For many years, carriers have directed the majority of their claim investments toward improving the procedural efficiency of the adjuster. All too often insurers struggle to advance their focus and investment beyond gaining such functional efficiencies and improving the claim transaction experience. With the rapidly changing market and the technologies available today, procedural efficiency is simply a ticket to the dance.

With total claim costs accounting for up to 85 percent of insurers cost basis, reducing claim costs represents insurers' biggest opportunity to impact their overall performance in today's soft market. Unlocking value from claim investments requires an extended focus on managing indemnity expenditures, and leveraging claim data at the enterprise level to drive improved risk management throughout the enterprise (the fact that this will become more compulsory overtime due to regulation is fodder for another article).

In addition, when all is said and done, claims drive brand commitment. Extending focus from the role of the adjuster within the claim organization, to the role of claims within the enterprise provides an opportunity to leverage the collective claim assets to drive an enhanced brand platform that results in greater customer retention and acquisition.