May 02, 2017
During last month’s annual conference in Nashville, CLM Chief Executive Officer Adam Potter surprised everyone in attendance by unveiling a new initiative that seeks to create a universal claim certification (UCC) program. Even more unexpected was his announcement that one state has already signed the legislation into law.
Potter says the initiative stems from the fact that claims professionals are, on average, licensed in 15 states, and that 34 states require licensing. Since each state currently has its own system of licensing and different reciprocity rules, there is tremendous administrative overhead for insurance companies and third party administrators to keep it all straight.
The guidelines for the UCC were developed by using the most stringent states’ requirements and regulations as a starting point. In its final form, it will allow someone who holds a UCC to be able to efficiently and more easily secure a license in any other state that accepts the UCC.
In a big step towards nationwide implementation, the legislation recently was signed by Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant and will become law on July 1, 2017. The CLM and its board are currently working on legislation for Florida, Texas, Alabama, and Louisiana. With one state down, CLM hopes the momentum spreads across the South before moving on to other regions across the country.