BCMG Catastrophe Claims Conference 2014

Last week BCMG hosted its first annual Catastrophe Claims Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.   CAT adjusters from all over the country gathered in the Crescent City for two days of training, certification, and networking.  Marvin Aikens, with Donan Engineering, put on a 1 hour CE presentation specifically tailored to wind and hail damage.  Also, Dan Dyce with California Earthquake Authority and Bill Creeder with Rimkus Consulting, offered an earthquake certification course for those in attendance.  We were also pleased to have some of our clients come in to go over specific expectations and procedural details.  Each day concluded with a social hour that allowed for mingling, networking, and discussing the latest industry news and trends.  Overall, it was a great chance for our CAT adjusters to get to know our company, each other, and a few of our clients.  We appreciate everyone who attended, presented, and gave their time for this event.  We are looking forward to an even bigger and better conference next year!  The date for next year’s conference has tentatively been set for March 24^th-26^th, 2015.  We hope to see you all there!

Marvin Aikens, with Donan Engineering, presents 1 Hr CE credit on Wind and Hail Damage.

BCMG Owner/President, Steve Brown, conducts presentation on Ethics and Professionalism in the insurance industry

Dan Dyce, with California Earthquake Authority,  during his presenation at the earthquake certifcation program.

 Bill Creeder, with Rimkus Consulting, explores past earthquakes and the damages they cause.

BCMG in London

In late January, BCMG Owner/President, Stephen Brown had an opportunity to accompany a colleague to London, England for a week of meetings with representatives of the London insurance market, including several at the historic Lloyd’s of London.  During that week, we had a chance to get a firsthand look at Lloyd’s underwriting process, and visit with numerous Lloyd’s underwriters, brokers, and claims managers.  As an insurance professional, it is impossible to go away from your first visit to Lloyd’s without being overwhelmed at the history, the tradition, and the formality of Lloyd’s.  And yet, in this day of complex analytical and actuarial software and analytics by insurance carriers, perhaps the most impressive of all was to see that unique risks from all over the world are still underwritten (and claims oftentimes also discussed) face to face in the “boxes” on the floor and at the coffee shops in and around Lloyd’s.  Many new friends and contacts were made on the trip to the Lloyd’s market and BCMG will no doubt benefit from the experience.       

(L to R) Lloyd's of London, The Gherkin, Willis Building

The Floor of Lloyd's

How to Produce and Keep Happy Claimants

      An article by Andrea Ortega-Wells appeared today on the Insurance Journal's website highlighting the ways independents can make the claims process as positive as possible, while still protecting themselves from dreaded E&O cases.  

      First and foremost, communication is key. Properly keeping all parties in constant communication allows for efficient workflow and the process isn't halted because someone feels left out.  Another way to keep claimants happy is to create positive business relationships with people that you work with, such as claims supervisors, managers, and lawyers.  Building relationships and staying in contact decreases the chance for surprises in the end.  The article also contains tips for agents from ClaimsJournal.com editor Denise Johnson about the claims handling process.  Here are a few below:

1.  Fill out all initial forms wholly and completely

2.  Have sufficient coverage knowledge 

3. Valid CIOs

At BCMG, we strive to create the most positive claims experience for claimants and agencies alike.  The quality and integrity of our work is held to the utmost standards.  We want to hear from you!  What are your thoughts?  How do you work to keep both claimants and agencies happy?

 

For the complete article and additional information visit the Insurance Journal's website.