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samedi 18 avril 2015

Be Ready For Your New Career With Online Mediation Training

By Joanna Walsh


Insurance adjusters and attorneys alike are well aware of the close relationship between insurance and the legal profession. In our sue-conscious society, it is necessary for both adjusters and lawyers to remain ever vigilant in being updated on current case law. In addition, they should both consider taking an online mediation training course, though adjusters may want to really focus on this furthering education alongside their yearly insurance license renewal.

Most mediations involve a civil court judge meeting with all the parties involved in a lawsuit. Only parties with a legally vested interest in the outcome are allowed to attend these mediations. The purpose of such a meeting is to negotiate a settlement on the claim/lawsuit before the matter can go to trial where it becomes more complicated and expensive for all involved.

In claims such as those filed against members of the Lloyds Underwriting Syndicate, the adjuster is merely attempting to get the case concluded for the least amount possible. This may sound crass, but those policy limits are often paid out. This is due to the fact that Lloyds handles risks which would be regarded as uninsurable by other companies.

Settling out of court is especially important when the case is being tried in a very liberal venue. Areas known as Blue States often make huge pay-outs to plaintiffs, allowing the liability limits of the insurance policies to be paid out very quickly so new Plaintiffs in the future are forced to sue the insured directly. Some of the more conservative venues openly frown upon this practice, and considerably more pressure to settle the case can be directed toward the Plaintiff.

Most all lawsuits have a rule that the Plaintiff cannot be contacted directly, and all parties must go through Plaintiff counsel. However, in cases of insurance claims, when the adjuster represents a company outside of the Insurer, this adjuster may speak to all parties openly. These are known as Third Party Administrators, and they pose no conflict of interest when speaking to a Plaintiff.

It is during the process of mediations that the adjuster maintains nearly as much control as the Judge over how a case is settled. The plan is generally to settle the claim that day, and the adjuster is ready with an indemnification check. They direct counsel for the Insured, and negotiate with the Plaintiff as well as Plaintiff Counsel to seek resolution of the case.

While most adjusters do have a Bachelor degree, it is not generally required so long as they have a high school diploma or equivalent, and have gotten an insurance adjuster license. To get this licensing, they must take a forty-hour insurance course and pass a state examination. Once these have been achieved, most adjusters will begin handling basic claims right away, and any of these claims can become a matter of litigation at any time.

Lawyers as well as adjusters are encouraged to take these additional education opportunities so that everyone involved knows what to expect when attending mediations. Being an attorney who provides a defense for an Insured has very different requirements than the practice of any other form of law. These lawyers must learn to think like insurance adjusters.




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