The verdict in three sentences
A loss adjusting firm with 10 to 20 adjusters can get a custom claims management app for EUR 30,000 to 55,000 in 2026 (about GBP 26,000 to 47,000). The decisive lever is tablet field capture (photos, sketches, costing) combined with EDI exchanges with insurers, which brings report turnaround down from 21 to 9 days. Since insurers rate their panel firms on this metric, the tool directly protects the volume of instructions received.
What each module costs in 2026
Order of magnitude for a firm handling 2,200 instructions a year, built in Europe or francophone nearshore:
| Module | Range (excl. VAT) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Instruction intake and automatic allocation by area and specialty | EUR 4,000 to 7,000 | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Offline tablet field app (geotagged photos, sketches, measurements) | EUR 7,000 to 12,000 | 4 to 5 weeks |
| Damage costing with price libraries (building, contents, appliances) | EUR 5,000 to 9,000 | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Report generator in each insurer's format | EUR 4,000 to 8,000 | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Insurer EDI connector (industry exchange platforms, insurer portals) | EUR 5,000 to 10,000 | 3 to 5 weeks |
| Policyholder appointment booking and SMS notifications | EUR 2,000 to 4,000 | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Dashboard, fee invoicing, per-insurer statistics | EUR 3,000 to 5,000 | 2 weeks |
Total: EUR 30,000 for an assignments plus field plus reports core, up to EUR 55,000 with full EDI and advanced costing. Hosting and maintenance: EUR 400 to 900 a month.
Report turnaround: where the 21 days go
| Step | Before (paper and email) | After (app) |
|---|---|---|
| Instruction intake and allocation | 2 days | Under 2 hours |
| Booking the visit with the policyholder | 4 days | 1 day (SMS booking link) |
| Site visit and survey | 1 day | 1 day |
| Retyping notes and photos at the office | 5 days | 0, automatic sync |
| Costing and collecting contractor quotes | 6 days | 4 days |
| Drafting and reviewing the report | 3 days | 1.5 days |
| Transmission to the insurer | 1 day | Instant via EDI |
| Average total | 21 days | 9 days |
The biggest saving comes from eliminating retyping: an adjuster spends on average 1 h 15 per file re-entering notes and captioning photos.
Custom build or off-the-shelf adjusting software
| Criterion | Standard adjusting software | Custom app |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | EUR 3,000 to 8,000 | EUR 30,000 to 55,000 |
| Subscription for 15 adjusters | EUR 80 to 150 per adjuster per month, i.e. EUR 14,400 to 27,000 a year | EUR 4,800 to 10,800 a year |
| Report formats per insurer | Generic templates | Matched to each insurer's specification |
| Offline field mode | Partial | Full, basements and dead zones |
| Specialties (liability, construction, fire) | Often generalist | Tailored to the firm's mix |
| Data ownership | Vendor | Firm |
Custom makes sense from about a dozen adjusters, or when two or three insurers account for over 60% of volume with specific format requirements.
Mini case study
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Catherine, managing partner of a loss adjusting firm in London, employs 14 adjusters and handles 2,200 instructions a year. Removing retyping frees 1 h 15 per file, or 2,750 hours a year. At a fully loaded cost of EUR 55 an hour, that is about EUR 151,000 of recovered capacity, reinvested in 400 extra instructions won thanks to the 9-day turnaround. Her project costs EUR 46,000 plus EUR 7,800 a year in maintenance: break-even comes in under four months.
FAQ
Does the app work without signal at the loss site?
Yes, capture works offline and syncs when the network returns. Photos are compressed to about 400 KB each to limit volume, i.e. 30 to 60 MB per file.
How does the connection with insurers work?
Through industry exchange platforms and insurer portals, with standardised messages for instruction, report and invoice. This connector represents EUR 5,000 to 10,000 and 3 to 5 weeks of work.
How long until we are operational?
Plan 3 to 4 months of development, then a 4-week pilot with 3 adjusters. Migrating 3 years of file history takes about 5 days.
Is policyholder data GDPR compliant?
Yes: in-region hosting, encrypted photos and documents, retention periods aligned with limitation rules and per-adjuster access logs. UK GDPR applies the same principles for London firms.
Can damage be costed directly in the app?
Yes, with price libraries updated every quarter and contractor quotes imported as PDF. Average costing time falls from 6 to 4 days.
Let's scope your project. Share your instruction volume, number of adjusters and main insurer clients and we will price a scope between EUR 30,000 and 55,000 with a pilot within 3 months. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
