This month, claims education goes into overdrive, as the Property Loss Research Bureau/Liability Insurance Research Bureau (PLRB/LIRB) claims conference and expo pulls up at the Indiana convention center situated in Indianapolis, Indiana. From March 16 to 19, claims professionals from all over the country will have access to more than 100 educational classes and 300 service providers to gather the latest information about critical claims issues and cultivate viable solutions to improve claims-handling operations now and in the foreseeable future.

Full Speed Ahead

Conference organizers are already anticipating a healthy audience of engaged, ambitious insurance claims professionals (is there any other kind?) That should translate to about 2,000 attendees in total, according to how registration is pacing, at least at press time.

If these projections ring true, then that would place attendance in line with what PLRB observed at last year's big event, which took place at the Hynes Convention a few weeks prior to the tragic bombing at the Boston Marathon.

Attendees should expect many of the same staples that make the event well worth the trip, such as the “Core Claims Skills” series and abundant opportunities to accrue required continuing education (CE) credits. Along with more formal learning avenues, such as these course, attendees can learn a lot from the service providers on-hand about the latest developments and gadgets propelling the insurance profession.

Sound like last year? On the surface, most assuredly. However, keep in mind that in many respects, that's where the similarities end, as organizers designed an ambitious program for 2014, one that will cover 50-percent more topics compared to the 2013 event.

What this says to me is more ways than ever for new and seasoned claims professionals in property and casualty adjusting to up their respective games. It would seem that Valerie Berka, PLRB/LIRB meetings manager, would agree judging from our pre-conference interview, which you can access via the Claims channel of PropertyCasualty360.com. Moreover, the show will feature a slew of networking opportunities, which, I've found to often be the most catalyzing portion of many events.

As Berka and Scott Powell, assistant vice president of educational and technical services at PLRB/LIRB, will readily tell you, nurturing existing relationships and forging new ones is essential for today's busy claims professional. Aside from camaraderie and the related psychological benefits of being able to vent to and support one another, soaking up the scene will ultimately lead to better solutions and, by extension, better outcomes for policyholders.

In my mind, this can serve to elevate the profession. Below, we share a few “can't miss” sessions (in our humble opinion) to help you maximize your time in Indy and not let opportunities to grow pass you by.

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