The Branches Adjusters Never See: A Better Lane Inside Claims

Two people can fly the same airline, on the same plane and have completely different experiences. One is cramped and miserable in the wrong seat. The other is fine, because the seat fits. Same destination. Same flight. Totally different ride.

Claims careers work the same way.

I have watched strong adjusters walk away from the industry not because they were incapable, but because they were exhausted in a seat that did not fit. They assumed the only options were to stay and suffer or quit and start over. What they did not see is that claims has branches. Lanes. Seats. And changing seats can change everything.

In a prior Claims Journal viewpoint, I argued that burnout is a measurable business risk in claims, not a soft HR topic. One of the fastest, most overlooked ways to reduce that risk is to help adjusters change lanes before they leave the industry entirely.

That idea is simple, but it is not common practice. In many organizations, internal mobility is treated like a side topic. In reality, it is one of the most practical retention tools we have, and it can directly improve outcomes for customers.

The Hidden Retention Problem

Claims attracts people who can handle pressure. They can manage conflict, make decisions with imperfect information and keep moving when a file turns messy. We respect that and often celebrate it.

But there is a quiet failure point inside the profession that does not get talked about enough. Many adjusters leave before they ever see a clear picture of what is possible. They do not know how many lanes exist inside their own company, or how different those lanes can feel in day-to-day life.

When the work starts to feel like a treadmill, they assume the treadmill is the career. So, they jump off.

The fix is often not dramatic. A treadmill role and a sustainable role can be separated by a transfer, a shift in claim type, a different manager or a workflow with fewer interruptions and clearer expectations. The title might look similar on paper. The experience can be completely different.

Burnout and Customer Outcomes

The claims experience is delivered by people, in hard moments, to customers who are often anxious, angry, confused, or exhausted.

Burnout reduces patience and attention. It increases errors and delays. It makes difficult conversations harder. It also fuels turnover, which increases workload on the people who remain, which accelerates burnout again.

So, when we talk about lanes and lateral moves, we are not only talking about careers; we are talking about operational stability and customer outcomes.

Before You Leave Claims

A crossroads moment is usually treated like an exit sign. In reality, it should be treated like information.

If you find yourself browsing job boards, daydreaming about a different industry, or telling yourself you cannot do this for another year, pause and ask a better question first.

What exactly is draining you?

Most of the time, it is not claims as a whole, it is a specific version of claims. A specific seat or lane. The danger is making a relief decision and taking the first door that opens, then realizing later you traded one mismatch for another.

A simple way to get clarity is to name the primary pressure point. Common ones are volume you cannot sustain, constant phone interruptions, repetitive work with no depth, too much conflict, schedule unpredictability or a manager or culture that creates friction.

This is not overthinking. It is diagnosis. If you do not name what is actually driving the frustration, you can change roles and carry the same problem with you. That is why some adjusters switch carriers and still feel stuck. They changed the logo, not the lane.

Lateral Does Not Mean Stuck

In many organizations, lateral moves get treated like a compromise. They should not.

A lateral move is often the smartest move in claims. It can buy you sanity. It can rebuild confidence. It can expand your skills. It can protect your health and your family life. It can also set you up for faster growth later because you are building range instead of grinding in the same pressure loop.

A lateral move is not quitting. It is recalibrating.

This is where the plane seat analogy matters. If the seat is wrong, willpower does not make it comfortable. You can endure it for a while, but eventually your body and mind will demand a change. The smart move is to change seats before you burn out, disengage or walk away from a profession you might still be good at in a different lane.

There is also a practical business case for encouraging internal moves. SHRM summarizes research showing employees who move internally, whether laterally or through promotion, are more likely to stay.

The Branches Inside Claims

Most claims organizations have multiple lanes that look similar from the outside but feel very different in the day-to-day work.

Some lanes increase depth and complexity. Some reduce volume. Some reduce constant phone interruptions. Some trade chaos for structure. Some trade speed for precision. Some trade travel for predictability. The point is not to list every possible branch here. The point is to recognize the ecosystem exists.

If you are exhausted from constant triage, you may not need a new career. You may need a lane with fewer interruptions and clearer priorities.

If you are bored, you may not need to leave insurance. You may need a lane with more complexity, higher stakes and deeper decision making.

If you feel boxed in, you may not need a title jump. You may need a lane that gives you more influence, more ownership, or a better rhythm for your season of life.

How to Get into a Better Lane

Internal moves do not require a full career reinvention. They require intentional positioning.

Start by making your value visible in the direction you want to go. Ask for a small set of files that resemble the lane you want, tighten your documentation, and build relationships with technical resources or leaders in that lane.

Try saying this: “I want to stay here and keep growing. The part of the role that is draining me is X. I think a lane with more of Y would be a better fit. Can you help me understand what options exist internally?”

What Leaders Can Do

If you manage a team, the most practical lever is visibility. Make the lanes easier to see and make movement normal. Keep lane conversations part of development, not a private discussion that only happens after someone is ready to resign.

Managers cannot wait for resignation signals. GALLUP notes a large share of turnover is preventable when leaders initiate the right conversations early.

Claims Is Not One Job

Claims is not a single role. It is an ecosystem built around a powerful skill set. Decision making with imperfect information. Negotiation. Documentation. Human communication under stress.

Crossroads moments are not always exit signs. Often, they are signals to change lanes.

Make the branches visible and the right seat attainable, before retention becomes a flight risk.

Casaleggio is the author of Claims Crossroads: Fresh Starts, Smart Pivots & New Paths for Adjusters. He is also a regional director at MC Consultants, Inc.