Ohio Mutual Insurance Group: Four Immediate Benefits of Conversational FNOL

Waiting on hold or filling out lengthy forms to report a loss can add confusion and frustration to an already stressful experience for policyholders. To offer policyholders a faster, more convenient way to start the claims process, Ohio Mutual Insurance Group worked closely with Hi Marley to develop an innovative first notice of loss (FNOL) solution: Hi Marley’s Conversational FNOL™.

Hi Marley’s Conversational FNOL allows customers to describe their loss in their own words, then uses artificial intelligence (AI) to synthesize the customer’s details, photos and videos into structured, actionable data needed to start and assign the claim.

“Giving our customers this option that saves time and improves their FNOL experience is a huge win for us,” said Kate Dodson, Senior Project Manager at Ohio Mutual Insurance Group. “Adoption exceeded our expectations, demonstrating that customers want this option. It’s a win for our adjusters, too.”

1. Streamlines Communication for Policyholders and Adjusters

Ohio Mutual strives to make the claims process as easy as possible, and Conversational FNOL streamlines communication for both policyholders and its employees.

“Conversational FNOL is just so seamless,” said Kate. “It’s the only FNOL method where customers submit their loss and also communicate with the adjuster in the same channel.”

For example, whether a policyholder reports a claim online or to someone in the call center, the assigned claim rep typically needs to follow up with a phone call. Conversational FNOL eliminates this step (and potential phone tag) by allowing adjusters to jump into the existing texting conversation with the customer once FNOL is complete. As a result, the policyholder experiences seamless communication and a unified conversation for the duration of the claim.

“The fact that an adjuster can just join in the conversation and access the details without waiting for the customer to opt-in again or repeat the same questions saves a lot of time,” said Andrea Presler, Claims Operations and Auto Material Damage Strategy Leader at Ohio Mutual Insurance Group. “It also creates a better experience for policyholders with a single point of contact, less repetition and fewer delays.”

2. Improves Claims Triaging with Photos and Videos

Conversational FNOL has also helped Ohio Mutual improve triaging for claims, as assignments typically depend on the loss’s severity. However, when someone reports a loss, descriptions can vary—some are detailed, while others lack context, leading to inaccurate assignments.

“When policyholders choose Hi Marley’s Conversational FNOL reporting process, we’ve found that they’re more likely to submit photos and videos,” said Kate, noting that nearly 85 percent of claims submitted through Conversational FNOL include media files. “Photos and videos provide critical details that help us gauge the extent of the damage better and triage those claims more efficiently,”

Andrea agreed, “A picture is worth a thousand words. Policyholders may downplay their incident, but photos provide immediate clarity and allow us to progress claims further on day one.”

3. Creates Efficiencies During Catastrophic Events

To manage the large volume of claims during catastrophic events, Ohio Mutual deploys its expandable CAT team, a group of non-property claim reps who step in to handle simple claims so the property team can work on more complex claims.

“Photos and videos also help us identify the claims that the expandable CAT team can handle faster,” said Andrea. “If someone says they have ‘wind damage,’ that could mean part of their fence broke, or half of their home’s roof blew off. If we make the wrong assignment, it can cause delays.”

She continued, “But with the details, photos and videos collected with Conversational FNOL, we can quickly assign the claim to the correct adjuster and eliminate those delays and costly reassignments.”

“We’re prepared to create positive outcomes when seconds and minutes matter to the claimants; with Conversational FNOL, we’re positioned to handle their claim as fast as possible,” said Kate.

4. Opens Doors to Future Innovations

As AI gains momentum in the insurance industry, Conversational FNOL allowed Hi Marley and Ohio Mutual to explore AI’s potential in claims, opening doors to future innovation.

“I have to commend Ohio Mutual’s innovative mindset and openness to trying new things,” said Alex Burgess, Principal of Product Strategy at Hi Marley, “It allowed us to make the product so much better. When carriers and vendors can partner that way, it drives much faster innovation.”

Ohio Mutual played a pivotal role in shaping the Conversational FNOL solution to better meet the needs of both policyholders and adjusters.

“When starting with just a concept, it’s crucial to have a design partner who is willing to get in the weeds, iterate and build the product with you,” said Nick Cook, Principal Product Manager at Hi Marley. “We were lucky that Ohio Mutual Insurance Group agreed to be our carrier design partner early on. Their collaboration and feedback truly helped us refine the solution.”

“As a small-to-mid-size carrier, we know we’re not always a top priority for vendors—but that’s never been the case with Hi Marley,” said Kate. “We always feel valued and have mutual respect. And I believe Hi Marley treats all carriers the same way; the team ensures everyone feels important. Their forward-thinking, strategic approach makes us eager to do more with them. I’d recommend Hi Marley or Conversational FNOL to anyone—it’s a worthwhile partnership.”