The Travelers Companies Inc. is teaming up with Amazon to offer smart home kits and insurance/risk management information through a digital storefront: Amazon.com/Travelers.

The property/casualty insurance carrier is billing the marketing move as “the insurance industry’s first digital storefront.” But Spanish insurer MAPFRE offers some insurance policies through Amazon in Spain and has promoted the service on Facebook since at least September 2017, according to its Facebook posting.

Travelers customers will be able to obtain the smart home kits at discounted prices in participating states to help protect their homes from some of the most common causes of loss. Discounted kit installation through Amazon Smart Home Services is also offered where available. The smart home kits include: security cameras, water sensors, motion detectors with multi-sensor capabilities and a smart home hub that wirelessly connects a wide range of smart devices and enables them to work together. They will also get an Amazon Eco Dot, among other products, and eligible Travelers home insurance customers will receive a discount on their policy with the purchase of a smart home kit.

Travelers also introduced new Alexa skills: the “Travelers” skill, which assists the company’s home insurance policyholders with questions regarding billing and payments; and the “Travelers Home Central” skill, which enables all consumers to access property maintenance and home safety tips. For example, “Alexa, ask Travelers when my bill is due,” or “Alexa, ask Home Central for a fall home maintenance tip.” The company plans to add to its Alexa skills over time.

As well, Travelers is providing a free Amazon Echo Dot to eligible home insurance customers — even without the purchase of a kit — subject to program terms. The free Amazon Echo Dot and the discounts on the smart home kits are currently available to Travelers home insurance customers in California and Travelers Quantum Home 2.0 customers in Colorado, Missouri and Wisconsin, with more states expected to be added later this year.

Alan Schnitzer, chairman and chief executive officer at Travelers, said the new Travelers/Amazon service shows the insurer following through on pursuing innovation for its customers.

“It advances our priorities of extending our lead in risk expertise and providing great experiences for our customers, agents and brokers,” Schnitzer said in prepared remarks.

Consumers interested in a home insurance quote will be directed from the Travelers storefront on Amazon to the company’s website or to an independent insurance agent. In addition, Travelers’ network of independent agents can use Travelers and Amazon co-branded assets to market to current and prospective customers about smart home technology.

Source: Travelers