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9:00Conference Chair's Opening Remarks

11:00

Today’s economic challenges are altering how insurance firms manage litigation. With decreased revenue, the focus on expense management and trimming costs—including legal fees—heighten pressure to effectively manage legal expenses but achieve the same success.  In this panel discussion lead by Kevin M. Quinley, Vice President of Risk Services with Berkley Life Sciences LLC, attendees will hear from claims experts who offer practical strategies to achieve cost-effective processes and successful case outcomes.

11:45

What can the claims department in property and casualty expect in the upcoming year? The NY State Insurance Department will share their thoughts on what can expect and what are the major challenges and issues facing us in the 2nd half of 2010 into 2011.

12:30Networking Luncheon

2:00Track A: Technology
Claims Processing In The Teens: A Managerial View of the Near Future
Carrier adaptations to recent changes in the economy, governmental activity, technology and the velocity of information have reshaped the administration, delivery of services, payment and processing of claims. In this session attendees will hear from Gary Givler, VP of Claims Operations share his experiences on how Cincinnati Insurance Company and others are successfully managing the challenges of this decade.

2:00Track B: Business Operations/Catastrophe
Powering Through a Claims Catastrophe Scenario
The impact of catastrophes on insurers’ profitability is an increasingly important issue in the insurance industry. To contain costs while providing superior service to claimants, many insurers are focused on implementing effective processes to ensure a seamless customr response in the event of a major disaster. This session will examine how Motorists Insurance Group dealt with the impact of a recent catastrophe on its local claims office and successfully managed its claims service during the disaster.

2:00Track C: Advancements on Internet Fraud Detection
Technology Strategies for Fighting Insurance Fraud Fighting fraud starts well before the courtroom. Insurers are increasingly utilizing technology as a weapon in the crusade to fight fraud and best practices are having more impact than ever before. In this session you will hear about the latest technology trends in fighting fraud.

3:30 Track A: Technology
Legal Solutions Suite: Your Vessel to the Future!
How do you get the most out of technology — particularly technology centered around legal expense management software? Is it better to have a de-centralized bill review unit as opposed to a centralized one? Are there any metrics or data that support implementation? What kind of real ROI can companies achieve? Come listen to Stuart Bailey, Vice President of Claims from Unitrin Insurance discuss these questions in an open forum.

3:30Track B: Business Operations/Catastrophe
Hedging Losses Through Subrogation: Techniques to Maximize Your Recoveries
In this session, the presenter(s) will discuss the common roadblocks to successful subrogation recoveries and ways to avoid them, including a discussion on how to make the most, in terms of subrogation, of every property damage claim presented to you. Topics to be covered include: the importance of early subrogation intervention; getting the most out of the dollars you spend on experts; preserving evidence; and the not-so-obvious “spread theory”. The speakers will also discuss the use of outside subrogation counsel and the evolution and negotiation of alternative fee arrangements.

3:30Track C: Advancements on Internet Fraud Detection
Medical Fraud-It's Not a Blank Check
Minor-impact-low-speed-rear-end-collisions are the most prolific cases Claims and SIU investigates. This type of claim has risen to epidemic proportions across the country. Many people feel that if they are rear-ended they are automatically entitled to a large Personal Injury Protection, Bodily Injury or Medical Payment settlement. Unscrupulous doctors and attorneys are making quite a handsome living just handling this type of case. At times they may employ people to help the situation along by staging an accident and/or otherwise causing accidents to occur. It becomes incumbent on the claims staff to recognize these fraudulent claims so they can be properly investigated and handled. This class will examine the different types of fraud related to these claims and the indicators that claim's personnel should be on the look out for.

4:30 Track A: Technology
Lean Times Call for Smart Claims Management
Legacy claims systems may be wasting your money in a tough economic climate. A leading industry analyst takes a look at how modernizing a carrier’s claims system can reduce claims leakage, lower processing costs, improve customer retention, and increase productivity without increasing headcount. Join us as we explore the fatal decisions that carriers make to not modernize and how it is costing them not only money, but customers and market position.

4:30Track B: Business Operations/Catastrophe
Driving Organizational Change
Data analytics, benchmarking, process re-engineering -- all of these are great tools to help you decide if your business needs to make significant organizational change as well as the nature of the change that's required. So why do so many organizations fall back into their old habits after a brief fling with organizational change? In many cases, it's because the implementation of the new business processes and organization was ineffective: the perceived "flavor of the month" lived up to its advance billing. Come hear two veteran claims consulting experts discuss how to lead organizational change along with tips and techniques to make sure the change lasts over the long term. How do you motivate the rank and file to support the changes? What group is often the biggest hurdle to overcome in making necessary changes? How do you institutionalize the new processes? What do you do to prevent a return to old ways and bad habits? At the conclusion of the session, all participants should have a clear idea of the steps required in leading and driving lasting organizational change along with some ideas how to use these tools to create a better, more responsive claims organization.

4:30Track C: Advancements on Internet Fraud Detection
Proven Strategies for Fighting Insurance Fraud
With the current economy and unemployment numbers at 10% there is no real surprise fraud is on the rise. Add on the fact that SIU's are undermanned and over burdened as the numbers of potential frauds increase. Without a concerted, co-ordinated and sophisticated approach to fraud, using good old fashioned investigation and the latest technology in harmony, companies will struggle. With the current economy and unemployment numbers at 10% there is no real surprise fraud is on the rise. In this session we will look at proven ways to keep up with the current fraudulent conditions.

9:00Day Two Recap
Claims Professional of the Year
Sponsored by Claims Magazine and Smith & Brink, P.C. Attorneys at Law

9:15Feature Address:
Examining the Claims Strategy in the Wake of the Current Economy
Our speaker will provide an analysis of the big-picture trends and developments shaping the near-term outlook and long-term future of the property/casualty insurance industry.

10:00 Leadership Development: Strategies for Building a Winning Team
With a tremendous amount of changes and challenges the world has gone through over the past couple of years the importance of a strong team, these days on less of a budget is a challenge across all business lines. Senior level claims professionals are working through the same issue. Development, training, mentoring, and the building a strong team to be successful in this environment is all processes that organizations need to implement. In this session attendees will hear from Alan Hlad, Westfield Group about his experiences and strategies to be a strong leader in your claims department.

10:45 The Claims Adjuster - Not Just Another Pretty Face
The role of Claims Adjuster has often taken a back seat in perceived importance inside the insurance industry. Yet Claims Adjusting also catches more than its share of flack when it comes to scrutinizing results. Beyond process, technology, training, and oversight, an often overlooked factor that will determine whether claims are well handled has to do with who is being hired and placed in the role of Claims Adjuster. This discussion explores the critical attributes of successful claims adjusters, and what can be done to increase the probability of placing the right people in these important positions.

12:15 Conference Concludes