Allstate Protection Plans
Revamping Allstate’s warranty pathways to increase user and business value.
ROLE
UI/UX Design Intern
TIMELINE
2023 - 10 Weeks
TEAM
Consumer Applications UX Team
TOOLS
Figma
Project Overview
Streamlining problem selection in Allstate’s File-a-Claim portal to mitigate hiccups in the insurance claims process.
WHAT IS “ALLSTATE PROTECTION PLANS”?
Allstate Protection Plans — also known as SquareTrade — is a warranty service provider for consumer electronics and appliances.
PROBLEM SPACE
Many customers feel overwhelmed when filing a claim due to the overwhelming amount of information they must verify. Accurately representing their problem can be difficult, and inaccuracies lead to unsuitable warranty solutions that leave customers dissatisfied.
SOLUTION
Clearer sequencing of steps and problem categorization tailored to specific items better supports customers in confidently communicating their needs and receiving the right resolution.
JUMP TO FINAL DESIGNS
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Discovery
A DEEPER LOOK INTO FILE-A-CLAIM AND PROBLEM CODES
File-a-Claim is the overarching portal that customers use to file claims for any product. The process consists of 3 steps:
Plan registration - customers provide a copy of their purchase receipt and item details
Problem selection - customers select problem codes based on what happened to their item
Resolution selection - customers choose how to repair/replace their item
In step 2, “problem codes” refers to the options that a customer selects to describe their situation. They are called “codes” because each problem maps to a specific solution in Allstate’s backend.
This is why choosing an accurate problem code is so important — it determines what solution Allstate will offer to serve a customer’s needs. Unsuitable resolutions are a direct result of inaccurate problem code selection, which is the issue we were trying to tackle.
SO THEN,
How can we improve problem selection in the insurance claims process so customers can more confidently and accurately express their needs?
Research
We found that current selection channels were long-winded and overcomplicated, increasing feelings of confusion amongst customers
PAIN POINT 01
Disjoint between questions and portal progression
“I usually file claims over the phone so that if my claim isn’t accepted, I can know faster”
There were several points in the flow where depending on a customer’s answer, their claim would be invalid. Despite this, customers are prompted to progress to irrelevant steps in the process.
PAIN POINT 02
Simple tasks require extensive effort to complete
“I want to make sure I’m choosing the best option, but I don’t want to waste my time”
In the current layout, some problem codes required 5 clicks minimum to select. That was only if a customer knew exactly where to go, which would be unlikely if it was their first time filing a claim.
PAIN POINT 03
Poorly defined categories and problem codes
“I don’t really know the difference between a functional and mechanical issue”
Finding and choosing the best problem code may be difficult for some customers due to vague categories and overlapping definitions. (e.g. is broken glass a “functional” or “physical” issue?)
Synthesis
MAPPING OUT OPPORTUNITIES
Based on the pain points, I focused on corresponding opportunities to guide my ideation.
Ideation
THE CHECKPOINT CONCEPT
Simplifying the customer journey with stronger checkpoints.
The main concept that drove our designs was that checkpoints throughout problem selection had to be stronger. We should utilize what we know at each step to ensure that customers only deal with what is relevant to their specific case.
NEW CATEGORIZATION SCHEME AIMED TO INCREASE SEARCH EFFICIENCY
I worked with a UX content writer to sort problem codes more objectively based on the type of damage they related to. This would also present the opportunity to hide entire categories that aren’t relevant to a product (e.g. “power/battery issues” for rugs”).
REVISITING USER FLOWS AND INTRODUCING PAGINATION
Going back to our first pain point, I isolated key questions earlier in the user journey to help reroute customers to different pathways if needed, rather than continuing to unnecessary steps.
REFINING UI ELEMENTS TO REDUCE MENTAL WORKLOAD
I updated UI elements to be more congruent with standard UX infrastructure, and maximize visibility on a single page.
User Testing & Iterations
WE CONDUCTED 2 ROUNDS OF USER TESTING WITH 9 PARTICIPANTS
Customers value visibility over minimalism when making important choices
I collaborated with a UX Research Intern to conduct 2 rounds of user testing. Our first round was focused on examining user behavior with the new pages and categories, while the second round was an A/B test comparing layout options.
The feedback we received along with critiques helped us understand customer preferences, decide between UI layouts, and fine tune microinteractions.
OUR SOLUTION
Introducing an improved problem selection experience in Allstate’s File-a-Claim portal
01
STAY INFORMED ON THE STATUS OF YOUR CLAIM
Filing a claim can be a tedious process, and we want customers to feel informed about their progress before getting too far ahead. Important questions are asked earlier in the claiming process to better value customers’ time and reroute them to alternative pathways if necessary.
Improved categorization in problem selection channels help ensure that customers only see the most relevant options that are applicable to their case.
02
SCAN AND BROWSE ONLY PROBLEMS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO YOU
03
CONFIDENTLY CHOOSE WHAT PROBLEMS BEST DESCRIBE YOUR SITUATIONS
Visibility of problem codes is prioritized at all steps in the process to support customers in making well-informed decisions without extensive effort.
Mini Projects
Working across multiple product pillars
Beyond my main project on File-a-Claim, I got to work on other mini projects that allowed me touch on multiple points in Allstate’s product offerings. This helped me get a better grasp on the insurance space in general, and I enjoyed getting to learn from different teams on each project.
01
Brand elements for Allstate’s new sustainability initiative
Within 4 months, Plant-a-Tree saw a 6% increase in repair rates, representing 1,200+ devices repaired and 27,000+ trees grown!
01
Customizable widget for Shopify websites
I collaborated with 3 developers and handed off 6 final designs.
03
Updating Allstate’s native app
I restructured the layout and hierarchy of 87 screens to suit new design system components.
Takeaways
CONTEXT MATTERS
When designing for a new industry, it can be easy to blindly follow broad UX rules of thumb. I quickly realized that context can push user preferences in unexpected directions, and it’s important to identify where your gaps in knowledge may lead you astray. In the case of File-a-Claim, my manager reminded me not to let my own assumptions take away from the potential of a design. We spent time refocusing on research findings from customers, which helped me understand how design lives in the insurance space specifically.
EXPERTISE COMES FROM EFFORT
Nobody magically becomes an expert of their product overnight, but in the short timeframe of my internship, it sure felt like I needed to. I worked on multiple projects over 10 weeks, and this required me to be proactive in reaching out to better equip myself with the right background knowledge for each one. My team always pushed me to ask questions even when I didn’t think I had any, and this definitely helped me in the long run.
