Canadian Underwriter
Feature

Rude Awakening


December 7, 2017   by The CIP Society - Insurance Institute of Canada


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CIP Society Ethics Series

A competent independent adjuster was dealing with a difficult case, with tensions running high between the broker and the insurer. Having worked in the industry for more than a decade, this was nothing she had not seen before. She had learned that claim time is an emotional time for all parties involved, and understood that some customers expect a broker to champion for them at all costs.

The adjuster had exchanged a number of heated phone calls with the broker, and was working to straighten out some contradictory information on the claim. She was shocked, though, when one morning both she and the customer were copied on a very unpleasant email from the broker to the insurer. The broker used language she had not heard since the schoolyard, and accused her of being incompetent.

The email stung on many levels, and the adjuster felt that it was completely unprovoked and entirely unprofessional. She had been embarrassed in front of the customer and the insurer representative, who, although new to the job, she anticipated she would be working with in the future. Left feeling as though she had to prove she was doing her job competently, is the onus on the adjuster to defend herself?

Not wanting to escalate things directly with the broker, she decided it was best to approach her manager to disclose what happened. The manager was similarly upset, but not surprised since the broker was known for sending unprofessional emails and copying customers.

What is the best way to address the broker’s email and continuing unprofessional behaviour? When should the regulators get involved?

Read the full article in the Digital Edition of the November 2017 Canadian Underwriter.

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