Consumers Embrace New Technology But Not the Risk, Chubb Survey Finds

NEW ORLEANS, April 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- More people would use a prosthetic limb (77%) than eat a piece of food (23%) if they were both produced on a 3D printer, according to Chubb's 2015 Consumer Perceptions of Business Risk Survey.

Sponsored by the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, the survey asked consumers to rate how well businesses protect their customers and workers from risk, especially those created by new technologies. The survey also found that a significant majority of adults would allow businesses to fly drones and to require wearable technologies in the workplace.

"In general, consumers think businesses are doing a good job protecting their customers and employees from injury or harm—except when it comes to protecting their financial and personal information," said Steven Hernandez, Chubb's worldwide loss control manager. "Consumers also are embracing many of the products and services being developed through new technologies, but they clearly are concerned about how companies are managing the emerging risks of such innovation."

3D Printing Enters a New Dimension
Many survey respondents were extremely or very concerned about the safety of materials used to manufacture 3D printed products (63%) and the durability and performance of those products (54%).

Nevertheless, they were willing to consider using 3D printed items, including: a prosthetic limb, such as an arm, leg or hand (77%), shoes or clothing (64%), an automotive part (58%) and a house (51%). Only 23% would eat 3D printed food, and 8% would not use any 3D printed item.

Drones Deliver More Than Expected
Fifty-nine percent of respondents would always or often permit drones to inspect utilities, facilities or property in remote areas. Only 48% would always or often permit them to take aerial pictures of property, 42% to fly a banner advertisement in a public space, 37% to deliver a package to a customer's home or business, and 22% to follow and record employee activities during work hours.

Most respondents wanted companies to provide drone operators or employees with safety training (92%), ensure the data or images captured do not violate an individual's privacy rights (88%), and notify and obtain written consent from businesses and individuals subjected to surveillance or fly over (83%).

Wary of Wearables?
Nearly half (49%) said that employees should be able to always or often use their own personal wearable device while engaged in construction, utility or work-related physical activity. They were less likely to approve the use of personal wearable technology on the manufacturing floor (41%), in corporate strategy meetings (39%), while driving for business purposes (39%), when meeting with clients (34%) or during a job interview or a performance review (25%).

The Big Picture
Most respondents believed that businesses protect office (76%), manufacturing (64%) and retail workers (63%) from injury or harm extremely or very well.

Retailers were thought to be doing the poorest job of protecting consumers' financial and other personal information. Fifty-eight percent of respondents said they were not very well or not at all well protecting the information, compared to 37% for financial institutions and 36% for health care organizations.  

Chubb's 2015 Consumer Perceptions of Business Risk Survey was conducted by Opinion Research Corporation, an independent public opinion and market research firm, in mid-March 2015.

About Chubb
Since 1882, members of the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies have provided property and casualty insurance products to customers around the globe. These products are offered through a worldwide network of independent agents and brokers. The Chubb Group of Insurance Companies is known for financial strength, underwriting and loss-control expertise, tailoring products for the needs of high-net-worth individuals and commercial customers in niche markets and select industry segments, and outstanding claim service.

The Chubb Group of Insurance Companies is the marketing term used to describe several separately incorporated insurance companies under the common ownership of The Chubb Corporation. The Chubb Corporation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and, together with its subsidiaries, employs approximately 10,000 people throughout North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Australia. For more information regarding The Chubb Corporation, including a listing of the insurers in the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, visit www.chubb.com.

Contact: Jodi Dorman
(908) 903-2608
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Chubb Group of Insurance Companies

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