Just as you cannot build a house without a solid foundation, you cannot build a career in claims without learning the fundamentals of claim handling. Regardless of the specialty you are entering — multi-line adjusting, property, liability, workers' compensation, marine, aviation, heavy equipment, contractor equipment, boiler and machinery, errors and omissions, or subrogation — the basics remain the same and are the focus of the Associate in Claims (AIC) program.

The AIC program provides the rudiments of the most important aspects of adjusting, including investigation, evaluation, negotiation, and litigation, along with the administrative aspects of the job. Once these fundamentals are mastered, this knowledge can be put to use across virtually all types of assigned claims.

In addition to helping you become a better adjuster, earning the AIC designation demonstrates a commitment to claims as a career. In a recent survey conducted by the American Institute for CPCU/Insurance Institute of America (the Institutes), 60 percent of the companies surveyed did not require employee development plans. Of those that did, only one in 10 felt strongly that the organization effectively aligned employee development plans with company goals.

In general, one cannot rely on an employer to establish a career path. It is up to each professional to be the architect of his own career. Construct a personal business plan for yourself by mapping out a career path that will take you from where you are today to where you want to be in the future. Earning the AIC designation will not only allow you to learn the fundamentals of your career, but it will also distinguish you among your peers.

Door to Opportunity

Having the AIC designation can provide access to professional associations and employment opportunities. The Society of Registered Professional Adjusters lists the AIC designation among its membership criteria. It can tip the scales in your favor when applying for a job or a promotion. According to Elise M. Farnham, CPCU, ARM, AIM, CPIW, of Illumine Consulting, the AIC designation "is one more tool that puts the credentialed claim professional ahead of others in the competition for the next great job."

Completing the AIC program can also provide a leg-up on other designations, such as the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU). Since there are multiple ways to complete the AIC designation, you can take CPCU courses that will count toward both the AIC and CPCU designations. Additionally, the courses in the AIC program are qualified for continuing education (CE) credit by all states with CE requirements for adjusters — except Idaho, Iowa, and Massachusetts.

"The AIC designation is widely recognized in the industry," said Farnham. "It is a door opener for those looking for a new job or to promote to a more senior position in their own company. In a tight job market, it is one more tool that puts the credentialed claim professional ahead of others in the competition for the next great job."

"The AIC designation is a superb credential for claim professionals," said Kevin Quinley, CPCU, ARM, AIC, AIM, Are, vice president of risk services, Berkley Life Sciences, LLC. "The program leading to the designation blends the practical with the theoretical. Those looking to deepen their understanding of the claim industry and the profession — along with the why's and the how's — would do well to invest in the courses leading to the AIC designation. Pursuing these courses and attaining the designation is a tangible demonstration that marks a claim person as one who goes the extra mile."

Moreover, the AIC program provides an understanding as to why an activity must be done and how the activity is performed. This is very important in the event that a claim professional is asked to give a deposition regarding a claim he handled. The AIC course materials are often used by both plaintiff and defense bars as the standard for claim-handling practices.

If you are the manager or a supervisor of recent college graduates, then the AIC curriculum can benefit you and those who report to you. Education has come to be regarded as a core benefit of employment and it is more common now — and perhaps even expected — for professional development to be part of a position description. They want to develop the skills needed for professional success through internal resources and reimbursed external resources.

While on-the-job training is good, it implements a longer learning curve as compared to first learning the fundamentals and then putting them into practice while adjusting claims. Offering staff who are new to the industry the opportunity to develop skills and increase an existing knowledge base will satisfy educational needs while providing insureds with better claim service. Quinley offers these tips for motivating adjusters to seek education:

  • Make CE one component of annual performance appraisals.
  • Publicly recognize and praise those who pursue and complete CE.
  • Enact/support corporate monetary rewards/incentives for CE program completion.
  • Provide a reasonable amount of time and reimbursement support for CE pursuit within the office.
  • Offer CE classes or briefing sessions in-house, on company time.
  • Lead by example. Be involved in CE as a manager, and make sure your reports know you value the activity.

Skilled claim handlers are in demand. While technology continues to improve the way claims are adjusted, it is a function that still requires human interaction. As long as there are accidents and disasters occurring, there will be a need for knowledgeable claim personnel. Whether you are a student or a manager, the AIC designation will meet your needs for the development of useful claim handling skills.

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