During his term, President Franklin Roosevelt would regularly speak to America from the White House and Americans huddled around their fireplaces and their radios to listen. Last week I presented an hour-long “fireside chat” with agents and adjusters that are members of the Central Florida Independent Insurance Agents and CPCU Society chapters.
Many of the attendees were fresh off Hurricane Michael duty and had story after story of how they contributed and all wished they could do more. I was invited to just come and “visit” with the audience and give my perspective of the insurance industry. So imagine a room full of talented insurance professionals and me in a beautiful venue on Crystal Lake in Lake Mary engaging in conversation about all lines of insurance coverage with stories of old and predictions for the future.
We touched on what it means to care about a customer – whether it’s a claimant or at the time of policy placement. We discussed drones and commercial artificial intelligence and how these efficiencies, while here now, must take into account that customers are still humans and so balancing technology and human interaction and “feel” will be paramount going forward.
And of course, we all lamented about how we must continue to fight the unscrupulous actors in blue skies and during/after disasters. Many had stories of how they convinced claimants to not immediately hire a lawyer or other outside parties in order to give insurance companies a chance to do what they do – assess the claimant’s need and make good on the promises in the insurance policy. We all vowed to continue to work day and night to stop what some would call a tsunami of bad actors who prey on senior citizens and those vulnerable to scams.
After an hour of back and forth and idea exchanges, here’s how we left it. In March 2019, we will have, yet again, another legislative session. Both chambers have organizational sessions tomorrow here in Tallahassee. We have many new legislators and as in year’s past, most don’t know much about insurance and how it touches every single industry, from transportation to manufacturing to telecommunications and public safety.
It is up to us to roll up the sleeves once again and educate and motivate our elected officials to work with us for the good of all insurance consumers in our great state. I gave each audience member an invitation, and am sharing with you, that I want you to come to Tallahassee and walk the halls of the Capitol, to join me in our journey to achieve sound and common sense insurance public policy. In fact, we can start that in January as members work in their districts on what needs to be on the agenda for the March to May 2019 legislative session.
I will be listening out for you for ideas, solutions and most of all, your support as we head into the halls of democracy. For now? Enjoy what we have put together in this edition and have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and family!
