Lanzko Insights/The Claims SPOT

Best Practices | SPOT on Issues

“Summer’s Here And I’m For That” With 2 Ideas To Improve Your Claims Operations
ByMarc Lanzkowsky July 11, 2011

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.

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Claims Technology | SPOT on Ops

5 Must Haves To Consider When Implementing a New Claims System
ByMarc Lanzkowsky June 21, 2011November 28, 2011

Implementing a new claims system can be fraught with issues and concerns. It is important to understand the people aspect both before and after a system is put into place. At the end of the day the system must support people and those people should be involved in the process way before you go live. This week we learn 5 suggestions to assist in the implementing a claims system learned from Paul Tuhy, Global Head of Claims for XL Insurance who recently spoke about technology at the most recent Americas Claims Event in New Orleans.

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Claims Auditing | Commentary

Shakespeare & Claims: Looking Inward
ByMarc Lanzkowsky June 6, 2011June 5, 2011

Cassius said in Julius Caesar, “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars — but in ourselves…” This was a frequent theme of Shakespeare’s, who put it another way in All’s Well That Ends Well, when Helena says: “Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie, which we ascribe to Heaven.” In claims and the insurance world we are quick to blame everyone when things don’t go well. In our latest post we discuss the importance of self review and reflection as a means to improved performance.

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My SPOT

Take Advantage of Great Learning Opportunities In Claims
ByMarc Lanzkowsky May 25, 2011May 25, 2011

War stories are really a great way to learn about how to improve claims handling. Claims professionals love telling a great claims story and I know I have learned so much from those stories of the past. When the opportunity to learn from those involved in major past events occurs it is best to jump at that chance to learn something new. The upcoming Americas Claims Event Conference in New Orleans this June 14-16, 2011 is just one of those opportunities to learn from some great speakers.

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Best Practices | SPOT on Issues

3 Ways to Make Your Claim Notes Better
ByMarc Lanzkowsky May 11, 2011May 25, 2011

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.

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Book Review | My SPOT

Book Review: General Liability Insurance Coverage by Maniloff & Stempel
ByMarc Lanzkowsky April 28, 2011

Let’s face it, there are no easy answers to that basic question every claims handler needs to ask: Is it covered? Nonetheless, it is a basic question that is sometimes fraught with trepidation. As you all know, there is no one source of coverage law interpreting your standard CGL form. 50 states means 50 different view points. We review the new book “General Liability Insurance Coverage” by Randy Maniloff & Stempel in this weeks post. It truly is an easy to use manageable book on the subject of coverage issues in a CGL policy. Covering key issues in an easy to use single volume book would be a great addition to anyone working with Commercial General Liability policies.

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Best Practices | SPOT on Issues

Continuing Education Is The Path To An Improved Claims Operation
ByMarc Lanzkowsky April 19, 2011

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.

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Best Practices | Claims Auditing | Compliance | Due Diligence | SPOT on Ops

Claim Reviews Empower Better Decisions By Putting Critical Information In Hand
ByMarc Lanzkowsky March 30, 2011June 5, 2011

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.

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Negotiation | SPOT on Issues

5 Things To Avoid When Negotiating In Business and Claims
ByMarc Lanzkowsky March 2, 2011March 7, 2011

Let’s face it, claims is as much about negotiating as anything. It is a significant part of our jobs as claims professionals, yet little real time is spent honing those skills. In coming across an article on 5 things you should never say while negotiating, we comment on how these techniques can be used in claims negotiations. Take a look, and tell us your techniques.

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Customer Service | SPOT on Ops

5 Business Basics Every Claims Person Should Live By
ByMarc Lanzkowsky February 14, 2011

Ideas from successful business can be adopted in claims very easily if one takes the time to look. As we all know, claims folks have little time to look and that is where I hope the Claims SPOT can help. Sometimes claims organizations get so involved in the day-to-day that they have little time do the basics. However, concentrating on doing the write thing from a business perspective is the best way to succeed in claims. Expanding on Donna Flagg’s recent article Five Things They Don’t Teach You In Business School, we explore how those five things apply in the claims world. It’s common sense time in our most recent post.

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