AIG’s Jane Tutoki Explains Her Role in the Claims College

Excitement is building for the launch of the CLM’s new Claims College. The college, set to begin classes in September 2013, hosts an impressive leadership roster consisting of chancellors, deans, and executive council members, and faculty selection is currently underway.

To get to know the leadership better, we spoke with one of the college’s four chancellors, Jane Tutoki, head of global claims operations for AIG, who shared with us how she became involved with the CLM, her love of claims, and the role the Claims College will play in the future of the insurance claims industry.

How did you get involved with the CLM and the Claims College?

I met [Executive Director] Adam Potter about four years ago, and he asked me to be a keynote speaker at CLM’s annual conference. It was a great experience, and I’ve been involved with CLM ever since. I like the work of the organization and appreciate that it provides the insurance industry with solutions, including ways to attract talent to the industry and support claims field development.

What caught your attention about the Claims College?

I see that the Claims College will give professionals in our industry confidence that they have gone through a program, completed coursework, and have expertise in a particular area in the claims world. I think that’s a great attribute.

As a chancellor, what are your thoughts on the school’s curriculum?

The one point I want to make about the curriculum is that it is going to meet the current demands of the industry, and it will also change as our industry evolves. We need to train and certify professionals in very complex areas, such as workers’ compensation, professional lines, and claims management, where expertise is critical. The curriculum will help companies in that they will know that certified professionals are able to handle the demands of their job. And for claims professionals, completing the curriculum and earning a certification will be a great source of pride, which is really exciting.

How will AIG get involved?

AIG is not officially affiliated or involved with the Claims College, but we do share the priority of talent development. While we have our own training programs and talent development, the Claims College will be a complement to our programs. So, we’ll have a very complementary interface and relationship.

What would an opportunity like the Claims College have meant to you when you were rising through the insurance industry?

I wish it had been there when I was coming up through the ranks because it would have given me more choices. I think it’s going to give people more choices when they get into insurance.

They say timing is everything. What do you think about the timing of when the graduates will complete the first program as it aligns with the rising need in the industry?

It’s perfect timing. Ours is a growing industry, and our need for claims professionals continues to expand. The college will help fill the skill-set requirements of the industry when it is needed most.

Are there any other aspects of the college that get you excited?

One of the things we have talked about is approaching other colleges of insurance to get claims tracks within their degree programs, which doesn’t exist today. We would like to encourage that path and continue to get the word out that claims is a great career. Something the industry needs to do is shine the spotlight on claims. With a track that is claims specific, we can create claims professionals in our colleges of insurance.

What other gaps will the college help to fill?

Claims is wonderful as a career and as an industry, but I don’t think we’ve let people know that as widely and broadly as we should. So, I think having the Claims College will bring more attention to claims professionalism and expertise that will only add to its image and the ability to get the word out that it is a career people should be attracted to and it can lead to great things.