Why CLM Is Sending You Back to School

Over the past several months, news about CLM’s latest endeavor, the Claims College, has been hinted at as its leadership and structure took shape. The curtain has been officially lifted, and CLM fellows and members are learning what they can expect when they go back to school in September 2013.

To explain what the Claims College is, we first look back at its genesis with CLM’s Executive Director Adam Potter, who sheds light on the ground-breaking concept.

For those who don’t yet know, what is the Claims College? How did it come about?

We created the Claims College in response to a need in the industry. Years ago, companies offered extensive training programs for their new claims adjusters. Those programs have fallen victim to budget cuts over the years. Now, very few companies offer extensive internal training opportunities. They rely on hiring staff with some experience and then training them in their processes or a specific line of business. This has resulted in a real crisis in young talent in the claims industry. We created the Claims College to fill that educational void and further the claims management profession.

What makes the Claims College different from other claims events?

This is not a conference. This is a real educational experience. “Students” will be expected to complete pre-course readings. While at the Claims College, they will participate in classroom instruction and group projects. On the final day, students will also take an exam.

The Claims College is currently divided into three schools: Claims Management, Professional Lines, and Workers’ Compensation. Additional schools will be added in subsequent years. Within each school, there are three levels. Students must pass all three levels to earn the school’s current designation: Certified Claims Management Professional, Certified Professional Lines Professional, or Certified Workers’ Compensation Professional.

Is the claims industry supporting this project? How have they responded?

There is tremendous industry support for the Claims College. We introduced the concept in September 2012 during the CLM-hosted Chief Claims Officers Summit. That audience embraced the concept and eagerly volunteered to have their leadership serve in faculty roles. They also committed to sending their claims professionals to the Claims College, and they even decided to hold CLM’s next Chief Claims Officers Summit during the inaugural Claims College in 2013 to show their support of the students and the college.

Is the school only open to CLM fellows? Who can attend?

The Claims College is designed to educate claims professionals at multiple levels. Professionals with three to 15 years of experience will benefit from the curriculum. As they move through each level of the school, students will acquire new skills and knowledge, validate current knowledge, and broaden their perspectives on the role of claims management and eventually claims leadership.

The Claims College is open to all industry professionals. In addition to claims professionals, outside defense counsel with five years or less of experience are invited to attend. No more than 20 percent of the students will be from outside defense counsel. To ensure a strong educational environment, service providers, vendors, and consultants are not permitted to attend.

What kinds of problems does the college hope to address?

Besides addressing the talent crisis in the industry, the creation of this industry-wide educational resource means that individual companies will not have to recreate the training wheel within their own organizations. Claims professionals can gain the knowledge and expertise they need at the Claims College so individual companies can focus their training and education resources on topics and procedures specific to their own companies, operations, and client bases.

When does enrollment begin?

Registration opens in the spring of 2013 and for the inaugural year, will be limited to 500 students per college. School begins Sept. 8-11, 2013, in downtown Philadelphia.