ILC ARTICLE

ILC Rising Star Interview: Paul Cadman, Specialist Claims Handler – Davies Group

19th April 2022

Tell us about your role. What do you do and what do you find most interesting about it?

I am a claim handler/assessor currently working within the pet insurance team but I have previously worked in the travel and creditor sectors also. In my current role I assess claims submitted by policyholders who have had to take their cat or dog to the vet due to either illness or injury. My role is to assess the claimed amounts and circumstances against the insurance contract or policy wording that has been agreed between the policyholder and the insurer and find out whether there is a valid claim and if so, what the liability would be to the insurer. 

The thing that I find most interesting about my role is the variety of claims that I see on a daily basis. No two claims are the same and it really gives me an opportunity to develop my problem solving skills.  

What made you want to work in this industry? 

I always knew that I wanted to work in financial services in some capacity. Even as a child I knew that I am all but useless with my hands and would not be well suited to manual labour. Financial products and guidelines make the most sense to me. In all honesty, I sort of fell into the industry almost by accident. Originally I was working in banking and relocated from Plymouth to Manchester for a promotion. However, after 3 years in Manchester, in 2014 I was made redundant and moved back to my home town of Plymouth. It was at that point that I got a job as a claim assessor (in travel insurance) and it was a perfect fit for me. Since then, I have been working within insurance and expanded my knowledge to other sections of the industry. I honestly love it. 

What do you see as the biggest challenge to your industry in the next year? 

I feel that the biggest challenge for the industry over the next year might be the stability. I hope not, but the recent pandemic has really hit a lot of industries very hard and I feel that we will be feeling the effects of it at least for the next 12 months in every sector of insurance. 

How would you like to see the industry improved in the next year / 5 years?

I would love to see improvements in the industry in the form of claim submission, streamlining and technology. I know that Davies is at the forefront of this way of thinking and is constantly trying to improve the customer experience and make insurance and the products that it offers or administers more accessible/user friendly. I love that this is not a vague ambition for Davies but a real commitment and part of the ethos of the company. 

If you could give your 16-year-old self a piece of advice, what would it be?

The advice that I would give would be to not be worried so much about what people think of you and to learn everything there is to learn about the things that you are passionate about. Read every book, have every discussion, consider all opinions and always seek to gain further understanding. Never get complacent and always push forward to be the best version of yourself in all capacities.