“We insure your dreams.” That's the slogan of fictional BrownStar Insurance agency in a newish farce starring Ed Helms of The Office. The movie melds Will Ferrell-esque buffoonery and double entendres with tenderhearted moments nearly as sweet as the butterscotch candy Ed's character, Tim Lippe, hands out a little too enthusiastically.
The movie is called “Cedar Rapids.” The story? Insurance. You read that right. Besides, where other than an industry weekend retreat would insurance agents and adjusters flock for self-discovery, with a side of Dionysian delights and methamphetamine? When Lippe arrives at the conference locale, he becomes intoxicated with the grounds, the excitement, and the “chlorine perfume” wafting from the hotel pool. (He moves on to cream sherry at the evening mixer).
We then become acquainted with some charmingly mild mannered agents and adjusters, one of whom describes antiquing as “his guilty pleasure.” (Surprisingly not the same guy with a lamination machine perched on his kitchen table).
It's all so predictable, right? Well, I implore you to not be deterred by the offensive clichés and consider for a moment that the film could be some of the best publicity our industry has garnered in many years. While this exposure may be fleeting, it is free and quite unexpected. For a public usually removed from the P&C realm, it represents a “man behind the curtain” moment but, moreover, a moment of dignity for all claims professionals, especially those working in the trenches, in disaster areas and the pressure-cooker situations that come with the territory.
That is because the film (spoiler alert) ultimately eschews opportunistic greed and corruption in favor of ethics and amity. Given all the grumblings about the public's implicit hostility toward insurers, we should pay attention to the formula: make fun of oneself and pervasive misnomers, then show what you're all about … genuinely … and not in a heavy-handed way.
The movie underscores that insurance is still a relationship business. At one point, Lippe tells Joan, a fellow attendee, that “insurance agents” get a bum rap and relays how an “agent” worked on the front line to help restore lives after a massive flood. Now substitute “adjuster” for Hollywood's erroneous “agent” distinction. Joan then asks, “Do you realize that you just made it sound cool to be in insurance?” She jokingly calls him “Insurance Man,” as a relatable superhero, one that would wear practical shoes and opt for flood insurance. Although Lippe is as endearing as he is grating, in the end, his “slow and steady” approach works. We realize that this otherwise ordinary man is extraordinary in his devotion to the policyholders he takes pride in protecting.
While those good vibes percolate, might I interest you in an issue that is chock full of strategies for avoiding leakage in contents claim processing and missed subrogation opportunities? Want to learn how to up the ante on predictive analytics? What are you waiting for?
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