Church Mutual® recognized as insurance industry innovator

MERRILL, Wis. - Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. (a stock insurer)1 has been recognized for its adaptability and innovation with its digital adjusting program.

Church Mutual won Best in Category – Adaptability from the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC). This is Church Mutual’s second innovation award from NAMIC. It also won an Award of Innovation for its sensor technology in 2017.

NAMIC is a more than 120-year-old national organization of mutual insurance companies based in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Award in Innovation was created in 2014 to recognize mutual insurers that exemplify the vision and entrepreneurialism it takes to stay relevant in changing times. Whether the ideas are big or small, each innovation is crucial to keeping the insurance industry strong and stable for the future.

“Being recognized by NAMIC as a leader in innovation and adaptability illustrates our fundamental value, our customers are the company,” said Alan Ogilvie, president. “By thinking creatively about our customers’ needs, we were able to identify an opportunity and find a solution that’s mutually beneficial to both us and our customers.”

Under traditional claims handling, it may take days or even weeks for an adjuster to schedule, inspect and complete an estimate for damages. With Church Mutual’s digital adjusting team, customers’ claims are more efficiently resolved with a much higher customer satisfaction rate. Claims are handled directly by phone, email and innovative claim systems to simplify the claim resolution. Eliminating the number of touch points on each claim simplifies the process, enhances customer satisfaction and reduces the expense of engaging a field adjuster to visit the property in person.

“For us, this was about more than quantitative results,” said Becky Hudzik-Presson, vice president – chief claims officer. “Regardless of the expense savings, modernizing and digitizing the claim experience has made a positive difference in our customers’ lives. Increased customer satisfaction is a direct result of the hassle-free service provided.”

The digital adjusting program for lower complexity property claims was launched in 2022. The project has resulted in field adjuster expense savings of over $2 million in just one year. With the new digital adjusting model, Church Mutual has trimmed 80% off the average claim resolution cycle time.

About Church Mutual

Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I., founded in 1897, offers specialized insurance for religious organizations of all denominations, public and private K-12 schools, colleges and universities, senior living facilities, secular and non-secular camps and conference centers, and nonprofit and human services organizations throughout the United States. Church Mutual markets most lines of commercial property and liability insurance, including multi-peril, workers' compensation and commercial auto insurance. In addition to insurance, Church Mutual provides a spectrum of value-added solutions that benefit its customers. Church Mutual holds the following honors:

• A.M. Best Company "A" (excellent) rating.

• Wisconsin 75 Top Private Company by Deloitte US, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

• Wisconsin 75 Distinguished Performer: Innovation by Deloitte US 2019.

• 2021 Gallup Culture Transformation Award recipient.

• 2022 Social Equity and Community Empowerment Property and Casualty Company Award recipient from the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.

• 2020 Women and Diversity Award recipient from the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.

• Elite 50 Internship Award recipient from Rising Insurance Star Executives.

• Futuremakers Partner by Wisconsin Technical College System.

• Celent Model Insurer for innovation and emerging technologies.

• Award in Innovation for entrepreneurialism and innovation by National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies.

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1Church Mutual is a stock insurer whose policyholders are members of the parent mutual holding company formed on 1/1/20. S.I. = a stock insurer.