TRANSCRIPT:
Over the past few years, there has been a significant shift in the roles of the insurance field adjuster as compared to the inside desk adjuster. In a candid discussion, Integrity Adjusters’ Director of Claim Operations Allen Lyle offers his personal opinion on the future of this industry.
Technology changes in the insurance claims industry have had a tremendous impact on the role of insurance adjusters, reshaping not only how they perform their jobs, but also on the very future of their careers. Many tasks such as data entry and documentation are now automated, eliminating the need for mundane mandatory routines that many adjusters disliked to begin with.
However, technology is a cruel two-edged sword. Sure, it may eliminate those boring tasks to free an adjuster to focus more on the inspection and estimate, but with the advent of mobile apps, virtual inspections, and remote collaboration tools that many carriers are implementing, a very healthy percentage of claims can be handled from anywhere reducing the need for a physical presence on-site.
In my personal opinion, I believe we are seeing the decline of the glory days of field adjusting. There will be die-hard adjusters who refuse to accept this; but think back on the days when an adjuster showed up with nothing but a tape measure and a yellow legal pad. When estimating software hit the market, including a little-known program called Xactimate, many of those same yellow padders refused to accept this untried, untested, unreliable method for creating an estimate. Where are those adjusters today? Either gone or on a totally different career path. The yellow note pads are now gathering dust or being used for random games of tic-tac-toe.
Overall, while technology has automated certain aspects of the insurance claims process, it has also augmented the role of the insurance adjuster, demanding a blend of technical proficiency, analytical skills, and strong interpersonal abilities to succeed in this evolving industry. And, while it will be the adjusters who embrace technology and continuously invest in their professional development who will thrive in this dynamic environment, we simply don’t know how much longer the role of field adjuster will be a viable player in the insurance industry.
What are your thoughts? Do you agree with Allen’s opinion, or do you think there will always be the need for a large contingency of field adjusters? Will technology finally find its place as the ultimate cure for human error, or will humanity remain the king of field adjusting? Be a part of the discussion! Leave your comments below. We’d love to hear from you!