Last week, I had the good fortune of attending the ACE (America’s Claims Event) conference in Las Vegas. It was an energizing week for me, and I was particularly inspired to see so many of Guidewire’s customers in speaking roles at the conference. As you might expect with a claims conference, there were many complex issues discussed throughout the week. However, one theme that I heard consistently reinforced was quite simple. In fact, I can sum it up in just four words: claims adjusting is hard!
Here are some of the characteristics of a good claims adjuster:
Good communicator
Sympathetic and friendly, but also fair and level-headed
Detail-oriented
Able to prioritize and multi-task
Has deep industry knowledge
I’m sure there’s a lot more that could be added, and this is a list that only continues to grow over time. For example, claims adjusters are now often expected to be familiar enough with social media to leverage it as a part of their investigations. If we keep piling on new responsibilities, it’s eventually going to add up to a skillset that will be almost impossible to find. Good claims adjusters will become mythical creatures that appear about as often the Loch Ness Monster.
As it is, claims adjusting can be a stressful job. Overwhelmed employees won’t do their best work, and that’s a losing proposition for all parties involved. If you’re an insurer, one important question to ask yourself is: “What am I doing to make life easier for my adjusters?” There are certainly many things that can be done, and your claims system is a great place to start. Is your claims system intuitive, or is the ability to decipher it a new skillset in itself?
A good claims system can be a strategic asset that allows the abilities of your adjusters to shine by providing them the right information and functionality when they need it. It can also simplify the claims handling process by automating routine tasks. This, in turn, eliminates errors (and frustration) while allowing your adjusters more time to focus on higher value added activities. Conversely, a claims system can also confuse and overwhelm adjusters with duplicate data entry, manual tasks, and other unnecessary efforts. Your adjusters only have so many hours in the day. Are they free to spend their time on what’s truly important?