Brian Cahill on continuing education
Date: 7/18/2006Contact: Joan Barrett/800-690-0070
As much as Brian Cahill, the Property Field Manager of the Pacific region for Liberty Mutual, doesn’t like the idea of talking about himself for publication, he doesn’t mind talking about continuing education for insurance professionals. Brian says that a college education for adjusters is important “because it shows that a person can persevere and follow through, and that is one of the most important aspects of claims handling. It is actually what claims is all about; the claims process relies on setting goals and prioritizing in order to complete the claim in a timely way.”
Once a person is working as an adjuster, Brian firmly believes in continuing the education process. “You never know it all,” he cautions, “there’s always something more to learn from others.” The Claims Conference of Northern California, coming up next month in Sacramento, offers a variety of options to increasing one’s knowledge base and is emphatically endorsed by Liberty Mutual management. “At Liberty Mutual, we offer training for the adjusters on an on-going basis, but it doesn’t mean that the individual should not take responsibility for making themselves more knowledgeable and more marketable through other sources.”
Brian continues, “It’s really a case of making oneself invaluable to the employer if a person shows the initiative to increase their knowledge in other areas. We live in a time of constant change, corporate change and it is important that an individual expand their resume of knowledge if it is necessary to change your career path or employer. Change is the guiding force in the insurance industry so it’s foolish not to be ready for a change in ownership, a consolidation or a new management team.”
CCNC is a blessing, Brian believes, because of its proximity, affordability and excellent reputation in areas far beyond the Sacramento boundaries. “I have people call me for information about CCNC from beyond the region because of the reputation for excellent educational opportunities that are offered here.” Brian says. “Even if a company won’t reimburse personnel for the cost of attending, it is so nominal that it doesn’t make sense not to utilize the chance to attend. If it’s time off that isn’t allowed, take the vacation days to invest in your future.” “Besides, it is always a fun time”, he adds.
Brian worked with the CCNC committee in the past to help with the complex task of providing relevant speakers for the break-out sessions that the conference offers. He found it a rewarding experience that he could not continue because of the demands of his job that often require he be out of town.
The PLRB conference organizers have called on Brian many times to be a speaker and he feels that they are another wonderful self-education avenue for the adjusters who attend. This year the Western regional conference will be held in Santa Clara in November, a great opportunity for California adjusters to share the PLRB experience.
Brian credits his wife Karen and family for the support that he has found invaluable in his career. He and Karen have been married for twenty seven years and have raised four children. Current inventory is: the youngest, Katy in high school; Jenna in college and Alex in the working world; Michael in law school and about to be married; 2 cats and 1 deaf dog. Karen Cahill is also a believer in education and has achieved her AS degree to support her interest in horticulture.
During moments of leisure, when Brian isn’t involved in family matters, he loves nothing more than getting into the back country, hiking and camping with his friends. The outdoor experience helps ease the stresses of everyday life.