Let’s face it solving problems in claims is a core reality to what we do. From the second a claim hits your desk until the minute it leaves it there are a series of problems that need to be solved. Should this claim even be accepted? Was there any liability? What experts should I hire? How much is it worth? What are my next steps? At every turn there is another problem that needs to be solved. As you probably have experienced, some people are very good problem solvers and others are not. In claims, however, there is no escaping the need to solve a variety of issues on a daily basis. Don’t fret if you don’t consider yourself a good problem solver as it turns out there is help for you. In our latest post we discuss 7 effective step to problem solving.
Best Practices
“Summer’s Here And I’m For That” With 2 Ideas To Improve Your Claims Operations
It’s another summer and it can be a slow time for many. Don’t waste the opportunity of a slow time period to improve your operation. In our latest post, we suggest 2 ways to make your claims organization better. First we write about developing a better claim review process and create a value added claims auditing process that goes beyond crossing the “T”. Second, conduct a worklow audit and you will find hours of wasted time for those working even the most basic tools such as Excel or Outlook.
3 Ways to Make Your Claim Notes Better
Recently I have been spending a lot of time auditing claim files. It’s really a great exercise to review files, and an important part of well-run claims organization. One thing that continues to amaze me is the number of files that have poor documentation. Writing good claim file notes are an important part of handling a claim file. Claim notes record the history of what is going on in addition to the reasoning behind claims decisions. Good claim notes tell a story.
In our latest post we discuss three suggestions to make claim notes better.
Continuing Education Is The Path To An Improved Claims Operation
We at the Claims SPOT are committed to promoting continuing education within our industry. As part of that commitment we have teamed with the Americas Claims Event as a media sponsor to promote the conference. Expanding claims knowledge is a critical part of any successful operation and at the ACE Conference you will learn new trends from the best and the brightest in the industry.
Claim Reviews Empower Better Decisions By Putting Critical Information In Hand
Insurance is as much about having the right information at the right time as anything. Whether it’s an underwriting choice to price a risk correctly or a claim decision as to when to a play a claim, having the best data available can make or break an organization. Despite this fact, many organizations fail to take advantage of tools and rights available to them prior to making critical business decisions. Claim reviews are empowering tools to help make better decisions. Staying ahead of the competition and managing risk is a key component of any any successful organization. The claims review allow decision makers to have the most available data to make better decisions. In this weeks post we discuss 8 reason when they should be done and speak to going beyond the claim files to fully understand the substance behind the numbers.
Claims And A Half Plate Of Vegetables – Teachings From The New Dietary Guidelines
Recently the government changed the way the public should look at nutrition through simplified messages like “eat less.” Simplicity and looking at the obvious in an easy to understand way is a tool that would go a long way to helping the claims professionals be better at what they do. Being understandable and actionable can only be a good thing in claims. In our latest post, we discuss how trying to use visual cues when handling a claim or looking at the claims process can benefit today’s professionals. We are a visual society – time to shift some of those visual cues to claims.
Looking Back On 2010 And Forward To 2011 In The World Of Claims
The year began with continued economic concerns, a poor job market and no recovery in sight. It has come to a close with a booming stock market, improved job numbers and a better outlook for 2011. Looking back on the year in claims and looking ahead to the future of claims is always a fun exercise this time of year so here we go! The Claims SPOT adds to the debate about the past and the future.
Thanks for reading and have a happy and healthy holiday season and New Year!
Claims And The Investigative Journalist And Learning From All The President’s Men
Investigating a claim is like being an investigative journalist. Using the story of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein and All the President’s Men, see how there is a relationship between investigative reporting and claims. In today’s post we also remind claim professionals how technology has truly made certain aspects of claims bette. Regardless, it is important not to forget what is most important in claims – the knowledge and skill of the claims professional’s ability to analyze fact and come to a reasoned and supported conclusion.
3 Perspectives On The Use Of Social Media In The Claims Investigation Process
Social medial sites like LinkedIn, Foresquare and Facebook are becoming a regular common experience in today’s world. With increased use is information that regular people put online that is available for review and scrutiny. In today’s post we discuss the use of these sites in the investigation of claims from the perspectives of attorneys, claims professionals and investigators. Summarizing a recent discussion on the Insurance Professionals group of linkedIn, it provides and interesting perspective on how these sites are very much being used in the claims process today.
There Is No Such Thing As A Pro Forma Signature On A Document – If You Sign It You Own It
Doing things for the sake of doing things can have significant adverse consequences for an organization. It is important to realize that one day you may have to answer for every action you take on a claim file. The concept of how doing a pro forma task can come back to bite you is being highlighted as a yet another fallout of the mortgage crisis. Tens of thousands of foreclosures are being halted because of a process in place where an individual just signed hundreds of documents without ensuring the information contained on the documents were correct.
Clearly, doing something for the sake of doing something can really have negative consequences for the organization. In our latest post we offer questions to ask when signing documents. Controls are important, however, if they are not adding value they should be reviewed.