I've been on a major road trip attending conferences across the country for the last few weeks. Aside from confirming that traveling today is by no means glamorous (I just spent three hours on the tarmac in Scottsdale because my flight to Chicago was repeatedly delayed due to a weather stop), I've also met some amazing people who are a smart, funny and share some very interesting stories.
Some of our best ideas and sources for articles come from our readers, and it's great to hear what you like and what you want to see in the magazine. Here are some of the things I've learned from you in my travels.
At the IASIU conference on insurance fraud, I learned about predictive analytics, fraud rings, investigating car crashes, water damage claims and other property losses. A vehicle that has been side-swiped will not have vertical crash lines on it. (But do you know what would cause vertical lines on a vehicle?)
I saw first-hand how to conduct an effective interview with a witness or insured, and the signs to look for that might indicate he or she is being less than truthful. (Hint: Body language can sometimes say more than actual words.)
I spoke to some adjusters who are grappling with the costs involved in repairing today's automobiles. No longer are you repairing a $200 bumper in a rear-end crash. In all likelihood, the cost could be well over $2,000 because of the cameras, sensors and other technology included in them today.
Then there are costs of the full body scans that need to be done when a car comes into the repair shop and before it leaves. More and more manufacturers are recommending them in order to identify any code issues created by the accident. Returning a vehicle without scanning it puts the policyholder at risk and could mean the vehicle comes back to the shop because everything wasn't fixed the first time. Not the type of customer service most insurers want to provide. (Look for more on this in our November issue.)
Everyone seems to be feeling the same pain from technology — the challenges of keeping it current, learning how to use it effectively and making sure it meets the policyholders' needs. The insurance industry is definitely going through some growing pains and technology is part of the problem and the solution.
The professionals I met feel the pressures of doing more with less, in a shorter amount of time while providing the best service possible for their policyholders. We can't solve all of their problems, but we hope you find some solutions in this and other issues of Claims. Keep up the good work!
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