For far too long, insurance carriers have viewed public adjusters as opponents rather than as potential allies. I believe the time has come to end this "cold war" and recognize that insurers, independent adjusters, and public adjusters all share a similar goal--fast, efficient, and accurate claims resolution. By taking a team approach, we can collectively do a better job of servicing policyholders who have suffered a serious loss to their homes, businesses, or commercial properties.

Taking a unified approach would be an important step toward bringing the insurance industry more fully into the 21st century, by both improving transparency for the public, and reducing costly inefficiencies for the insurer. Today, many carriers are seeking to control as much of the claim process as possible, often delaying or minimizing settlement offers. I strongly believe that such behavior is shortsighted and ultimately harms our industry.

First of all, these types of claim practices create adversarial relationships with consumers, and can ruin years of hard-earned goodwill on the part of the independent agent. They also have long-term negative consequences, such as creating a feeling of distrust and resentment among the American public.