The Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (FAPIA) is holding its annual convention. I have put together a unique panel of attorneys and public adjusters who once worked for insurance companies in various capacities. This panel discussion, "Learning From Those on the Other Side of Claims Presentation: Persuasive, Professional and Ethical Techniques of Claims Adjustment for the Policyholder," is the type of practical discussion and analysis which should become much more common at public adjuster seminars and conventions rather than lawyers telling public adjusters what the law is on any given coverage topic.

Nicole Vinson‘s observations in Public Adjusters and Continuing Education: The Education Pays Off are certainly correct. Adding to that, is my belief that people pay a lot of money to come to these seminars and they deserve their money’s worth. From surveys our firm has conducted, we find that people want to bring back practical knowledge which will make their work easier, more enjoyable and more profitable. This is what my speeches and presentations try to accomplish. The law is left to the paper in the handout. The part to take home is found in the speech.

Tips and techniques are important. Learning from those who have experience from the other side of the table is extraordinarily valuable. Recognizing that methods used in the past need to be changed to achieve a better outcome for the client is paramount. I bet there are quite a few adjusters and insurer attorneys for that would love to put their two cents in on this presentation. Many public adjusters could do a much better job for the policyholder if they would just consider and appreciate the needs and role of the insurance adjuster.