My name is Jeannie Lee and I’m in insurance.
I am a Claims Director specializing in Professional Liability with a focus on Healthcare Solutions Claims. Like many in the insurance industry, I ended up in this field "by accident." I accepted the job that offered the highest salary after graduating from college. Here's a true story: on my first day at work, I didn't know any of my responsibilities, so I asked, "So, what does a claims adjuster do?" Pro tip: don't do that.
How it all began
I began my career in claims at Liberty Mutual through their claims training program, an intensive, 12-month experience that combined classroom instruction, textbook learning, licensing and hands-on shadowing of job duties. My entry into the insurance world started with handling General Liability and Commercial Auto claims.
In the simplest terms, a job in claims means that you encounter someone who has experienced some sort of compensable loss. That person could be the insured or the claimant. Your job is to resolve this issue and provide customer service to make them whole again within the confines of the insurance policy and state regulations.
A typical day
One of the things I enjoy most about my job is that no two days are ever the same. Some days are filled with urgent issues that need immediate attention, while others allow me to catch up on reports and correspondence.
The bulk of my day revolves around investigation and analysis. I evaluate coverage, review facts, interview witnesses and use both gathered information and prior experience to assess the most likely outcomes of claim files.
Once that’s done, I turn to the tasks that demand the most mental focus: drafting coverage letters and large loss reports, while my mind is still fresh. From there, I move on to managing new losses and working through my diary, and after that I try to conclude my day by responding to any emails that need to be addressed.
In a nutshell, my core responsibilities include:
As a key contributor, I also take an active role in monitoring reserves and financials. We are constantly working to make sure that we have enough reserved on our files to keep our actuaries happy!
More than meets the eye
For a claims professional to be successful in the role, I believe that the most important skills are self-motivation and time management. Stress management is also key. It is easy to get behind in a fast-paced environment or to get overwhelmed. As you can imagine, often some of the people we encounter as claims professionals are challenging.
Usually, when you are dealing with claims, you are dealing with someone who has encountered a bad day or loss. That can be the most challenging part and as humans, we don’t always have a full empathy tank.
You would be surprised how many times claimants just want an apology or for their feelings to be validated! I once had a claim with an initial million-dollar demand that I settled for $10,000 and an apology from the insured.
Finding my fit
I honestly really enjoy my job. I love that I get to encounter interesting people and that I get to review interesting fact scenarios. On any given day, my brain usually experiences some severe whiplash. Sometimes, I go from from investigating a sexual assault complaint to reviewing a case involving a failure to diagnose cancer to settling a broken leg claim. It can be emotionally taxing but also very rewarding.
For anyone interested in pursuing a career in claims, I would advise to find a niche of claims that you really enjoy. Often, we get pigeonholed into thinking of a certain image of a “claims adjuster.” However, there are so many lines of insurance that you can become involved in.
From 2008 to Now: A Claims Journey
I previously heard someone say, “you are really twisted if you enjoy your career in insurance.” Consider me twisted.
If you ask the 2008 version of Jeannie where I thought that I would be today, I would be very surprised to know that I have found a fulfilling career in Claims. It’s a great community and a great career! Skyward Specialty has also been a great “home” for me and my career. I have a young family, so being able to work from home has really allowed me to feel like I can do it all!
My name is Jeannie Lee and I’m in insurance.