A website chatbot for independent insurance agencies
Written by the Allinaa team · Updated
An independent agency's website gets three kinds of visitors: people shopping for a quote, existing clients who need something (a certificate, a driver added, a billing question), and people who just had a loss and need to file a claim. An Allinaa assistant can sort them, answer from your agency's approved information, and pass each one to the right place. It is set up not to confirm coverage; AI answers can be wrong, so test those questions before launch.
Which lines do you write? Answering from your product pages
Visitors often don't know whether you can help them: "Do you insure food trucks?", "Can you write a policy for a short-term rental?", "Do you do bonds for contractors?" Put your lines of business and the states where you are licensed into the knowledge, along with the kinds of risks you usually don't place. The assistant answers "yes, we write commercial auto for food trucks in these states" or "we don't usually place that kind of policy, but an agent can tell you if there's an option." Since the assistant knows which page the visitor is viewing, your commercial page and your personal lines page each get relevant answers.
Quote requests: just enough for a licensed agent to call back
A quote request through a chat should be short. The assistant asks a few clarifying questions, only the ones still missing, and then offers the inquiry form:
- Type of coverage (home, auto, business, life, other)
- ZIP code or state
- Current policy renewal date, if any
- Best way and time to reach them
Leave out driver's license numbers, dates of birth and Social Security numbers. Your agent collects those on the phone or through your own secure forms. The visitor agrees to be contacted, you receive an e-mail, they receive a confirmation, and the request appears in your inquiry inbox. Allinaa does not connect to agency management systems or comparative raters. See quote requests.
Why the assistant is set up not to confirm coverage or bind a policy
"Am I covered if a tree falls on my car?" The real answer depends on the policy wording, the declarations page and the carrier. A chatbot answering that question is a liability for your agency. Write a firm boundary into the knowledge:
I can't confirm coverage or make changes to a policy. Coverage depends on your policy documents. A licensed agent can review your policy with you. Coverage is never bound through this chat.
The assistant can still explain general terms from your own glossary, such as what a deductible is, as long as you wrote it. AI answers can be wrong, so test a few "am I covered" questions before you go live.
Claims: directing customers to the right carrier contact
Someone filing a claim needs a phone number, not a sales conversation. Add a claims section to the knowledge with each carrier's claims line and website as published by the carrier, plus your agency's instruction for when to call you as well. If someone has been injured, the first instruction should be to call 911. The assistant shares only the links and numbers in your approved knowledge, so a wrong claims number can only come from your own list; check it at setup and whenever you add a carrier.
Existing clients: certificates, policy changes, billing questions
Service requests are a large part of agency work. The assistant can collect:
- Certificate of insurance requests: who the certificate holder is and where to send it
- Change requests: new vehicle, new driver, address change. It notes the request and makes clear the change isn't in effect until the agency confirms
- Billing questions: the assistant explains how billing works with each carrier, from your notes, and shares the carrier's payment link if you list it
Read more about support for existing customers.
Households that speak other languages
If your agency serves Spanish-speaking, Korean-speaking or Polish-speaking households, the assistant can answer in those languages. Standard includes 3 (American English plus two), and Premium all supported languages. Say in the knowledge which languages your licensed agents speak, so customers know what to expect on the callback.
Illustrative conversation
Visitor: I just bought a second car. Can you add it to my policy today?
Assistant: I can send a change request to your agent right away. I can't make the change myself, and the car isn't added until the agency confirms. What's the year, make and model, and which policy is it for?
Visitor: 2022 Honda CR-V, our family auto policy.
Assistant: Thanks. What's the best phone number for the agent to reach you today? If you're driving the car before you hear back, please call the office during business hours.
Illustrative example, not a real conversation.
Many agencies work with accountants on the same clients; see accounting firms.
Questions owners ask
Can the chatbot tell customers whether they are covered?
No. It is set up to decline coverage questions and offer a review with a licensed agent. Nothing is ever bound through the chat.
What does a quote request collect?
Coverage type, location, renewal date and contact details with consent. Sensitive identifiers are collected by your agent, not the chat.
Can it help with claims?
It shares the carrier claims contacts you list and your own instructions, so customers reach the right place quickly.
Can it explain the difference between two kinds of coverage?
In general terms, if your knowledge explains them, for example what liability coverage is. Which coverage a particular person needs is a conversation with a licensed agent, and the assistant offers to set that up.