How this national adjusting firm is handling the talent gap

One large claims firm in Canada has addressed the adjuster talent shortage by establishing a new foundational learning program for early-career adjusters. 

ClaimsPro’s new national adjuster development program is designed to provide entry level adjusters with technical expertise to tackle claims, provide good customer service, and understand the industry’s systems and best practices. 

“We’re always seeing that there’s a demand for all levels of adjuster, really, from entry level, junior positions, intermediate and senior adjusters,” said Nadine Dionne, manager of adjuster training and development at ClaimsPro.

Senior adjusters will mentor new adjusters, who will receive program training materials.

“A lot of our senior adjusters hold so much wisdom and institutional knowledge as well as good, technical adjuster knowledge,” Dionne said. “It’s really important for us to…keep passing that down, and making sure we share that with the next generation.”

A common learning curve for new adjusters is acquiring the technical skills to handle claims across all lines of insurance — from property, casualty, auto, and so on.

“We’re hoping to give the adjusters a well-rounded experience when they come into the program, exposing them to different areas of insurance and types of claims in different units within the company,” she said. “We want to be able to take deep dives and give them a thorough understanding of claims processes in those particular lines, and handling claim files accurately and effectively.”

Increasingly frequent NatCats are straining the supply of adjusters. The program aims to prepare new adjusters as much as possible for handling Cat claims before hitting the ground.

However, “when you go out on Cat duty, nothing can prepare you for it quite like the experience itself,” said Dionne, who is a licensed adjuster in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia.

The good news is, new adjusters want to get that first-hand experience adjusting Cats. “There is a lot of interest from junior adjusters to get out on Cat claims; that seems to be something that is attractive to them,” she said.

ClaimsPro’s development program, internal to the company, is independent of the provincial adjuster licensing requirements.

Dionne says the company will retain adjusters after completion. “From date of hire…they’re a permanent employee,” she said, “but they go through the program and then they land in their permanent position within the company.”

ClaimsPro is working on launching the program in the next few months. It will be integrated with ClaimsPro’s existing professional development framework.

Feature image by iStock.com/Frazao Studio Latino