Donegal Insurance Group Keeps Claims Moving with More Efficient Communication

For claims professionals, communication is everything.

The ability to reach policyholders quickly, set expectations early, and keep claims moving can make the difference between a smooth resolution and a frustrating experience for everyone involved. But in today’s environment where customers are busy, phone calls go unanswered, and email inboxes are overloaded, traditional communication methods often fall short.

For Shana Lipsey, a Property Claims Representative at Donegal Insurance Group, Hi Marley’s intelligent communication platform has become a critical tool for staying connected with policyholders and keeping claims moving.

Donegal is a regional property and casualty insurer that provides personal and commercial insurance products through a network of independent agents across the U.S. The company prides itself on delivering reliable coverage and responsive claims service.

Shana and her manager, Chris Noonan, Manager of Property Claims, recently shared how Hi Marley has become an integral part of Donegal’s claims workflow, and how it’s helping both adjusters and policyholders navigate the claims process more efficiently.

A Claims Career Built Around Helping People

Shana has spent nearly 30 years in the insurance industry, involved in everything from PIP auto to catastrophic property claims. Like many in the profession, she didn’t set out to work in insurance. But once she started, she quickly discovered the impact claims professionals can have by being there when policyholders need them.

Throughout, one principle has remained constant for Lipsey: proactive communication.

“I want everybody involved in the claim to know what to expect,” she explains.

That means reaching policyholders quickly, setting expectations early, and maintaining regular updates throughout the life of a claim.

The Challenge: Reaching Busy Policyholders

Before Donegal adopted Hi Marley, communication with policyholders relied heavily on phone calls. But reaching someone had gotten progressively more difficult. People may not recognize the number calling them. They might be getting a lot of telemarketing calls, or they’re just busy living their life or running their business.

When phone calls go unanswered, the claims process bogs down. Adjusters leave voicemails and wait for callbacks while policyholders may not even realize their adjuster is trying to reach them.

Text messaging provides another way to connect. And it’s often the most immediate one.

“If I can’t contact someone by phone, I’ll send a quick text letting them know we have their claim,” Lipsey says. “A lot of times they’ll respond to that before they call me back.”

A Faster Path to Claim Resolution

For Shana, it’s all about keeping claims moving forward. That’s especially important when a claim is nearing completion. If she’s ready to review an estimate or issue payment but can’t reach the policyholder, a simple text message can prompt quick action.

Text messaging also makes it easier to provide updates along the way, which helps manage expectations and reduce uncertainty for policyholders.

A More Conversational Customer Experience

One aspect she particularly values is the ability to communicate in a more natural, conversational way.

“I want people to know that I’m a person,” she says. “When I’m texting with someone, I want it to be a real conversation.”

That human element can be especially important during a stressful event like a property loss or accident.

Many policyholders simply want reassurance that their claim is progressing. Hi Marley allows adjusters to provide quick updates that keep customers informed.

Sharing Information Instantly

The Hi Marley platform can also help accelerate the exchange of information needed to process claims. For example, policyholders can quickly send photos of damage directly from their phones, which can help adjusters evaluate claims faster.

“In the past, they had to email the photos,” says Lipsey’s manager, Chris Noonan. “Now they can just send them from their phone. Sometimes that allows us to write up a claim estimate right from the desk.”

“Some people may not be quite as comfortable emailing photos from their phone,” Lipsey notes. “But when I ask if they can text them, they say yes right away. It’s something they do all the time.”

That small shift can make the process faster and easier for everyone involved.

Helping Claims Teams Stay Proactive

From a management perspective, Chris sees Hi Marley as a way to stay ahead of the process.

“It really helps our team drive expectations with policyholders,” he explains. “Our adjusters can send quick updates like, ‘We’re waiting on a report’ or ‘We’re working on your estimate.’ Those small things make a big difference to the policyholder.”

Those updates not only improve communication, they also reduce incoming calls from customers wondering about the status of their claim.

“It’s always better for the claim rep to reach out before the policyholder does,” Chris says.

Becoming Part of the Workflow

When Shana first started using Hi Marley, she admits to some hesitation. It felt like another communication channel to manage alongside phone calls, voicemail, and email. But over time, it became second nature.

“Once you get into a rhythm, it just becomes part of your process,” she says. “You see the benefits pretty quickly, the immediacy, the simplicity, and the time savings. It’s another tool to keep claims moving and stay connected with policyholders.”

Driving Better Outcomes for Adjusters and Policyholders

Both Shana and Chris agree that communication is one of the most important elements of a successful claims experience.

By making it easier to reach policyholders, share information quickly, and provide timely updates, Hi Marley’s messaging platform enables claims professionals to focus on what matters most: helping customers recover after unexpected events.

“It really drives the claim process,” Noonan says. “Adjusters can stay in control, communicate quickly, and ultimately create a better experience for the policyholder and the business.”

Some Personal Recognition

In February, Shana was recognized by Donegal for her outstanding policyholder support efforts. Chris points to Donegal’s mission to be there when it matters most. “Shana truly is. She always puts the customer first”.

“We always deal with the hard issues, the negative things that happen to people. But if you really put the time and effort in, and you’re empathetic and you’re understanding, like Shana, you really make an important difference in people’s lives.”