> <\/div>\n<p>In particular, Kempton used the phrase \u201clean in\u201d to refer to ways in which personal lines insurers can connect with consumers to build \u201ctrust, confidence and control\u201d in their interactions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How We Got Here<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Before sharing some specific ideas, Kempton offered a view of recent history.<\/p>\n<p>The advent of the Internet, competitive price shopping and data to enable pricing sophistication resulted in \u201cthe 35-year commoditization of the personal lines industry,\u201d which first occurred largely in auto. With that commoditization, \u201cwe eroded some of the more local value of how auto insurance connects with consumers,\u201d she said, referring to the industry overall and noting Nationwide\u2019s long-time history of service through local agents.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-271480 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carriermanagement.com\/assets\/cognitive-anthropology-positive-vibes-mental-model-feeling-safe-Firefly_182a1122-f49f-4fa1-a98c-a604e932fa2c-300x233.jpeg\" alt width=\"300\" height=\"233\"><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe advent of brand-driven direct writers somewhat changed customers\u2019 perception,\u201d resulting in a view of the industry that is focused on the idea that \u201cthis is a product from which I can realize discounts, and that is motivating me to switch and seek a better deal.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re almost in that mindset of devaluing the value of the insurance company in that commoditized way,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Homeowners insurance is less commoditized\u2014agents offer guidance on the appetite for risk, the need for umbrella policies, etc.\u2014but auto and homeowners ultimately \u201cgot roped in together,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>The mental model \u201ccreates an expectation of the insurance company [that will] give me the most for as little premium\u201d as possible. \u201cThat\u2019s a tenuous equation when the world does change,\u201d she said, referring to recent challenges of weather volatility and inflationary pressures that have prompted insurers across the industry to raise homeowners and auto insurance rates.<\/p>\n<p>In the customers\u2019 minds, \u201c\u2018They\u2019re raising rates. That\u2019s bad.\u2019 There isn\u2019t an understanding that the total cost to insure everything has risen at a rate and perils have changed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Experiences Matter<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Kempton believes insurers can begin the process of trust-building by helping customers appreciate the fundamentals of protection in non-catastrophe, non-weather potential loss situations. That involves bringing them solutions that engage them in mitigating damage from \u201ccore exposures,\u201d rather than educating them about the cost burdens of insurers.<\/p>\n<p>As a consumer, \u201cyou can see your property insurance as somewhat of a home maintenance policy\u2014\u2019I can let things slide, and it\u2019s OK because the insurance company will pay for it if I have a loss.\u2019 Or you can recognize, as a homeowner, where your responsibility starts and stops on the fundamental conditions of your home\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThen your base premium relative to projected losses is lower. You have the insurance and it\u2019s affordable for the big [catastrophic] losses,\u201d she said, proposing this shift in mental model as a step toward creating a better understanding of the value of insurance.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Go to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carriermanagement.com\/features\/2025\/02\/06\/271503.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Carrier Management<\/a> to read the rest of the story.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"bzn bzn-sized bzn-intext\">\n<ins data-revive-zoneid=\"79\" data-revive-topics=\"personal-lines\" data-revive-companies data-revive-block=\"1\" data-revive-id=\"36eb7c2bd3daa932a43cc2a8ffbed3a9\"><\/ins> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-poll\" data-post=\"811371\">\n<div class=\"article-poll-vote\">\n<p>Was this article valuable?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-poll-feedback voted-no\">\n<form class=\"feedback-form\">\n<p>Thank you! Please tell us what we can do to improve this article.<\/p>\n<p> <textarea placeholder=\"Enter your feedback...\"><\/textarea> <button type=\"submit\" class=\"submit\" disabled>Submit<\/button> <button class=\"cancel\">No Thanks<\/button> <\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-poll-feedback voted-yes\">\n<form class=\"feedback-form\">\n<p>Thank you! <span class=\"percent\"><\/span>% of people found this article valuable. Please tell us what you liked about it.<\/p>\n<p> <textarea placeholder=\"Enter your feedback...\"><\/textarea> <button type=\"submit\" class=\"submit\" disabled>Submit<\/button> <button class=\"cancel\">No Thanks<\/button> <\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-poll-more-articles\">\n<p class=\"thank-you-text\">Here are more articles you may enjoy.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-byline clearfix\">\n<div class=\"author-byline-img\"> <img width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2012\/11\/susanne-sclafane-235x235-200x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-200x200 size-200x200 wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2012\/11\/susanne-sclafane-235x235-200x200.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2012\/11\/susanne-sclafane-235x235-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2012\/11\/susanne-sclafane-235x235.jpg 235w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\"> <\/div>\n<div class=\"author-byline-content\">\n<h4 class=\"author-byline-name\"> <small>Written By<\/small> Susanne Sclafane <\/h4>\n<p class=\"author-byline-bio\"> Sclafane is Executive Editor of Carrier Management, a publication of Wells Media Group serving property\/casualty insurance carrier executives. She is a media professional with deep background in the P\/C insurance industry including 25 years as editor and reporter for trade magazines, online news services, digital journals. Her prior experience includes 14 years as a casualty actuary. <\/p>\n<div class=\"author-byline-posts\">\n<h5>Latest Posts:<\/h5>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insurancejournal.com\/author\/ssclafane\/\" class=\"author-byline-more\"> More From Author <i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i> <\/a> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"subscribe-banner subscribe-banner-in-content-2\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<h4>Interested in <em>Personal Lines<\/em>?<\/h4>\n<p>Get automatic alerts for this topic.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Article 0 Comments Nationwide\u2019s Casey Kempton has a vision to bring positive vibes back to engagements between personal lines insurers and their customers\u2014and it starts with understanding the \u201cmental models\u201d that homeowners and drivers&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23142,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[1315,2,644,1,537],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/bringing-positive-vibes-back-to-personal-lines-insurance.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23141"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23141"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23141\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23142"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}