Harish Kapur, CEO of Across America Insurance Services, has championed a distinct approach to handling claims, emphasizing the pivotal role of in-house adjusters over traditional reliance on costly legal interventions. Speaking passionately about their strategy, Kapur recounted a pivotal moment when their chief defense lawyer terminated their services due to disagreements over settlement practices.
“He fired us. He literally fired us,” Kapur recalled. “The attorney wanted a $1.2 million settlement, but we settled for $190,000 instead.” This anecdote encapsulates Across America’s unconventional yet effective approach to claims disputes, particularly in sectors vulnerable to litigation, such as commercial transportation and trucking.
Rather than immediately escalating disputes to lawyers, Across America employs a specialized team of adjusters, some without prior claims management experience, to meticulously scrutinize each case. Kapur asserted that this hands-on approach often reveals discrepancies in claimants’ preparedness, leading to significantly lower settlements than initially demanded.
“Our adjusters delve deep into every file, relying on comprehensive understanding and common sense,” Kapur explained. The company’s internal data supports this method, showing a remarkable decrease in average claim payouts—from $29,000 in 2020 to approximately $5,700 presently—alongside a drastic reduction in attorney fees, down from about $5,400 per file to a mere $349.
Chief Operating Officer Tim Kane underscored the financial prudence behind their approach, highlighting how external claims administrators and attorneys may inadvertently inflate costs. “When it’s not your money, it’s easy to overspend,” Kane remarked, emphasizing Across America’s commitment to closing bodily injury claims swiftly, a metric that has improved markedly since internalizing claims management.
Despite its modest size—insuring around 3,000 trucking firms and 30,000 vehicles nationwide—Across America contends that its model is scalable and offers lessons for insurers of all sizes. “We’re ready to litigate when necessary,” Kapur affirmed, “but often, a well-prepared case can resolve without going to trial.”
Founded in 2003, Across America evolved from a Farmers Insurance agency to a multifaceted entity encompassing managing general agency (MGA), wholesale brokerage, and fronting operations. The decision to bring claims management in-house culminated in the creation of All American Claims Solutions, reflecting Kapur’s hands-on approach to refining operational efficiency.
The company’s emphasis on teamwork and rigorous oversight is evident in its workplace culture, where nearly all staff work on-site to facilitate collaboration. Beyond adjusters, Across America employs nurses to scrutinize medical bills and assess claim validity, ensuring accuracy in settlements.
In a competitive insurance landscape fraught with escalating litigation costs, Across America’s success story serves as a compelling case for prioritizing skilled adjusters over legal firepower. Kapur’s vision underscores a strategic shift towards efficiency and cost containment, challenging industry norms with tangible results.
“Our focus remains on leveraging adjusters’ expertise to navigate claims effectively,” Kapur concluded. “It’s about achieving fair outcomes while safeguarding our bottom line.”
