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Workers Comp Adjuster Communications – Use 3-3-3 Rule For Efficiency

July 29, 2020 By JL Risk Management Consultants

Workers Comp Adjuster Communications vs. Productivity – 3-3-3 Rule Wins  

The 3-3-3 Rule(c) was invented by me in 1997 to help Workers Comp adjuster communications become more efficient and effective.   The rule still applies, even more, today in the age of Social Media. 

picture of shield with 333 rule for workers comp adjuster communications

Public Domain – Serbian Military

This rule can apply to so many business settings – beyond adjusters. 

What is my copyrighted 3-3-3 rule for workers comp adjuster communications?  Let us have a look. 

Why Did I Up With A Rule for Workers Comp Adjuster Communications? 

When I was a Director of Risk Management, the liability and workers’ comp adjusters that were great people – most of the time struggled to keep from drowning in their work.  

This naturally occurs in adjusting ranks over time.  Every adjuster had to face this sometimes-hidden tidal wave until it overtook them.   One very upset adjuster came with her supervisor to me to say, ” I am working hard as I can”.  The supervisor thought the adjuster spent too much time on letters, emails, and phone calls.  

The very effective 3-3-3 rule helps so many workers comp adjuster communications along with the liability adjusters.  However, this rule usually leaned more towards workers comp.  

The 3-3-3 rule may not fit all situations – think of it as more of a guide.  If any of the following info, goes against your claims manual – always go with your claims manual. 

Some adjusters were able to shave many minutes off their daily diaries and schedules. 

The 3-3-3 rule is:

  1. Three paragraphs in a letter or email
  2. Three lines of file documentation concerning any communication, and 
  3. The all-important – three minutes on a phone call. 

#1 Three Paragraphs

Some adjusters were drowning in their letter or email writing.  Why?   Being overly thorough, they may spend 1.5 hours on a letter that should have taken a few minutes.  Many insurance carriers and TPA’s have form letters that can cut this time down.   

The three paragraphs of the one-page letter are:

  1. Introduction – who you are and why you are contacting the addressee
  2. What you want to accomplish with the email or letter – what you want from the addressee
  3. Any follow-up timelines and a proper thank you or another nicety.

#2 Three Lines of Documentation in File Notes 

Work files of workers comp adjuster communications can be easily understood

Wikimedia Commons – Ragesoss

File documentation that drones on and on will never be read by anyone.  Twenty seconds after starting to read notes, you will begin to lose people.  If you feel that you need to document more then do it.   

Remember, this is only for documenting a phone call, email, or letter you received and read -always think workers comp or liability adjuster communications.  The three lines should cover:

  1.  Who – who did you contact or vice-versa? 
  2. Why the contact was made?
  3. What are you going to do with the info you learned?

#3 Three Minutes On the Phone 

I drove my supervisors and manager crazy on this one.  Being from the Southwestern US, I stayed on the phone for too long.   That was something ingrained in me that took forever to break that bad habit.  

Spending too long on the phone was one of my liabilities.   If I had to do it over again, this is one rule that I would have adhered to more closely.  

One can break #3 into three components (3 is the theme)

  1. Introductions – 30 seconds 
  2. What the person wants from you or what you want from the person – 1.5 minutes 
  3. What each of you will do with the info exchanged in the future and goodbye niceties.  – 1 minute

One can be flexible, but three to four minutes should take care of a large percentage of workers comp adjuster communications by phone.  #2 above becomes much easier to document if you follow the phone call rule. 

#4 – Bonus – Nobody’s Perfect 

Remember these are efficiency guidelines.  I would never recommend these as supervisory edicts.   For example, I am very bad at staying on phone calls that go stale after a few minutes.  If I remember #3, it makes me cover the needed points and to go on to the next task. 

#5 – Double Bonus – More Than Just Workers Comp Adjuster Communications 

 A job of workers comp adjuster communications and balance workloads

Wikimedia Commons – Quinn Dombrowski

This advice works well in many settings, not just WC or insurance.  The proverbial “other side of the coin” is avoiding coming off as rude and abrupt.  A balancing act for workers comp adjuster communications is in order.  

(c) 3-3-3 Rule Copyright J&L Risk Mgmt Consultants, Inc 

 

©J&L Risk Management Inc Copyright Notice

 

Filed Under: Communications Tagged With: addressee, documentation, efficient and effective, ingrained, social media, tidal

J&L Risk Management Consultants – Our 22nd Year – Thanks!!!

May 2, 2017 By JL Risk Management Consultants

J&L Risk Management Consultants Begins 22nd Year of Service

I started J&L Risk Management Consultants (originally called JLM Services) in 1995.  The old adage of “started on the kitchen table” applies to the 25 year plan created in one weekend with much hope and a large amount of coffee

We originally marketed to now defunct spinning mills in North Carolina’s heart of clothes manufacturing.   Those plants and mills have long since moved out of the United States.  J&L was left holding the bag on quite a few of our billings when we first began our journey.   

The market spoke up to advise me there were many more services to offer than just claims handling and claims file review services.   With my  actuarial background, the spinning mill owners brought me their policies to explain to them how the insurance carriers charged for services.  Those same owners brought their premium audits as  most of them did not understand how the charges were being assessed at each premium audit.  

They also brought their Experience Rating Sheets to see if the E-Mods were correct.  That was some time ago.  

Thank You Graphic J&L Risk Management Consultants In Purple Background

StockUnlimited

I started the blog with an article on CompScreen(R) in 2007 after attending a conference in Atlanta on Social Media.   Our weekly newsletter soon followed in 2008.   Many article readers of mine asked that I put together the newsletter as a way to quickly read the articles without having to visit the website every day.   Once again, the market spoke up.  

We have never placed any advertising ; charged anyone for premium content; or charged anyone to make copies of articles.   A backlink to the article, blog, or website paid the corporation/me well enough.

After publishing over  1,800 articles on the blog, we took on the task of trudging back into the past and correcting/spiffing up the articles.   We also removed a large number of notice-type and redundant articles.   A blog consultant painstakingly restructured many of the articles as they were originally scrambled  and added graphics to  “un-bore”  the blog – Thanks Erica!!!

Thanks to everyone for reading the articles, newsletter, and my articles that are reprinted in the blogosphere.   James J Moore  J&L Risk Management Consultants Inc.   

©J&L Risk Management Inc Copyright Notice

Filed Under: JL Quick History Tagged With: actuarial, social media, spinning mills, trudging

First Aid Kit For Workers Comp Premium Savings – Seven Items

July 24, 2014 By JL Risk Management Consultants

Workers Compensation Premium First Aid Kit

A good Workers Compensation premium first aid kit contains seven main items.

Picture of Workers Compensation Premium First Aid Kit

Wikipedia – ProjectManhattan

One of the most popular questions we receive at presentations, emails, and social media is “How do we fix our Workers Comp situation  now?”   As mentioned often in this blog,  WC is a very delayed system.  Fixing your Workers Comp now will show fully in the results 3 -4 years in the future.

The seven items to include in your Workers Comp premiums first aid kit are: (clicking on each will bring up an associated article)

  1. Loss Runs – you have to know where you are financially on each claim.  Online loss run access is a very important part of fixing your WC wounds.  You cannot treat something if you do not know where it is located on your body.   There are many articles on loss runs in this blog.  Use the search box to find more on loss runs.
  2. Policies – these are similar to the little instruction manuals in first aid kits.  You have to know what is available in your WC first aid kit.  Policies are similar to the contents list in the first aid kit.   You need to read these BEFORE you have a WC problem.  As with Loss Runs, using the search box will list many articles on policies.
  3. Hand Holding Magnifying Glass Workers Compensation Premium First Icon

    StockUnlimited

    Experience Mod Sheets – Knowing the seriousness of the wound will point you to use the proper material.  Access to Experience Mod sheets has become much simpler over the last few years.  As an employer, you have the right to receive a copy of your E-mod sheets each year.  Most of the time, we have seen the sheets end up in the trash or being just filed away.

  4. Premium Audit Workpapers and Bill – the most lacking in what we see in everyone’s first aid kit.  Your true final result for the year is the FINAL premium audit.  How do you know how well your efforts have healed your program without the final results?
  5. Adjusters Contact Information – your WC adjuster should be thought of as a team member of the Risk Management, Finance, and HR departments.  If you do not have this information, you should go find it after reading this article.  Adjusters can be thought of as wound dressing.  Without them, the wound could become quickly infected.
  6. Medical Network (2nd Level) – sometimes the wounds become infected no matter what treatments are applied to it.  Knowing the first level  PCP’s (Primary Care Physicians) is good, but does the PCP know where to refer your injured employees for orthopedic, neurological, dental, vision, or other kinds of treatment?  You need to have this list at your fingertips.
  7. Vector Graphic of Workers Compensation Premium First Stethoscope with Money

    StockUnlimited

    Scans vs. Paper – your first aid kit needs to be accessible and organized.   Scanning the documents- if that is OK with your IT department -will easily organize your first aid kit.  You may need to treat a wound quickly.  Shuffling through piles of paper and/or numerous files may not be the best method.

There may be other items to include in your kit.  These seven will have you on your way to workers’ compensation premium savings.

©J&L Risk Management Inc Copyright Notice

Filed Under: Workers Comp Strategies Tagged With: Experience Mod Sheets, orthopedic, social media

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About Me

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James J Moore
Raleigh, NC, United States

James founded a Workers’ Compensation consulting firm, J&L Risk Mgmt Consultants, Inc. in 1996. J&L’s mission is to reduce our clients’ Workers Compensation premiums by using time-tested techniques. J&L’s claims, premium, reserve and Experience Mod reviews have saved employers over $9.8 million in earned premiums over the last three years. J&L has saved numerous companies from bankruptcy proceedings as a result of insurance overpayments.

James has over 27 years of experience in insurance claims, audit, and underwriting, specializing in Workers’ Compensation. He has supervised, and managed the administration of Workers’ Compensation claims, and underwriting in over 45 states. His professional experience includes being the Director of Risk Management for the North Carolina School Boards Association. He created a very successful Workers’ Compensation Injury Rehabilitation Unit for school personnel.

James’s educational background, which centered on computer technology, culminated in earning a Masters of Business Administration (MBA); an Associate in Claims designation (AIC); and an Associate in Risk Management designation (ARM). He is a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and a licensed financial advisor. The NC Department of Insurance has certified him as an insurance instructor. He also possesses a Bachelors’ Degree in Actuarial Science.

LexisNexis has twice recognized his blog as one of the Top 25 Blogs on Workers’ Compensation. J&L has been listed in AM Best’s Preferred Providers Directory for Insurance Experts – Workers Compensation for over eight years. He recently won the prestigious Baucom Shine Lifetime Achievement Award for his volunteer contributions to the area of risk management and safety. James was recently named as an instructor for the prestigious Insurance Academy.

James is on the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the North Carolina Mid-State Safety Council. He has published two manuals on Workers’ Compensation and three different claims processing manuals. He has also written and has been quoted in numerous articles on reducing Workers’ Compensation costs for public and private employers. James publishes a weekly newsletter with 7,000 readers.

He currently possess press credentials and am invited to various national Workers Compensation conferences as a reporter.

James’s articles or interviews on Workers’ Compensation have appeared in the following publications or websites:
• Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS)
• Entrepreneur Magazine
• Bloomberg Business News
• WorkCompCentral.com
• Claims Magazine
• Risk & Insurance Magazine
• Insurance Journal
• Workers Compensation.com
• LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites
• Various trade publications

 

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