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Nathan Golia
Nathan Golia
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PEMCO Relies on Social for Wildfire Outreach

Marketing communications manager Jon Osterberg tells Insurance & Technology how the P&C insurer calms policyholders' nerves as a wildfire cuts through parts of its home state.

A wildfire has broken out in Central and Eastern Washington state, near the town of Cle Elum. The so-called Taylor Bridge fire has been burning for three days and has been called an "event of historic proportion" for the area, according to local officials quoted in the Seattle Times.

I reached out to PEMCO, the Seattle-based P&C insurer that prides itself on its local focus, to ask how it is responding to the blaze. Marketing communications manager Jon Osterberg replied via e-mail that the company, which has a mature social media strategy for marketing, leverages that skill for wildfire response:

Insurance & Technology: Has wildfire always been on PEMCO's radar as a major risk?

Jon Osterberg: Yes, we insure a number of homes/cabins in Eastern Washington and have encountered wildfires for many years there. These fires are typical to that region and occur almost every year. People unfamiliar with our state assume all of Washington is green and drizzly, like Seattle. Not so – east of the Cascades our state is fairly arid. Usually the only question is where the wildfires will occur.

I&T: Have you had many claims related to this event?

JO: As of yesterday evening (Tuesday) we had six claims. A few more came in this morning.

I&T: How are policyholders reacting to the risk? What are you hearing from them?

JO: Every situation tends to be unique to the individual. Some dwellings in that area of Kittitas County are weekend and vacation homes for people who live in urban areas. A small unoccupied cabin with few personal belongings is vastly different from an occupied primary home. Our adjusters look to meet the needs of the each customer based on his or her unique situation.

I&T: What outreach have you done with policyholders in the riskiest parts of your coverage area?

JO: The fire is in a rural, relatively unoccupied area and not threatening a town or city. We think we have most or all of the claims at this time, though sometimes there will be a late report from someone away on vacation or for other reasons. Our customer service staff and adjusters are aware of the situation and are standing by if other claims come in. We sent out proactive messages via pemco.com and social media – Twitter, Facebook, our blog – telling people we're geared up to handle their claims, and offering consumer tips on how to protect your home against wildfire.

Nathan Golia is senior editor of Insurance & Technology. He joined the publication in 2010 as associate editor and covers all aspects of the nexus between insurance and information technology, including mobility, distribution, core systems, customer interaction, and risk ... View Full Bio

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