Where are you as a Public Adjusting Professional? Where are you? On the continuum where at one end there exists self interest: me and mine -- My business, my customers, my profit, my fees, my money. And at the other end, service -- to my community, service to those around me, service to FAPIA, service to the profession of public adjusting.

Where are you on that continuum?

We have seen what happens when too many of us think only of my business, my fee, my profit, my money. We have made it too easy for the insurance industry to move the glare of the spotlight away from their non-payment of legitimate claims and onto a far easier target... Public Adjusters.

The insurance industry has deftly been turned this spotlight of self examination away from itself. Yet this is an industry that fails to meet its customers needs and expectations. An industry that fails to adequately train and equip its representatives. An industry that fails to properly evaluate loss and damage. An industry that fails to timely pay sums which are due the policyholder in times of crises. An industry that doesn't even trust those it sends out to adjust the claim with the authority necessary to adequately perform their job. It is an industry that sorely needs to have the spotlight of progress shined upon it and shined upon it brightly. Yet we have been the focus of that spotlight.

That is going to change.

We are going to turn this negative focus back to its intended recipient. To do this requires that each of us move closer to the service end of the continuum, that we begin to consider how our individual actions affect the profession of Public Insurance Adjusting. That we begin to cultivate our collective professional image the way we cultivate our individual business image. That we be as savvy in our marketing and image development as the industry from which we make our living.

My goal as president is to see continued growth of FAPIA, but the right growth. We don't simply want membership; we want members who value their profession. The profession of Public Adjusting. We want a membership that adds to the profession rather than subtracting from the profession. And to attract this level of member, we have an obligation to demonstrate the value of membership or to quote American Express "Membership Has It's Rewards".

Looking at the profession of Public Adjusting reveals that fully three quarters of Public Adjusters in Florida do not see a benefit to becoming FAPIA members that outweighs the annual costs. That will change. That will change with the new laws regarding continuing education. However, an ongoing effort aimed at branding first FAPIA, then FAPIA Members within the marketplace will enhance the desirability of belonging to this esteemed organization.

If I were to ask each of you what it is that differentiates you from your competition, chances are membership in FAPIA would not be on your short list. You might talk about the prior insurance experience of your firms members, the knowledge and experience you bring to the table, tools and equipment you have at your disposal., the number of adjusters at your company, but chances are that FAPIA would not be among those differentiations. That will change. That will change with the branding of FAPIA. That will change because with the branding of FAPIA, the public will actively seek to have their claim represented by a FAPIA Member Adjuster.

The public will seek this because of the high ethical standards FAPIA Members bring to the table. They will seek this because of the education FAPIA Members receive each year. They will seek this because you support and organization that supports the public and the public in turn supports you.

The public however will only seek this if they know about it. It is FAPIA's job to get the word out. It's my job to get the word out. It's your job to get the word out. Let's work together to get the job done.

Bill Coffman
2008-09 FAPIA President.