ILC ARTICLE

Rising Star interview with Ben Mear, Operations Manager for Claims Consortium Adjusting

7th May 2021

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

I am the Operations Manager for Claims Consortium Adjusting, part of Claims Consortium Group. I am responsible for ensuring the adjusting department delivers its operational objectives alongside finding potential performance and process enhancements. Day to day, I oversee the end-to-end management of all our large value and complex claims. I ensure clients are provided accurate and timely reserves and reports, alongside supporting the team to deliver an unrivalled customer experience assisted by the use of our innovative technologies.

I enjoy working with a team of highly-skilled, experienced, motivated and driven individuals who are constantly driving to establish the best service for customers. I feel privileged to be part of a rewarding journey for our customers and the development of those within my team, seeing them do things that a day ago, a week ago, a year ago they didn’t think they would be doing. Through people or claim circumstances, the day-to-day interactions certainly keep me busy and allow me to continuously challenge myself and my mindset, making the role extremely interesting.

2. What made you want to work in this industry? 

I initially entered the industry just as a stop-gap as I was looking for money to go on and achieve the aspirations I had at the time to be a personal trainer. A long-time school friend of mine (Sam Bennett, Operations Manager of Claims Consortium Underground Services) landed me the chance of an interview, and lucky for me, I was offered a job. Since that day, I have never looked back! Each and every year of my career I have found there is more and more to the industry than I could have imagined. I currently volunteer with the Exeter Insurance Institute as a Careers Officer with the hope of bringing more people on the insurance journey with me.

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

I think that the biggest challenge to the industry (and I’m sure that others would have mentioned this) will be adapting to the new normal and building on some of the positive changes in a way that is sustainable long term. The pandemic forced businesses to adapt at the flick of a switch. There wasn’t time for a phased approach or to map everything out in meticulous detail, running pilots and trials. Businesses had to put their faith in staff, invest in technology and really learn to survive in a world without movement.

The pandemic forced businesses to adapt processes to be smarter and quicker using technology to do so. This means now there is no excuse not to meet the demands of modern-day customers who expect instantaneous service and speedy online options. The challenge is now bringing all of these things together for the long term – streamlined processes, delivering to customer’s expectations and utilising technology fully – while still maintaining the human touch where needed.

4. How would you like to see the industry improved next year / 5 years / by the time you retire? 

There are two great opportunities to enhance the insurance industry.

The first is technology. It is evident with the pace the world is moving that this will be at the forefront of every business and service. Insurers and claims management companies need to think about how can they reduce spend, detect damage, protect liability and settle claims all within a much-decreased timeframe. Additionally, this will have to be blended with human interaction as regardless of the requirement for technology there is an emotive side to the world and our industry in particular that needs to be nurtured.

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

I think it’s really important to take a step back and digest. Listen to what is being said, observe what is happening and dissect the information that is going to allow you to develop.