September 29, 2021
A Plaintiff Start
Geddes says he was working in a plaintiff’s firm prior to getting his first adjuster position. That experience included extensive litigation and investigative work, which put him in good position to handle the responsibilities of a claims job. He started as an adjuster with a large TPA, worked for a carrier, then began running his own business in 2011.
“The insurance industry’s biggest issue currently is what I will call the inability to ‘read the room.’”
Geddes, discussing how a resistance to change has created systemic issues.
Pushing Past Autopilot
Whether it’s recruiting methods or claims technology, Geddes says some insurance companies are stuck doing things that worked 10, 20, or even 30 years ago. He cited the use of drones in catastrophe losses as one example, saying that he knows some large carriers that unequivocally will not use them on their claims, despite the risk reduction for adjusters.
“Insurers do a great job of selling their products, but they do a poor overall job of selling themselves as a career choice.”
Geddes, on addressing the industry’s impending talent crisis.
Bull by the Horns
Not content to sit back and wait for someone to solve the recruitment issues facing the industry, Geddes is launching a competition in October called the Risk and Insurance Collegiate Challenge. Describing it as “Family Feud” meets “Jeopardy!” Geddes says the competition is meant to showcase risk and insurance as a career option for students unaware of the opportunities available to them by focusing on schools not typically high on the list for recruiters.
“I have worked with people from just about every conceivable academic background, and it’s that type of diversity that makes the industry so vibrant.”
Geddes, on why the industry needs to look for talent outside the traditional realms.