Hippo, a homeowners insurance provider, says its mix of artificial intelligence, automation and human adjusters is keeping customer satisfaction above 80% as it grows its business across the US, a level that beats the firm’s own internal targets.
At the centre of this approach is Clara, a conversational AI claims agent that works around the clock and was launched in April 2026 to increase the claims team’s capacity. Clara collects claim details and brings up relevant policy information at an early stage, which frees adjusters to spend more time on complicated cases and meaningful discussions with policyholders.
According to Hippo’s most recent figures, Clara handles 81% of the first notice of loss (FNOL) calls it takes on from start to finish without a human stepping in. The company says this allows it to act more quickly and hands homeowners greater control over their claims, without sacrificing satisfaction or transparency.
Since Clara’s introduction, Hippo-handled claims have seen first contact made within an average of 1.2 business hours, comfortably beating the company’s two-business-hour target. Satisfaction has also risen over the same period, with 84% of surveyed customers whose claims were closed and paid by Hippo describing themselves as very or extremely satisfied.
Being able to maintain service quality at scale matters most after severe weather, when claims can spike sharply and homeowners require prompt, well-informed advice about their cover, safeguarding their property and their next steps.
In the second quarter of 2026, the InsurTech posted its fifth profitable quarter in a row, recorded a 61% annual rise in gross written premium, improved its combined ratio and raised its guidance for the full year.
The company is also encouraging policyholders to take a more hands-on role. Using their phones, customers can upload photographs and details of damage, enabling faster loss assessments and, in suitable cases, removing the need for a site visit.
Across the process, AI, automation and digital tools assist with triage, reviewing documents, summarising claims and other routine work. Image-recognition software can convert customer photos into itemised lists, while remote inspections and imagery can speed up damage evaluations where suitable, leaving adjusters more time to exercise judgement and support customers directly.
Hippo president and CEO Rick McCathron said, “Hippo’s return to growth is being built on a fundamentally stronger operating foundation, and our approach to claims is an important part of that strategy.
“We are creating more capacity and serving more customers while preserving the quality, responsiveness and personal support homeowners expect. That is what disciplined growth means for us: expanding our homeowners business while retaining control over the experience at the moment our customers need us most.”
Hippo chief claims officer Philip Foley said, “The purpose of technology in claims is to give our adjusters more capacity to focus on the moments where their expertise and judgment matter most.
“AI can make the claims process faster and more efficient, but the human connection remains essential. Our model combines technology with personal support so we can serve more homeowners while delivering the quality and care they expect.”
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