In their own words: A chat with insurance industry authors

Chris Tidball, Chantal Roberts, Michael Skiba and Rich Wickcliffe discuss their writing process and why sharing expertise is valuable to the industry in this Insurance Speak podcast.

There is a wealth of experience in the insurance industry, and many professionals are very generous about sharing their hard-earned knowledge with their colleagues. Whether it is through books, articles, podcasts, webcasts or other vehicles, this collaborative spirit improves the industry for all of the consumers it serves.

The latest installment of the Insurance Speak podcast features a conversation with several writers who revealed how they developed and published their books and why sharing expertise is so important for this industry. Between them, they are the authors of nearly a dozen books, are contributors to several PropertyCasualty360.com news outlets and are frequent speakers at industry events.

Chantal Roberts has over 20 years of experience as an adjuster with in-depth knowledge of claim handling practices, standards and procedures. She is the author of “The Art of Adjusting: Writing Down the Unwritten Rules of Claims Handling.”

Michael Skiba, also known to many as Dr. Fraud, has over 25 years of international counter-fraud experience and has been a professor and researcher for 15 years. He is frequently interviewed on NBC, ABC, Sirius XM and other media outlets. Skiba is the author of the “Psychology of Fraud.”

Chris Tidball is an executive claims consultant with SecondLook, and his claims career spans 30 years, where he has worked as an adjuster, manager, executive and consultant. He has written five books and a made-for-TV screenplay. His 20 Essential Rules series includes: “Kicked to the Curb: 20 Essential Rules for Coming Out on Top When Your Life Gets Turned Upside Down,” “Re-Adjusted: 20 Essential Rules to Take Your Claims Organization From Ordinary to Extraordinary!” and “You Got This: 20 Essential Rules to Come Out on Top When Cancer Turns Your Life Upside Down.”

Proving that insurance adjusting is indeed an exciting career choice, Tidball also wrote two books in his adjuster thriller series: “Swoop & Squat” and “Deep State: A Jake McFarland Thriller,” as well as a screenplay for the television series “The Adjuster,” which is based on these books.

Rich Wickliffe has worked in insurance leading teams of fraud investigators for over 20 years. He is particularly well-versed in unique fraud, cyber and crime trends. He is also a recipient of the FBI’s Exceptional Service in the Public Interest Award and has written several crime fiction books: “Tropical Windfall,” “Storm Crashers,” “Eye of Poseidon” and “Don’t Be Home for Christmas.”

Each author takes their inspiration from different places, but all of them shared that it comes from their experiences in the insurance industry. “I took a job as claim trainee and got duped by a granny on my first claim,” shared Skiba.

Tidball spent some time working as an adjuster in South Central Los Angeles, which provided the backdrop and vision for his adjuster thriller series. He says that his non-fiction series, however, is “designed to empower adjusters.”

Roberts wanted her book to target adjusters working from home, as well as those just starting out in claims. “With the brain drain the industry is experiencing, the book is designed to help train new adjusters,” she shared.

When it comes to collecting ideas for his books, Wickliffe said he has “never been at a loss for inspiration,” especially since he lives in Florida. He keeps a folder with story ideas and writes his books with a commercial bent. “I write the screenplay version of a book first, which takes about three months ad the books take about a year to write.”

To learn more about their writing process, the claims and other aspects of insurance that have inspired their books, and what insurance professionals need to keep in mind about operating in today’s environment, listen to the podcast above or subscribe to Insurance Speak on Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play or Libsyn.

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