A day in the life of a claims broker

Name: Andy Bailey
Job title: Claims Broker / Technician
Specialist area: Energy
Joined Miller: December 1999

What qualifications/work experience did you have before you joined Miller?

I graduated from Exeter University in June 1992 with a degree in Economics and Politics, and spent my first summer working at Butlins. After that, I decided to get a job in the City, so I started working for another insurance broker as an Account Handler. I stayed there for five years before moving to the claims side in an office the company had in Southend. When this office closed down, my manager at the time suggested I apply to Miller. I joined Miller as a Claims Broker / Technician in 1999.

Which team do you work in?

I work in claims for the energy team but also deal with property, liability and construction claims. I would probably say that 25% of my workload is energy, the other 75% being property, liability and construction.

What aspects of your role do you most enjoy?

I particularly enjoy being able to deal with all aspects of a claim: from first notice to final payment. This means I am in control of a claim at all times. I liaise directly with the broker who placed the risk, the client and underwriters. Having placing brokers and claims brokers working in the same office is quite unusual - it speeds up communication immensely.

What do you least enjoy?

I sometimes feel that claims is not given the recognition that it deserves. As a function, claims is integral to the insurance market, but it is sometimes viewed as less glamorous than other roles in the industry.

What is a typical working day for you?

My working day depends largely on the claims that come in, so there is no such thing as a typical day. The first thing I do when I get into work is to check my emails, looking out for claims advices from clients, in particular slips and trips (personal injury claims). These usually involve third party solicitors.

Recently, I have had to deal with claims resulting from Hurricane Ivan. This involved liaising with underwriters and clients, and working to very tight deadlines, as we needed to get claims payments out to those affected as soon as possible.

What are the key characteristics required to be a successful Claims Broker / Technician?

You need to be able to react quickly and juggle many different demands on your time, both external and internal. You need to be strong enough to deal with pressure from all sides and ensure you put the client first. In my role, youre always stuck in the middle! But thats actually what I enjoy most!

Whats the most unusual claim youve had to deal with?

Ive dealt with lots of unusual claims, but a claim for dinosaur bones that a shipping company had misplaced in transit was particularly so!

How would you describe the Miller culture?

Miller is a service driven company and the culture reflects that. We put the client first.

Are you studying for any professional qualifications?

I am halfway studying for the Chartered Insurance Institutes Advanced Diploma in Insurance.