Eberl Doubles Business Development Success with Matterport

When disaster strikes, Eberl is there when you need them. Eberl adjusters are equipped and ready to help insurance carriers and their policyholders. They compassionately visit with homeowners and business owners to assess and adjust the losses they’ve suffered, helping them get back on their feet as quickly as possible with swift insurance claim assistance. 

However, properly documenting a loss can often involve hours of processing, annotating, and labeling photos of impacted sites, followed by more hours of writing reports that clearly specify and validate the damages, including all structures and interior items. In recent decades, the insurance adjuster’s toolkit has evolved from Polaroid photos and paper-based reports to digital cameras and digital documents. 

By researching and investing in technology to improve business processes, Eberl aims to continually enhance experiences for not only its adjusters, but also for its client partners, and subsequent policyholders. In particular, the company has sought ways to increase efficiencies related to the large amounts of time adjusters spend in the field documenting property losses.

Eberl found an ideal solution by capturing Matterport digital twins, dimensionally accurate 3D digital replicas of spaces to better document property loss claims. With the rich visuals and precise measurement capabilities of Matterport, Eberl adjusters can more quickly and accurately identify property characteristics. This saves tremendous time for adjusters as well as the claims processors and carriers who need to verify and agree on the report details and what was seen onsite before claims are finally approved.

Expanding Access and Adoption with Matterport on iPhone

Eberl’s partnership with Matterport began in 2017. Just in the past year, partly due to increased use of technologies facilitating remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic, Eberl has seen adoption of Matterport by its adjusters increase fivefold and expects Matterport usage to more than double in 2022.

Matterport released an iPhone app in April 2020, which for the first time allowed iPhone users to easily capture digital twins without the need for external 3D camera equipment. The Matterport Capture app on iPhone not only pairs with Matterport Pro2 3D cameras, but also the advanced, built-in camera systems on iPhone for native capture with a device that’s readily on-hand, giving many Eberl adjusters a method to easily capture digital twins while out in the field. The app is easy to use and Eberl trains its adjusters to use the iPhone camera they already have, which decreases the company’s total cost of ownership.

Phillip Morris, Vice President of Sales and Business Development for Eberl Claims Services, an adjuster himself earlier in his career, notes the impact of mobile technologies on adjusters’ work. “Really good adjusters don’t need 10,000 things in their toolbox. Now, you can just use your iPhone with the Matterport Capture app to access everything you need to capture a digital twin: an excellent camera, a scanner, a level, and a measuring tape. It’s very convenient to have that in your pocket everywhere you go, on every single claim,” he says. 

Thanks to updates to the Matterport Capture app released in 2021, adjusters can enjoy even greater accuracy using Measurement Mode inside the Matterport digital twin on iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max—which all include Apple’s pioneering, built-in LiDAR Scanner. “The LiDAR Scanner enhances the way we do things, giving the user powerful depth-sensing capabilities. Adjusters can leave their old measuring tape and lasers at home,” says Morris. “The new iPhones are remarkable tools for our adjusters. They pack a lot of power into a very portable, water-resistant device, adding to our adjusters’ business agility out in the field.” 

New Matterport Axis Improves Quality of Mobile Phone Captures

The just-introduced Matterport Axis makes it even faster and easier for Eberl adjusters to capture 3D digital twins of losses with their smartphones. Axis is a motorized mount for tripods that holds a smartphone and completes a smooth, 360° rotation with the press of a button on the included remote control or Matterport Capture app for smartphones. 

Adjusters can increase the precision with which high-fidelity 3D scans are captured with their smartphone and Axis companion device, ensuring consistency and precision from one loss to the next.  An early tester of Axis was Chris Cowan, VP of Operational Strategy and Innovation, Eberl. “Carriers and adjusters demand accuracy in loss site documentation. Using the Matterport Capture app for Android or iOS devices with Axis delivers a much higher quality digital twin versus capturing with a mobile phone manually,” Cowan says.

“The compact design of Matterport Axis and its affordable cost make it a no-brainer for our adjusters to bring along out in the field. It changes the game compared to cumbersome 3D cameras that cost thousands of dollars,” says Cowan. “Plus the captures can be done in half the time normally needed for taking photos.”

Empowering Adjusters to Take Advantage of Next-Gen Technology

With Matterport on iPhone and digital twins, Eberl’s adjusters can document a loss with greater efficiency and consistency, and more quickly than they could using traditional methods. Adjusters who later realize they are missing details on a report can refer to the digital twin to get the needed information, from their desk or anywhere in the field, saving valuable time. 

“Every adjuster has had that phone call that comes in with a question about a property they saw that morning, or perhaps two days prior, and soon realize they didn’t take a picture of that particular room or item in question,” says Morris. “Using Matterport on iPhone, adjusters can log in and zoom in on anything in the digital twin as if they are still on site. They can refer to notes, right within the app, to get the answer on the spot. That’s going to save so many return trips, reinspection requests, phone calls, voice mails, and emails. It makes us more responsive, better communicators.”

Morris recognizes the value of having the right camera for the scope of the loss claim. “If I’m going into someone’s home and I need to capture a couple of rooms, iPhone is ideal. You can pan around with it right in your hand and take advantage of the same key capabilities that you get with a larger 3D camera,” Morris says.

Eberl aims to help its insurance adjusters use new technologies, including Matterport, to become “next-gen adjusters” through its sister organization, the Claims Adjuster Training Institute (CATI). Eberl adjusters can access new hire training and continuous education on best practices for technology-forward claim adjustment services through CATI. 

CATI’s signature, hands-on approach features more than 30 damaged mockup structures throughout two of its 14,000 sq. ft. Texas training facilities. Participants can climb roofs and learn rope and harness techniques along with traditional, manual procedures for measuring, diagramming, and reporting. Whether in-person or through online classes, participants can get the latest technology and software training for more automated, powerful, and efficient processes — which includes capturing Matterport digital twins. 

Making the Most of Adjusters’ Time, Improving Claims Processing

Morris recalls countless hours out in the field as an adjuster earlier in his career. He would take hundreds of photos, often worrying whether he might have missed an angle or a particular shot and subsequently thinking about the back-end image processing and manual photo documentation. “As an adjuster, you can’t get back the time spent at a claim site. We talk about a picture being worth a thousand words, but in comparison, a Matterport digital twin is exponentially more valuable,” he says.

Morris would spend hours organizing photos in the correct order and labeling them with key information. Now, Eberl adjusters can use Mattertags and log additional information using the Notes feature to collaborate right in the Matterport digital twin. “The Notes feature is going to be a game-changer for adjusters because we’ll no longer need to take miles of notes manually in other platforms and transpose them onto photos,” Morris says. 

Property sketches that previously were done by hand can be generated with Matterport TruePlan for Xactimate and easily imported to Xactimate, the software used for estimating the cost of repairs and reconstruction.

“Digital twins enable our adjusters to work smarter,” agrees Jessica Hamilton, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Eberl Claims Service. “Matterport also accelerates processing once adjusters send loss claims for next steps. When there are disputes over details or fraud concerns, the digital twins provide an accurate source of truth,” she says.

Morris recounts one property loss case he worked on, when a digital twin helped avert $1.8 million in improper claim filings, proving the value of Matterport many times over. That’s because with the immersive visuals of the Matterport digital twin, Morris was able to compile a higher-quality inventory of contents and grade of materials at a property, ultimately resulting in a more accurate claim filing. 

Enhancing New Business Opportunities

Eberl credits Matterport with helping boost its business development efforts with its insurance carrier partners. The company notes how its tech-adept adjusters can use Matterport to complete claims with greater speed, efficiency, and consistency, which is critical when large-scale catastrophic events, such as hurricanes, create a huge volume of claims that need quick attention.

“With the use of Matterport we’ve been able to improve our total cycle time by 15%, as well as decrease supplement severity by nearly 28%,” Morris says. “The solution promotes greater quality and consistency in documentation provided by Eberl adjusters and enhances the capabilities of our expert QA team.”

In addition, adjusters can share Matterport digital twins with their carrier partners and policyholders in ways that improve customer experience and fortify retention for insurance carriers. For example, a representative can walk homeowners through their home using the digital twin to educate them on methods to reduce their liability in the future. “In some cases, we’re able to identify potential issues and I can show policyholders through the lens of the digital twin, so they can see it for themselves more objectively,” Morris says.

Digital twins can also be shared with underwriters. “The digital twins can help underwriters perform a better risk analysis, especially in a situation where no one from the carrier has been able to visit the property in person,” says Morris. “At the end of the day, you get what you pay for. And when we train our people in the best technologies like Matterport, we can deliver superior outcomes and the ultimate service experience.” 

Investing in smarter technologies has had an incredible impact on Eberl. “We’re closing new business at twice the rate now that we have Matterport,” says Morris. “When we present our tech stack to new and existing clients they are eager to engage, adopt, and move forward.”

Morris expects the number of digital twins that adjusters capture and reference to continue to increase with more adjusters using the camera systems on iPhone to capture smaller losses, under $5,000.  “Using the Matterport Capture app on iPhone to document small losses in 3D can greatly improve the accuracy of the claims report, thus reducing claims settlement time,” says Morris. 

Eberl plans to further streamline its operations by integrating Matterport APIs into its claims systems. “We aim to make the adoption, engagement, and use of Matterport as easy as a click of a button by integrating digital twins into our claims management system and digital portals for adjusters and clients,” Hamilton says, “We are excited to further improve efficiency and service cycle times, continuing Eberl’s industry leadership with breakthrough technologies like Matterport.”

ABOUT EBERL

Eberl, a national insurance claim solutions provider, provides claim handling services for many top insurance carriers in the U.S. With over 9,500 adjusters in its nationwide network, Eberl is a people-centric organization powered by technology and compassion for others.

https://www.eberls.com/

HEADQUARTERSLakewood, Colorado, United States

INDUSTRY Insurance Adjustment

EMPLOYEES

CHALLENGEIncrease efficiencies related to the large amounts of time adjusters spend in the field documenting property losses

PRODUCTS Matterport for iPhone, Matterport Pro2 3D Camera, Matterport TruePlan for Xactimate 

SOLUTIONEnable next-gen insurance adjustment services with digital twins and Matterport app on iPhone

Results

• 200% lift in success rate for new business pitches by highlighting next-gen adjustment services with Matterport

• 5x increase in Eberl adjusters using Matterport to provide clients with valuable insights 

• Improved total cycle time by 15%

• Decreased supplement severity by nearly 28%

• Matterport Axis and the Matterport Capture app for smartphones enable adjuster to capture a property loss in half the time normally needed for taking photos

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