CIAA Ontario Chapter president John Seyler

Only one-quarter of the way through his tenure as president of the Ontario chapter of the Canadian Independent Adjusters’ Association (CIAA), John Seyler already has a firm grasp on his goals — increasing the representation of small member firms within the CIAA and promoting the role of independent adjusters.

Seyler became the western director for the Ontario region eight years ago, when he was solicited by the then-president of the Ontario chapter.

Seyler said the draw to join the committee was to give back to an industry that had essentially been feeding his family. Seyler qualified that the draw is more on the technical side than the social side — which he’s quick to point out he enjoys as well.

“I’ve really enjoyed my career as an independent adjuster,” he said. “It’s been a very rewarding career and I just thought it was a good way for me to give back to the industry.”

Since hopping on board as the western director, Seyler has worked his way through the channels as chair of the annual conference committee and first vice president before being elected to a two-year tenure as president during the June 2007 annual meeting.

Since then, Seyler and the executive have worked to increase the number of small member firms represented within the CIAA.

There is a perception that the CIAA is at times a “club” for nationals and multinationals, Seyler notes. In fact, roughly half of the members on the regional executive represent small firms. Other members are working adjusters, executives within national firms and sole proprietors. “We really have a wide variety of representation on the Ontario regional executive right now,” Seyler noted.

Member benefits

Smaller firms can benefit from membership within the CIAA by being listed in the annual claims manual, which is a huge benefit. “You can’t service every market segment and to be listed it (the manual) is an asset,” Seyler pointed out. “It’s going to be business knocking at your door.” In addition, members receive the benefit of a competitive errors and omissions (E&O) insurance package and the Insurance Bureau of Canada bulletins.

Direct link to national committee

By sitting as president on the regional chapter, Seyler is able to convey the concerns of Ontario independent adjusters, including small member firms, to the national committee. For Seyler, Ontario is an integral part of the CIAA’s national role; like any national body, the CIAA is only as strong as its provincial parts. As president, he ensures the membership is well-represented at all times to the national committee.

The role of the regional executive is Ontario-specific. They ensure the issues of the Ontario membership are examined and protected. For example, Seyler noted the Ontario executive has been a driving force in bringing the issue of HCAI to the attention of the national committee. While it is currently an Ontario concern, it has the potential to have national ramifications because it could be put into place right across Canada. By having an Ontario voice, the executive was able to bring the issue to the attention of the national committee right off the bat.

Seyler is quick to point out that he cannot go at it alone. He said the reason the executive functions so well is because the of a strong, intelligent and diverse executive in the Ontario region.

“It really makes my job simple,” Seyler said. “My motto has been: ‘I’m in the easiest position on the executive right now, because all I do is listen to these great people give me great advice.”

Promoting the role of independents

Seyler takes this great advice and ensures it is channeled in the right direction. The main goal is to work towards what is best for independent adjusters as whole. This includes the key focus of promoting the role of the independent adjusters to insurers.

On a day-to-day basis, insurers are using independent adjusters less frequently — until the time when a disaster hits and then independent adjusters become very popular. Suddenly all the claims or a significant number of cases are farmed out to independent adjusters.

However, because the call for independent adjusters is not happening more frequently, the numbers needed for the catastrophes are not there. They are not in the marketplace because the number of non-cat-related claims does not support a large volume of claims adjusters.

“What I’d really like insurers to understand is that there is excellent value and excellent resources as independent adjusters and they can fairly and economically service day to day business,” Seyler said. “If you utilize them in that capacity, then, when there is a disaster where you have to outsource [work to adjusters] we’re going to be ready to take on the extra work and the demands that are going to be needed to service their insureds. I would really like that to be conveyed to insurers.”

One of the ways to work towards this goal is through the annual joint conference. The CIAA has a close relationship with the Canadian Insurance Claims Managers Association (CICMA). Every year, the Ontario chapter of the CIAA hosts a joint conference with the Ontario chapter of the CICMA.

By participating in a joint conference, the CIAA is able to deliver the message that claims adjusters are a valuable asset. “All our members have to continually remind our insurer clients that we’re a valuable and well-skilled segment of the claims industry,” Seyler said.

The CICMA/CIAA Ontario Chapters’ annual joint conference is a way for both associations to work together on joint issues and to educate members.

The minute any industry stops working towards advancing skills and knowledge is the minute the industry is on the decline and customer service begins to suffer, Seyler said. He noted the joint conference is only one of the ways that the CIAA continues to offer educational programs to its members.

“I want exposure for both our organizations –so people see that independent adjusters are a knowledgeable and integral part of the claims industry,” Seyler said. “I want to have that same identity portrayed for the claims managers association. (That way) people realize the two professional organizations are working together in harmony for a common goal which is to produce up-skilled and educated claims industry from both sides.” •