| E-newsletter of Sagamore Insurance Company | July 2011 |
Superior Claims Service: Claims service is the number one reason people purchase insurance. Unfortunately, claims service is rarely appreciated until the insured is involved in an accident. When insureds file claims, they are often agitated and frustrated, so it is critical for them to know they can count on their carrier to handle their claim and ease their burden. Sagamore Insurance Company’s Claims Department has developed a positive reputation among its insureds. To give you an idea of what our Claims Department has to offer, we spoke with Liability Claims Adjuster Brian Johnson. After reading what he has to say, you should feel even more confident in Sagamore’s ability under these unfortunate situations. Sagamore Marketing: Can you describe a typical day as a claims adjuster? Brian: Every day presents new challenges. Typically, I have an inventory of pending claims to work through. In addition, I often receive calls reporting new claims to handle, and questions from agents and insureds on both current and closed claims. Sagamore Marketing: What would you emphasize as the most important aspects of providing good claims service to our insureds? Brian: My highest priority is to provide answers to insureds in a prompt manner. It is also very important that I listen to their concerns and clear up any confusion they may have regarding coverages and insurance terminology. Sagamore Marketing: What type of feedback do you receive from insureds regarding their expectations from speaking with you and what they value most in the service you provide? Brian: Insureds are seeking good advice and peace of mind with regard to their claims being handled correctly. Most insureds are unfamiliar with the claims process and insurance terminology, so the other Sagamore claims adjusters and I help outline this information for them. Sagamore Marketing: How does the Sagamore Claims Department respond to reported claims? Brian: Claims are reported in a number of ways by insureds, claimants or attorneys via letter or phone call. If a phone call is received, it is typically sent directly to an adjuster who will take statements from the caller at that time. The adjuster will try to address a claim initially on the first day it is received, but this time frame varies based upon the method and timeliness with which the claim is reported and how much information is readily available. Once a claim is addressed initially, the length of time until it is closed can vary widely, just as the facts and circumstances of each claim vary. For example, a single car accident without injury may only take three to five days to handle, whereas a bodily injury claim usually takes much longer. Additionally, many factors contribute to the speed at which a claim is handled, including body shop estimates, extent of injury or damage, and the speed at which Sagamore receives information regarding the claim. We have three areas of specialization in our claims department: Liability Property Claims, Liability Bodily Injury Claims and Physical Damage Claims. Typically, representatives from these areas handle the separate parts of each claim, making the process more efficient so that we can resolve the claim as quickly as possible. Sagamore Marketing: What should our agents emphasize to their customers with regard to the value Sagamore’s Claims Department can provide? Brian: Our claims adjusters have a broad base of knowledge in each state where we handle claims. In the states where it is required, each representative has a special license for handling adjustments there. We keep our staff up-to-date on all the rules and coverage issues in each state so that our knowledge base is always current, allowing our staff to provide the best possible service. We place tremendous focus on our claims by taking recorded statements, viewing police reports, inspecting vehicles and hiring appraisers when necessary. |
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