2012 a Year of Firsts for PLRB/LIRB

The Property Loss Research Bureau and Liability Insurance Research Bureau year end review revealed some highlights of 2012. Among them:

• An awards program recognizing outstanding claims professionals in the claims industry was introduced.
• New webinar series offered.
• The first-ever cancellation of a PLRB/LIRB conference, the Large Loss Conference.
• Classes centering on earthquake claims handling were offered at the Eastern Regional Adjusters Conference.

Three adjusters were honored for their accomplishments and dedication at the inaugural presentation of the Outstanding Claims Professionals awards, which helped kick off the four-day PLRB/LIRB Claims Conference. President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Mallin congratulated Jeff Berger, of USAA, Vicky Walters, of Grange Insurance, and Lori Sanders, of Citizens Property Insurance, on their exceptional efforts and outstanding results.

A series of three sessions addressing adjustment of earthquake claims, previously presented at the national conference and the Western Regional Adjusters Conference, were offered at the Eastern Regional Adjusters Conference in Providence, R.I.

A presentation by attorney Stephen (Buzz) Eisenberg was one of the standout events at the Western Regional Adjusters Conference held in Dallas. Eisenberg’s session was titled “Appraisal Strategies for Success.”

Among the other well-received sessions at the three regional conferences were those titled “Property Case Law Highlights,” both Watley and Powell noted. These classes were led by PLRB staff attorneys Jeff Kerensky, Mark McHugh, David Fox, Beth Sterne and Laurie Pegler.

As Hurricane Sandy approached the East Coast near the end of October, PLRB leaders kept a close watch on forecasts and developments. With the 2012 Large Loss Conference scheduled for October 29 through October 31 in Washington, D.C., the decision was made over the weekend to cancel the meeting after airlines began canceling thousands of flights to and from the region.

“The hurricane was so dramatic and widespread that you couldn’t get there if you wanted to,” said Powell. He said the event was canceled so insurance professionals could confront the expected aftermath of the storm, as well as out of concern for their personal safety.

All the presenters scheduled for the 2012 Large Loss Conference have been invited to present workshops at the 2013 Large Loss Conference in Jacksonville, Fla., in November. Powell said this cancellation marks the first time a conference was canceled in recent PLRB history.

There are several ways PLRB/LIRB members and affiliates can earn continuing education credit and enrich their knowledge base. Distance learning modules offer a convenient way to learn online. Claims professionals simply log in to the website, click on the link for online CE and choose a course. Each course includes video instruction.

There are currently 45 credit classes available for CE for adjusters. Three sessions are in production, and will soon be added to the lineup. Content for a fourth new module, “Water Damage Mitigation,” was videotaped during the 2012 Western Regional Adjusters Conference in Dallas.

Claims professionals may also enhance their professional development with the help of PLRB/LIRB’s 68 non-credit classes offered online. PLRB/LIRB offers a variety of webinars and tutorials. Webinars require registration but there is no cost for members and affiliates. For students who miss the live presentation, recorded versions of webinars are posted on the PLRB/LIRB website at www.plrb.org within a week after the webinar is presented.

Soft Skills Training and “Hot Topics” Webinars New in 2012

Debuting in March 2012, the PLRB/LIRB Fine-Tuned Adjuster webinar series was off to a running start. There was near-capacity registration for leadership and workplace communication expert Merge Gupta-Sunderji’s class “Getting Things Done: Prioritization and Time Management Skills for Adjusters.”

Subsequent Fine-Tuned Adjuster webinars include:

• How to write effective emails;
• How to manage your time;
• How to steer your career in the right direction;
• How to communicate effectively and gain customer trust;
• Listening skills;
• How to negotiate casualty claims;
• Working effectively with others; and
• How to leverage emotional intelligence in the workplace.

Webinars range between 60 minutes to 75 minutes. They are open to PLRB/LIRB members and affiliate members and are presented periodically monthly all year long. Recorded versions of Fine-Tuned Adjuster webinars can be accessed by visiting www.plrb.org and clicking on the “Online CE” button.

PLRB/LIRB launched a new series of “Hot Topics” webinars in December. December’s webinars focused on fracking, and its potential implications for property coverage issues.

Source: PLRB/LIRB