Send us Fan Mail

Adjusters are expected to be objective, but is true objectivity even possible when every claim requires judgment?

In this episode of The Art of Adjusting® Podcast, Bill and Chantal explore how confirmation bias, anchoring, and preconceived notions can influence claim investigations. They discuss the importance of distinguishing facts from inferences and opinions, challenging initial assumptions, and evaluating favorable and unfavorable evidence by the same standard.

From police reports and witness statements to prior adjuster notes, even seemingly reliable information can influence how a claim is investigated.

Can adjusters ever eliminate bias entirely? Perhaps not. But recognizing it, questioning assumptions, and remaining open to contradictory evidence can lead to fairer, more thorough investigations.

The takeaway: A good investigation isn't about proving your initial theory right. It's about being willing to prove yourself wrong. After listening, you'll have practical ways to recognize your own biases, challenge the assumptions buried in your claim files, and make sure the evidence drives your conclusions—not the other way around.

For more insights, you might consider a career in liability adjusting or if you're searching for reliable adjusting services, visit Auten Claims Management.

To explore more about Chantal Roberts and her contributions to the industry, visit CMR Consulting.

Promotions:

• Once Upon a Claim: Explore the magical world of claims adjusting through fairy tales. Get your copy now.
• The Art of Adjusting®: Master the art of claims adjusting with practical insights and expert advice. Purchase here.

Send us Fan Mail

Are your claim notes actually documenting the claim—or are they just repeating information that already exists somewhere else in the file?

In this episode of The Art of Adjusting®, Chantal Roberts looks at what makes a claim note useful and why simply copying and pasting an email into the notes may not be enough.

A good claim file should allow someone to reconstruct what happened, but that includes more than communications and activity. Your notes should also document what the information means to the claim, what you intend to do next, and, when appropriate, the reasoning behind your handling decisions.

Chantal also discusses the alphabet soup of claims abbreviations and why shorthand that makes perfect sense to an adjuster today may not be nearly as clear to a Department of Insurance examiner, attorney, insured, or someone else reviewing the file years later.

The goal isn’t to write a novel every time you touch a claim. It’s to leave a clear record of what happened, what you understood, and what comes next.

Because someday, the person reading your notes may not be you.

For more insights, you might consider a career in liability adjusting or if you're searching for reliable adjusting services, visit Auten Claims Management.

To explore more about Chantal Roberts and her contributions to the industry, visit CMR Consulting.

Promotions:

• Once Upon a Claim: Explore the magical world of claims adjusting through fairy tales. Get your copy now.
• The Art of Adjusting®: Master the art of claims adjusting with practical insights and expert advice. Purchase here.

Send us Fan Mail

Independent adjusters are part of the claims process—but what exactly are carriers buying when they hire one?

Bill Auten takes a practical look at the independent adjusting business, from property adjusters working on fee schedules to liability investigators billing by the hour. He explains how carriers use IAs to add temporary capacity, fill geographic gaps, preserve evidence, conduct field investigations, and free staff adjusters to focus on the work that most needs their expertise.

The episode also goes inside the economics of independent adjusting: fee splits, expenses, utilization, overhead, cash flow, and why neither the adjuster’s payment nor the carrier’s invoice tells you how profitable an assignment actually is.

Most importantly, Bill looks at independent adjusting as a claims management resource. The question isn’t simply whether your staff adjuster can do the work. Sometimes the better question is whether that work is the best use of the adjuster’s limited time.

Plus, Bill explains the difference between outsourcing claim responsibility and outsourcing the work needed to make good claim decisions.

For more insights, you might consider a career in liability adjusting or if you're searching for reliable adjusting services, visit Auten Claims Management.

To explore more about Chantal Roberts and her contributions to the industry, visit CMR Consulting.

Promotions:

• Once Upon a Claim: Explore the magical world of claims adjusting through fairy tales. Get your copy now.
• The Art of Adjusting®: Master the art of claims adjusting with practical insights and expert advice. Purchase here.