Old Open claims

[JWP]

Our agency procedures have agents tracking claims until they close. If there has been an claim open for a few months without any additional payouts then we're to contact the claims adjuster for an update. The goal is to try and get claims closed and "off the books" as quickly as possible. In particular, during the last quarter of the year, we're to try to get the claims closed before the end of the year so that we don't have reserves affecting our loss ratios.

Is this a common practice at other agencies?
Do agents have any influence in getting a claim closed faster?

I'm asking because it seems like my follow-ups on these claims have zero effect on the whole process and I'm just wasting time.

 

[Mike Hodges]

This will depend on the type of claim. Claims for PUP policies, Liability claims whether on the auto policy, home policy, boat policy, etc. can drag on. Closing claims will be out of your control for the most part. Some you can help move along and others you will not be able to.

 

[adjusterjack]

Is this a common practice at other agencies?

I hope not.

Do agents have any influence in getting a claim closed faster?

Nope, nada, zero, zip, zilch. You can only delay the claim by calling the claim rep.

I'm asking because it seems like my follow-ups on these claims have zero effect on the whole process and I'm just wasting time.

They do have zero effect and you are wasting your time and the claim rep's.

Claim reps can have 100 open claims to handle at any given time. New ones coming in, claims in progress, old ones getting closed when all the requirements have been met. Information is coming in continuously by email, fax, phone and regular mail. All that gets sorted and attached and the claim moves up the pile.

Every time you call an adjuster for a claim status, the amount of time it takes to field your call is the amount of time he loses for working on the claims. If other agents are doing it that's a lot of time lost from claims handling. I'm surprised you haven't gotten a stern talking-to about it.

Please, stop doing it.