Lisa Miller teaching a recent class of claims professionals
Last week I had the privilege of teaching over 100 homeowners insurance claims adjusters and litigation professionals some lessons learned in my years of working with policyholders who had claims, most specifically hurricane claims. Much of my continuing education course outline includes material we all know as caring insurance professionals, and it was refreshing to hear many of the students finishing my sentences in the class.
One of the themes is that empathy builds trust. Empathetic listening, known as active listening, lets the customer know their feelings are important and their version of the story that caused the claim is important. While it might save time to “just be there to take pictures,” it’s more important for the adjuster to listen and build the trust necessary to ensure the policyholder’s claim journey promotes a positive overall claims experience.
The students who have filed claims themselves talked about how dealing with an insurance claim is stressful and very emotional. Some mentioned they prepare for an initial visit with a claimant by reviewing the house online before it was damaged. One student said they saw in a Google Earth image a beautiful water feature in the front of a home and when they arrived, it was gone. The homeowner was so happy to know that the adjuster recognized the feature and took the time to comment about the item which was a gift from the homeowner’s deceased father.
The class included talking with those who have thick accents or difficulty speaking and one student carries an Etch-A-Sketch with them to improve the discussion in these situations. The 2 hour class was full of interaction and real life examples of how we can all improve our claims interactions. The class was not only beneficial for the well-being of the adjusters but also crucial to improve communication and enhance the overall reputation of the insurance company. It’s just one more way to contribute to a more ethical, empathetic and customer-centric approach in the industry. We are happy to come visit with your teams and have the same conversations.
This will be our last newsletter until the day before the Florida legislative session begins January 9. Until then, thank you…thank you…thank you for being by our side, cheering us on and doing what you do so we can do what we do! Happy Holidays!
LMA Newsletter of 12-4-23
