We spoke with Joel Booth, Executive General Adjuster to find out about his professional background, favorite experience with McLarens, and advice for someone beginning their adjusting career.
What has been one of the most interesting or rewarding experiences you have had at McLarens?
I’ve really enjoyed serving as an unofficial mentor to a colleague. My mentee started with the company a little over two years ago with no claims management experience. Since then, we (with the help of others in the company) have worked together to increase his claims confidence, gain exposure, and become a more effective communicator. It’s rewarding to see him grow in skills and in his career. I’ve enjoyed this additional coaching position and glad that McLarens places value on professional development and continuity planning. It’s not only beneficial to the longevity of the organization and individual’s career, but provides clients with consistent, quality customer service standards.
What do you like to do outside of work? Do you have a personal passion?
My favorite thing to do is spend time outdoors – hiking, camping, etc. – with my family. Recently, we took a long weekend to camp with another family up in Canada.
I used to play basketball regularly, but between family responsibilities and an injury, that’s taken a bit of a back seat. My wife and I enjoy cheering for the Washington Huskies (American) football team and the Gonzaga University basketball team in Spokane, Washington.
What advice would you give someone starting out in this field or considering it as a career option?
Learn the basics but be prepared to specialize. Focusing on a niche sector – and more importantly, learning the language and what those policyholders care about – enables you to be confident in the way you manage the claim and service the client.
I personally took the route to hone in on the food and agriculture space. I’ve learned that the quality products our company offers and the level of service we bring is a perfect pairing with the subject matter expert (SME) approach.
It’s a lot easier to provide services if you know the client’s segment of business and you’re an expert in that field.
Explore | McLarens US Adjuster Team Member: Joel Booth
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