Patrick Spencer; A career in claims

Date: 8/9/2006
Contact: Joan Barrett/800-690-0070

Patrick Spencer has made a career of claims adjusting from his first real job with Arizona Adjustment Agency after four years at ASU to today. He started with the Arizona Adjustment Agency in 1972, then one of the largest independent claims adjusting companies in the state. Like many adjusters, Patrick started with auto claims and gained experience with general liability and trucking claims before taking on property claims. During the time he was involved with long haul trucking claims, he gained familiarity with property claims and was ready for the challenge when he began a month long training school for property at the Crawford School in Atlanta. That training helped him in coordinating recovery from a $2.2 million fire loss and a $1.5 million water loss.

After ten years or so, he began an odyssey with his wife Karin of moving from Phoenix to Tucson and back to Phoenix to take advantage of different job opportunities. Starting in 1990 he worked with the State of Arizona out of their Tucson Risk Management office handling a wide variety of claims for them and eventually supervising the office. He moved back to Phoenix three years ago to work for Maricopa County. Patrick has attained an Associate in Risk Management degree that broadened his knowledge base for self-insured entities. His current specialty area is handling medical malpractice claims.

Karin was invaluable in facilitating the moves for the couple by using her marketing background to handle the housing sales that preceded each of their migrations. Karin works for the Institute for Supply Management in Tempe and Patrick credits her as a constant source of strength and support through the years. Both Patrick and Karin enjoy travel, hiking, and cooking. Patrick relaxed in Tucson shooting competitively at the Tucson Trap and Skeet club. Their two Brittany pups (one a rescue dog from Ohio) enjoy hiking and the occasional foray out to hunt birds.

Regarding the Arizona Insurance Claims Association, Patrick said, “I’m so glad to see the association starting up again. I think it is a very good thing for the adjusting community to meet fellow professionals face to face. That interaction helps in doing the job better and increases the level of professionalism so everyone wins.” “If someone is isolated, as is the case with so many home offices now, they can get a very insular view of the job. A network enables an adjuster to use the benefit of other’s experience to solve intricate issues more quickly.” Patrick says “the era of specialization we are in currently in can be both bad and good for everyone concerned, so the ability to interact with someone with different experiences can be invaluable.”

“Claims adjusters should never be bored because there is always something new to deal with.” Patrick said in closing.