Late August 2017 brought Hurricane Harvey to the U.S., targeting the Texas Gulf Coast as a Category 4 storm. It was the first major hurricane to make landfall in nearly nine years. On the heels of Hurricane Harvey, CAT 4 Hurricane Irma struck the Leeward Islands before making its way to Florida and Georgia. Hurricane Marie followed 10 days later as a CAT 4, striking Puerto Rico and impacting several other islands in the Caribbean. In just three weeks, three major hurricanes brought a tremendous amount of devastation to many parts of the region.
The impact of these historic major storms in such a short time highlighted a clear problem for the loss adjusting market, with respect to a lack of adjusting capacity industry-wide.
Solution
Using its global scale and nationally recognized training programs in the U.S., Cunningham Lindsey assisted by training new loss adjusters. It was aware of the need for additional loss adjusters to assist in managing claims in the U.S. The company quickly provided a solution by immediately developing courses through Cunningham Lindsey’s subsidiary, Vale Training, which specializes in training adjusters and auto estimators in the insurance industry.
At a time of obvious peak demand and interest, an e-mail campaign was launched as Vale Training reached out through a network of family, friends, social media, LinkedIn, and existing e-mails from previous classes to help spread the word about the free courses and opportunity to enter the adjusting industry by joining the firm.
The course provided practical sessions and hands-on training, including the logistics, inspections, and technology to process claims. Three classes were offered and filled up instantly. The training was held at the Vale Training facility in Dallas and at the Rollins Learning Center campus in Atlanta.
The training provided a comprehensive, fast-track program with pre-work in industry-specific courses, followed by a course comprising experiential learning, which included classroom,
Lab, and field. The team leads supporting the instructor also conducted evening sessions to cover practical application of concepts. The Vale and Rollins mock-house labs exposed learners to actual claims, real material, and outside conditions.
Results
The recruitment campaign was closed in less than 48 hours due to strong interest and full capacity. Vale received hundreds of applications for the classes. Streamlining the applicant process included reviewing:
- Backgrounds
- Surveys on their experience
- Narratives on why they wanted to be adjusters
- Interest in helping others
- Math skills and common insurance terms
- Their ability to deploy
The students came through the classes as a cross-section of family members:
- Brothers
- Father-and-son teams
- In-laws
- Friends of industry partners
The common elements were their interest in learning skills for a new career and applying their newly learned talents in the field. They bonded as a team and established a network Vale Training believes will long survive the classes.
Vale Training graduated more than 50 new adjusters. They were immediately deployed and on the ground with the loss adjusting teams in Texas and Florida assisting with inspections and handling the claims.
Feedback
The students indicated this approach is far and above expectations and substantially more than other adjusting programs some of their friends chose during this time. This finding is further validated by a recent Vale alumni survey showcasing a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 84, representing 84 percent of respondents indicated they would recommend Vale to a friend as a 9 or 10—a proven model for 75 years.
Below is some feedback from property adjusters who attended the most recent training:
“The learning experience I had at Vale was a tremendous foundation for getting me started in this new endeavor. The instructors, course materials, and hands-on learning opportunities were spot on. I highly recommend Vale training courses for anyone interested in this career path.”
“Vale Training’s top-notch instructors and state-of-the-art facility provides a modern learning environment for industry professionals from entry-level to seasoned veterans. The small class environment promotes collaboration and provides the resources necessary to gain skills you need or hone the skills you have.”
Vale Training Solutions is a subsidiary of Cunningham Lindsey specializing in training for adjusters and appraisers in the insurance and auto body repair industries To learn more, visit: valetrainingsolutions.com. Connect with Vale Training Solutions on social media: Twitter | LinkedIn | LinkedIn group for Vale alumni | Facebook
