Kim Edsall, Johnstown, PA Office Talks About Claims, Inland Marine and Cheerleading

Your 10th Anniversary with AMIC was not too long ago? How have things changed in the insurance industry since you started? And more specifically, how have things changed at AMIC?
I celebrated my 10th anniversary with a lunch at the City View Restaurant, and for the record, my gift was beautiful… Since I started working at AMIC things have changed tremendously.  When I started, we did outside adjusting work under CGH Claims Service.  This was mostly personal lines work that included auto appraising and homeowner’s claims and you can throw in a few farm/barn claims.  This was my first experience working in the field and I loved doing that.  Getting out and meeting people was really an enjoyable part of my job.  As we phased out the Claim Service, I started handling auto, general liability, pollution and worker’s compensation claims for American Mining.  At first, especially with my outside files, everything was done by hand.  There was no computer system for the outside work.  Little by little I started doing work on the computer for AMIC.  This was a great help, especially since I came from a computerized office.  Now we are looking forward to the challenge of paperless files.

Did you work in insurance before you started with AMIC? Where did you work? How long have you been in the industry?
Prior to working at AMIC, I worked for a personal lines carrier, Anthem Casualty Insurance, for 6 1/2 years.  I handled auto liability and homeowner’s claims.  I have worked in the insurance industry for almost 17 years.  Before that, I handled bookkeeping and payroll for the different companies I worked for.

What do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t working for AMIC?
Hopefully working for another insurance company.  I am one of the rare breeds, or so I’m told, because I enjoy handling claims.  While some people feel it is the same thing day in and day out, I like the challenges that go along with the job.  There is rarely a day that goes by that I do not learn something.

What's your average day (or week) like?
Some of the things I do on a daily/weekly basis include reviewing any new auto or general liability claim that comes into the office for set up.  Make contact with insureds, claimants and witnesses if necessary.  On auto claims, I will assign appraisers to inspect vehicles if warranted, or have them get accident scene photos or police reports.  Same with liability claims, I will assign them out to an adjuster if necessary.  I handle mail, pay bills and do follow ups on my files.  I also have contact with our attorneys instructing them on handling our suits.

What do you like most about your job?
The people – the ones you work with on a daily basis in the office and out; the agents, insureds, claimants, and of course my attorneys, they do a great job for our company.  I like all aspects of my job, whether handling a windshield claim, or a fatality.  When people find out that I handle liability claims, they generally assume I handle slip and fall claims.  My claims are anything but that, which makes the job more interesting.  I also enjoy learning the medical and legal part of the job.

You handle the Inland Marine claims, right? How are those different than the other claims you handle?
Inland Marine claims are similar to handling auto claims as you have to check the schedule of equipment and review the policy endorsements to see if there coverage.  Inland Marine coverage is only a first party coverage; there is no liability coverage like there is on the auto policy.  You have to check the deductibles, as they are sometimes different for each piece of equipment.  The policy also lists the value of the equipment, which is the most we will pay for the cost to replace it. 

Well, we all know that all you really want to do is deal with claimants and claims, but sooner or later everyone goes home for the day. What do you like to do once you head home?
My nights and weekends have been pretty busy for the past 9 years.  I have been a cheerleading coach for my daughters since my oldest daughter started cheering in 4th grade.  Practices all summer and games throughout the fall and winter keep me pretty busy.  In the summer, I become the cheerleader as both my daughters play softball.  My youngest one has played travel softball for the past two years and that kept us busy on the weekends.  This was the first year I was able to watch them cheer and play High School softball together.  It was a great softball season, as they won their division in High School.  Of course, after this is all done, everyone in the office will tell you I am an avid television watcher.  From the reality shows to dramas, there seems to be something on every night of the week that catches my eye.

Summer’s here. Do you have any summer vacations planned?
Right now we are attempting to plan a trip to the beach.  Other than that, our daughter graduated and we are getting ready to send her off to college. 

Anything you'd like to add about your family or friends?
I have been married to Rick for 19 years.  We have daughter Nicole, 18, who will be going to the University of Pittsburgh in the fall, and Stephanie, 15 next month, who is a Sophomore in high school.