Let’s be honest. For years, the buzz in our industry—and pretty much every industry—has been about automation. "The robots are coming for our jobs!" It's easy to see why, especially for claims adjusters. So much of the job can feel like a grind of paperwork, data entry, and ticking off boxes on a checklist.
So when I heard what Christopher Schaffer had to say at the National Comp conference in Nashville, it really made me stop and think. Schaffer, who's the CEO of Charles Taylor Claims Solutions for the Americas, made a pretty bold claim: adjusters will never be replaced by computers.
And here’s the kicker: he believes technology is about to make the job more fulfilling than it’s ever been. It’s a completely different way of looking at things, and frankly, it’s a breath of fresh air.
What If Tech Was a Helper, Not a Replacement?
Schaffer’s whole idea isn’t about some sci-fi future where robots handle everything. It’s much simpler and, I think, much smarter. He sees technology, especially AI, as the ultimate assistant.
Think about all the tedious, repetitive tasks that eat up an adjuster's day. Chasing down standard forms, inputting data, scheduling appointments, logging every single contact. It’s necessary stuff, but it’s not where an adjuster’s real talent lies.
This is where the tech comes in.
Imagine an AI that handles all that "perfunctory" work, as Schaffer calls it. It processes the paperwork in the background, flags key information, and takes care of the administrative load. What does that leave for the human adjuster?
Everything that actually matters.
With the busywork out of the way, you’re free to focus on the person on the other end of the phone. You have the time and mental space to offer real compassion to an injured worker, to show genuine empathy, and to work towards an outcome that truly helps someone get their life back on track.
It’s about shifting the focus from process to people. Technology handles the process, so we can handle the people.
Beyond the Checklist: What Really Matters in Claims Today
For a long time, success in claims was measured by things we could easily count. How quickly did you make that three-point contact? How many files did you close this month? It was all about efficiency and volume.
But Schaffer argues that we’re moving into a new era. The boardroom doesn’t just care about how many boxes you ticked. They care about the real-world impact of your work.
Here’s what that looks like now:
- Protecting the client’s balance sheet. This isn’t just about denying claims. It’s about managing risk intelligently, resolving issues fairly and efficiently, and preventing small problems from becoming massive, expensive ones.
- Caring for injured workers. Getting an employee back to health and back to work isn't just the right thing to do; it’s good for business. A happy, healthy workforce is a productive one.
- Guarding the brand’s reputation. How a company treats its people when they’re vulnerable says everything about its values. A claim handled with empathy and respect can turn a negative event into a story of a company that cares. That’s priceless.
When you think about it, a computer can’t do any of that. An algorithm can’t build trust. A program can’t navigate a sensitive conversation or show a client you genuinely have their back. That requires human skill, intuition, and emotional intelligence.
And that’s the work that gets noticed at the highest levels of a company.
It All Starts with How You Lead
This shift in focus doesn’t just happen on its own. It has to be part of the culture. Schaffer talked about his own philosophy of "servant leadership," and it really connects all the dots.
The idea is that leaders are there to serve their teams, clearing obstacles so they can do their best work. In this case, it means providing them with the technological tools to get the grunt work off their plates. It’s about trusting your people to be the experts.
This philosophy extends to how they work with clients, too. He stressed that understanding a client's specific culture is non-negotiable. You can't just apply a one-size-fits-all approach. You have to become a true strategic partner, and that means taking the time to learn what makes a company tick, what they value, and what their biggest worries are.
When you do that, you’re not just a vendor processing claims anymore. You’re an extension of their team, working toward the same goals.
So, what does this all mean for the future of being an adjuster?
I think it’s incredibly exciting. The job is becoming less about being a processor and more about being a problem-solver, a strategist, and a relationship-builder. It’s a role that requires more critical thinking and emotional intelligence than ever before.
Instead of worrying about being replaced, maybe we should be excited about being freed. Freed to do the work that drew us to this field in the first place—helping people in a time of need. And that’s a future I think we can all get behind.
