It's been a rough couple of months for our industry, to put itmildly. Spitzer's crusade, compounded by Maurice Greenberg'sresignation from AIG (to say nothing of the dismissals of AIG'sHoward Smith and Christian Milton), have all combined to seriouslytarnish the overall integrity quotient of the insuranceindustry.

As we move forward into “recovery,” it's best to remember thatinsureds only interact with their insurers on two occasions. Thefirst is when they take out a policy and must fork over a heftypremium; the second, when they have to make a claim.

As a result of all the recent developments, those insureds areincreasingly skeptical when making policy purchases. And forfirst-time buyers who have not yet established a rapport with anagent, suspicions reign supreme.

That's why it's so important, now more than ever before, thatall claim personnel, no matter what your slot in the pecking order,be in top customer service mode, 24/7. You're the second, andequally important, person they encounter regarding their insurancecoverage. And you're dealing with them when they're stressed,upset, and often devastated. That puts you in a powerful positionto reestablish our credibility, and enhance our reputation, withinsureds. You're the face and reassuring voice that can cement along-lasting relationship, and it all relies on your customerservice skills.

One of the best ways to ensure customer service excellence inthe claim arena is through continuing education that will help yoube more efficient, fair, accurate, and speedy in resolving claimissues. And one of your best opportunities to get well roundedperspectives is through attendance at the ACE-SCLA educationalsessions.

This fall we'll be going back to the terrific Gaylord Palms,Oct. 6-8 in Orlando, and we'll be offering you one of our mostcomprehensive, claim-handling-specific educational programs todate. We've expanded our tracks from management, legal, technology,and special issues to also include an extensive fraud track.Fraudulent claims siphon off in excess of $100 billion annually.And well educated, alert claim personnel are in the forefront tochip away at this tremendous loss. Fraud is not a problem that canbe corrected overnight, but it eventually can be conquered throughyour efforts, keen insights, and diligence — all of which you'lllearn to cultivate through these special educational sessions.

Starting this month, we are featuring special interviews inClaims with program presenters; interviews that will help youfamiliarize yourselves with these educational sessions so that youcan plan ahead and make the best use of your learning opportunitiesat ACEoSCLA (see pg. 16). Be sure to note them each month and startmapping out your program attendance strategies. In addition, afull-service exhibit area will offer an array of products andservice providers who can give you insights and inspiration to helpyou provide your insureds with professional and thorough claimresolutions. And remember, the early birds not only get the worm,they get a discounted registration fee saving them $100, goodthrough July 25th.

We look forward to seeing you in Orlando!