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Tag Archives: Procedures

  1. Part 2 on Leadership: Developing a Strategic Transformation Team March 17, 2014

    Posted in Strategic Planning.

    Breaking from the linear approach to management is the key to leading Strategic Transformation. A standard organization will have a head of claims and then a variety of department heads to manage each line of business. Depending on the company there may be additional senior managers to handle various operational aspects of the group, which may include support staff, call center, technology and data analytics. Under this method, projects get initiated and managed within the same linear organizational framework. The result of this approach is a development process built in a silo that limits input and understanding of possible interdependencies that may exist outside the framework. In this post we will explore further how a strategic transformation team is formed and can be effective.

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  2. A Claims Tale Of Three Little Managers And Their Review Programs June 20, 2012

    Posted in Best Practices, Claims Auditing, Compliance, SPOT on Issues.

    We have all head the story of the 3 little pigs but have you heard of the 3 claims managers? The Manager of Straw, the Manager of Sticks and the Manager of Bricks are all motivated to do the right thing but they go about it in very different ways. One had no program in place to review their operation, one had a basic process in place and one used a detailed program to review claims. Read on this story and see how problems occur and are managed differently.

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  3. Does Hiring More Staff Improve Claims? How To Know When The Time Is Right May 3, 2010

    Posted in SPOT on Ops.

    Deciding when to hire new staff is always a difficult question to answer. It’s even harder in a tough economy. In this week’s post I explore what to consider before hiring. Developing a staffing model and exploring internal metrics should be done before making a decision. But how do you create a staffing model? I suggest a few methods for developing a staffing model that makes sense. Before you bring on more staff review your staffing model, see if there any trends affecting file loads and take a quick look inward at your operation. Once these assessments are completed, you will be in a better position to know if hiring is the right decision.

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  4. 7 Considerations When Drafting Claims Guidelines March 1, 2010

    Posted in Best Practices, Compliance, SPOT on Issues, SPOT on Ops.

    Claims departments employ professionals that want to do a good job for policy holders as well as the company, and claims guidelines should help foster those goals. Before drafting guidelines there are a few things that should be considered and we, along with our fellow blogger Phil Loree, suggest 7 things a company should consider when drafting claims guidelines.

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  5. 3 Essential Report Types That Insurance Executives Should Use To Analyze Their Claims February 23, 2010

    Posted in SPOT on Ops.

    Today’s modern claims systems have a wealth of knowledge about every aspect of claims operations. With the right reports it should be easy to get a basic snapshot of how effective your claims are being managed, and how well your business is doing. With all that information where is one to start? What are the key metrics that should be reviewed by claims and business executives to better understand their operations? We give three specific report types that claims executives should review on a regular basis to get a valuable snapshot of their organization.

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  6. Absence of procedures to notify reinsurance is a basis for bad faith February 17, 2010

    Posted in Bad Faith, Best Practices, SPOT on Issues.

    Recently I was discussing bad faith and notice procedures with attorney Phil Loree Jr., an expert on reinsurance and arbitration issues and author of the the Loree Reinsurance and Arbitration Forum blog.  I thought this was a timely conversation as it reinforced the concepts regarding procedures and the potential risks when they are not in […]

    6 comments
  7. Failing to properly document files can be costly – It cost one insurance agency $5.83 Million February 1, 2010

    Posted in Best Practices, Commentary, SPOT on Ops.

    Files should speak for themselves. A recent California decision is yet another example of what can happen if you don’t document your files and maintain procedures. In this case – it cost $5.83 million.

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  8. Better claim reports can help improve producer/carrier communications (take our poll) January 29, 2010

    Posted in Customer Service, SPOT on Ops.

    Improved producer carrier relationships can be a competitive advantage to help increase profitability in tough economic times. According to the survey, a key differentiator for carriers to attract more business from their producers is in the areas of claims handling and technology. Most modern claims systems can create automated customized reports. Producers should be able to ask for specific reports and have them electronically scheduled for delivery. Better reporting will go a long way to improving relationships, and can only help increase profitability and enhance service to the policy holders.

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  9. 5 expense reduction opportunities insurance CEOs should not overlook January 27, 2010

    Posted in SPOT on Costs.

    Increased profits come from efficient claims operations: Take a look at that annual reports of the top performing insurance companies and you will see a similar message from their CEO’s. Expense management and efficiency is a principal driver of profitability.In a tight market do less with more without sacrificing quality and significantly customer service is the edge needed to be a top performer. The claims department is the perfect place to lower costs and improve the customer experience at the same time. Here are 5 key areas that should be looked at for cost savings.

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