Florida public adjusters have an excellent educational and networking opportunity at the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters Mid-Year Meeting, which will be held at the Ritz Carlton in Miami Beach from December 9-11, 2010. This is a great conference because the insurance claims business is becoming more national in scope. Insurance claim issues in one state impact other states. Public adjusters need to realize that their trade is not isolated by geographic boundaries and that opportunities exist through associated networking with others in diverse geographic regions. It is obvious that more public adjusters than ever are responding to catastrophes far removed from their home and original offices.

This trend and aspect of public adjusting is addressed by two can’t miss presentations:

  1. 1. NAIC and Insurance Regulation
  2. 2. NAIC and the Model Public Adjuster Bill

One of the speakers on these topics will be a friend, colleague and former Montana Insurance Commissioner, John Morrison. The Wikipedia Encyclopedia has this to say about Morrison:

Morrison has chaired two major standing committees of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners: Market Regulation and Consumer Affairs and Health Insurance and Managed Care. Morrison led creation of a nationwide system that collects, aggregates and analyzes information relating to the conduct of insurance companies toward consumers in the marketplace, as well the first internet portal for insurance consumers. He led passage of a model law banning discretionary clauses in insured ERISA plans that now confers broad claims handling rights on millions of Americans. Morrison chaired the committee that kept terrorism coverage in place after September 11 (Great Falls Tribune 9/8/02; Daily Interlake 1/31/02), and led a national crackdown on fake Insurance and medical discount schemes (Consumer Reports 7/3/03, 6/6/04). He was one of a three member delegation that began the relationship between U.S. and Chinese insurance regulators in 2003. As NAIC’s International Vice-Chair for Asia, he represented U.S. insurance regulators in the 2007 U.S.-China Strategic Economic Dialogues and at the 2008 U.S.-China Insurance Dialogues in Hangzhou, China.

Morrison has written numerous op/eds, including “The Climate Change Peril that Insurers See,” Washington Post 9/27/07 (reprinted widely by newspapers and blogs). He has been covered by the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, The Times, Money, Forbes, Smart Money, Consumer Reports, Best’s Review, and other national publications.

I have often suggested to Florida public adjusters that they need to learn techniques and best practices from other public adjusters throughout the United States. Networking on matters and educational experiences are the best methods for doing this. This program has the potential for profit and certain education—what else could one ask for other than a fantastic reception at a perfect setting to make education and profitable networking fun?

On that note, the Merlin Law Group will host the Welcome Reception on Thursday December 9. I look forward to seeing you in Miami Beach. Here is a link to the Registration.