Do Emergencies and Social Media Mix?

As an insurance agent, you are dedicated to serving the community with protective products, especially during emergency situations. But how can your customers reach you easily? By phone call? By going to your office? What about through social media? Thinking about easier methods for your clients to reach your services when an emergency arises may help prevent accidents and injuries, as well as provide those in need assistance right away.

Monitoring your social media accounts regularly and often is important in maintaining an engaged audience. This can also help you respond promptly should an emergency arise and someone is looking for help. By having an open door policy when it comes to your Twitter or Facebook account, this can allow your clients to trust your business as well as provide them with ongoing contact, which can improve preparedness should a future crisis occur.


Although fans and followers can utilize social media for support during difficult times, it is important to also encourage them to reach out to officials. If a fire or theft occurs, sending out a Tweet may not help in the moment. Calling 911 and communicating with the local police or fire station can result in immediate help. However, after the situation is dealt with, letting your insurance customers know they can reach out to your agency for claims support can let them know you care about their needs and are available to them all day, every day.

Facebook and smart phones can be handy tools when dealing with emergencies. But certain etiquette should be followed in order to make a bad situation better instead of worse. Let your audience know they should think twice before sending out a message that could cause major panic. Your job as an agent is to keep the situation calm and collected, finding them the best solution possible.

Train your social media team to respond in a professional manner that reinforces trust and loyalty in your agency. If there is a common emergency that occurs in your area, such as flooding, provide the general public with factual information that can help create preparedness strategies. The idea is to enable them, in case of emergency, with all the information required to avoid disaster. As you know, in the insurance world, safety comes first!