The end of the year is always a good time to look back to seewhat's changed, what was good, what turned out better than expectedand what didn't work out quite the way we planned.

We are thankful that what seemed like the longest electionseason ever is finally behind us. There are many happy citizens andan almost equal number of unhappy ones. The die has been cast, andhopefully we will all learn to be civil again.

The best part of this horrible election season is that it hasforced us out of our comfort zones. To decide what we truly wanted,what needed to change, and determine what we wanted the future tolook like for our children and grandchildren. Change is comingwhether we are ready or not.

Professionally, it is important for us to go outside of ourcomfort zones as well. Being content with the “way we've alwaysdone it” doesn't force us to try new things or figure out a betterway to serve our customers.

The insurance industry is on the precipice of some major changes— 25 percent of professionals will be retiring soon, creating amajor talent gap and bringing new workers with different ideas andexpectations into the mix; technology is changing everything fromhow policyholders purchase insurance and file claims to how theytrack their progress; and it's providing new coverage risks andopportunities for insurers.

Cyber risks continue to escalate with hackers anticipating riskmanagement strategies before they are even implemented. Autonomouscars may not be mainstream yet, but they are well on their way, andsemi-autonomous cars are already here. Their impact on autoinsurance will change who or what has coverage in the years tocome.

All of these factors and so many more will have a direct impacton how insurance looks in the future. According to the results ofour latest salary survey, claims adjusters are not as enthusiasticabout the industry as they once were. They think it still has a lotto offer, but their responses are more tempered by the realitiesthey face.

Thomas Jefferson said: “If you want something you have neverhad, you must be willing to do something you have never done.”

Changes are coming and we can either do something we've neverdone to prepare for them or we can sit back and try to keep doingthings the way we always have and suffer the consequences. Thechoice is ours to make.

Patricia L. Harman is the editor-in-chief of Claimsmagazine. Opinions expressed in this article are herown.

Related: Top 7 insurance industry concerns for2017