The Combined Claim Conference (CCC) will celebrate their 20th year of educating claim professionals next month when their conference kicks off on March 11-12, 2007 at the Pacific Palms Conference Center in Industry Hills, Calif. The conference, which is put together by a committee of volunteer insurance professionals, serves as an educational tool for the insurance community and offers mentorship opportunities. To find out what this year's show has in store, Claims' Eric Gilkey spoke with Caryn Siebert, chairperson of CCC, and Bill King II, son of CCC founder Bill King.
There are a lot of claim conferences out there. What makes CCC different?
Siebert: Various claim conferences focus on a specific area of expertise, which is great for a claim professional who has a singular focus. We find that many insurance claim professionals, risk managers, and third-party claim administrators have a multi-line background or know that in order to move ahead in their organizations, their experience needs to be multi-faceted.
We have heard from many attendees that while they enjoy listening to "war stories" by speakers at other conferences, they really love the ability to take tangible ideas and protocols back to the office with them. They also have said that they don't feel like the speakers are selling products or services, but rather that they truly want to educate attendees.
Our pricing is phenomenal. The value that you receive for $95 for attending a full day is tremendous. The classes, the CE credits, the trade show, the meals and the networking are amazing for this price point.
King: The name, Combined Claims Conference, reflects the strategic design of the conference to provide a learning venue for anyone in the insurance industry, whether they are in claims, subrogation, legal, risk management, or in the broker and underwriting side of the industry. This combination of expertise in one conference is a powerful approach to attendees' individual education, but uniquely provides a venue to create industry-wide change as well.
It's CCC's platinum anniversary. What's changed in your conference over the last 20 years?
Siebert: In response to feedback from participants (both classroom attendees and tradeshow sponsors), we have consciously built in more time for networking year after year. The classroom time is definitely the core of our conference, but walking around the exhibit hall, grabbing a couch and some chairs to create a brainstorming circle is very special and highly valued.
King: Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the CCC is a testament to the people that have persevered, volunteered their time and thought while stepping out of the comfort zone to create and develop a positive venue for our industry. As Caryn stated, education in the classroom is the core focus, but the ability to learn from each other in the form of networking is state-of-the-art in today's business world. Since the CCC attracts a wide array of industry backgrounds, the networking may be some of the more mind-expanding aspects of the two days. The people I meet and the discussions I have is what I always appreciate most about the CCC.
Why add a another track — Identification of Suspect Claims — as a third track to your program this year?
Siebert: Fraud transcends all areas of claims, so having a track on the identification of suspect claims gives attendees the chance to develop new skills without needing to commit to attend a two- or three-day conference that only focuses on SIU. The singularly focused SIU conferences are terrific — and our committee members have attended and spoken at several — but some of our attendees want to know just enough about fraud to identify it versus becoming experts in the area.
King: Let's face it, fraud is alive and well. We have developed SIUs, and they do a great job, but there has to be a connection with the SIU and the front-line claim professionals in order to create a comprehensive, claim-handling approach to fraud. This is a critical tract.
You are an attendee at your own show. Which session is a can't miss?
Siebert: I would say that it's a tough call between "How Litigation Is Affected by the Internet and Other Digital Tools," presented by Scott Grossberg, and "Injury Causation Analysis – Detecting Exaggeration," which will be a demonstration by Biodynamics Corporation. The Internet and handheld devices are really changing the discovery game, so whether you are in property, casualty, workers' compensation, SIU, risk management, or an attorney practicing insurance law, you will pick up some great information from Grossberg's presentation. The same holds true when looking at claims being exaggerated. Fascinating and large differences in recovery time and monetary damages.
King: I have to attend the final segment when we crash cars illustrating vehicle collision dynamics in minor impacts — I am the crash dummy.
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