Association News Network
Special Report

2011 PLRB Western Regional Conference & Tradeshow
Returns to Sacramento In Grand Fashion
By Bryan Harrison, Publisher, Association News Network, Inc.

Photo Gallery | Event Review
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The event, which attracted a reported 470 insurance claims adjusters, supervisors and managers from the region, provided needed continuing education accreditation with an extensive line-up of seminar sessions, running seven sessions concurrently throughout the two-day event.

In addition to the extensive education provided, the PLRB included a trade show featuring some 84 exhibitors from the local area market, as well as regional and national service providers. The PLRB was the place to be.

Vice President of Education for PLRB, Scott Powell, CPCU AIC, took a few minutes out to discuss the event, and the background of the organization. Mr. Powell, who has been with PLRB since 2004, following a career of nearly 20 years with Aetna and Travelers Insurance, expressed his pleasure with the turn-out for the event, and the industry's commitment to developing and utilizing new means of training and education for their claims departments.

"We have been working to develop a number of our courses into seminar modules online," he stated. "Many of our member companies have been able to increase training levels for their newer people by way of these online courses." He went on to explain that the online seminars carry the same CE credits as provided for those attending the sessions live at the conference.

PLRB Marketing and Exhibits Manager, Tom O'Dowd, explained that "we tend to see the more experienced adjusters, supervisors and managers actually attending the meetings. The online seminars have really opened the doors for our members to expand their training capability".

The Property Loss Research Bureau, Powell and O'Dowd explained, was initially created in the 1940s as a vehicle for insurance carriers' claim research and claims education.  Training for claims professionals was a natural by-product of the information assembled. PLRB has grown to be recognized within the industry as the standard for continuing education and trade shows. With membership consisting of nearly seventy-five percent of the nation's carriers, plus associate members, PLRB, and its sister organization, LIRB (Liability Insurance Research Bureau), are able to offer their conferences free of charge to member company attendees.

For years, PLRB held one annual national convention. They continue with that large event, the Claims Conference - moving it around the country each year. The next national event is scheduled for April 15-18, 2012 in Orlando, FL.   In 2004, they established the Regional Adjusters Conferences to augment their continuing education efforts, moving their three regional events around the country each year.  In addition, they produce an annual "Large Loss Conference" - the next one slated for October 29-31, 2012 in Washington, D.C.

The Western Regional Adjusters Conference for 2012 is scheduled to be held November 13-14, 2012 in Dallas, TX.  According to O'Dowd, "We like northern and southern California, Texas, and other western locations for these regional meetings.  We attract a good number of 'first-timers' as well as veterans to these meetings, and they help us better connect with members and service providers."   

As for this Sacramento event, PLRB once again hit the mark.