In support of Insurance Careers Month, we are spotlighting one of our phenomenal adjusters, Mike Fannon.
Mike Fannon has over 20 years of experience in the insurance and disaster restoration industries. As a Senior Regional Multi-Lines Claim Adjuster at Syndicate since 2014, his passion for people, excellence, and abundance of expertise shines through on each claim. Mike serves as Syndicate’s first Adjuster Spotlight, which seems fitting in lieu of Insurance Careers Month. We hope that Mike’s story resonates with you whether you’re an insurance professional, someone looking for a fresh start, or someone just starting your career path.
“About four months into the job, I knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my career…I think that I thoroughly love and enjoy this job. I’m like a kid in the candy store every day. I enjoy staying busy.”
But Mike wasn’t always so certain. He actually started his career in the technology field. He studied Computer Science at the University of Kentucky.
“In the early 1980s, video games had just come out. Atari was one of the first systems and sparked my interest in computers. I used [my degree] for one week, got out of the military, and graduated around the same time. My best friend owned a disaster restoration company and asked me to write an estimating program for the company in Lotus 1-2-3. I stayed on board to help him make estimates.”
From that moment, although Mike may not have known it yet, an insurance professional was born. For 23 years, Mike worked with restoration companies, estimating multi-million-dollar projects. He became an expert in the terminology and how to breakdown coverages, so adjusting just felt like a natural fit. As an adjuster, Mike regularly assess large losses. Thanks to his prior restoration experience, handling smaller claims are a breeze.
“I have had more fun at this job than any job in my past. It’s partly [because of] the people. The people at Syndicate have been family. If we disagree, it’s like [a disagreement between] brother and sister.”
Mike handles residential/commercial, property, and casualty/liability in the central Ohio area between Cincinnati and Dayton. He admits to knowing 80% of the contractors in the area, which makes closing files a seamless process. In fact, building relationships has played a key role in the success he’s had as an adjuster. On a typical day, Mike starts his morning in the field handling claims. He expressed that he has the pleasure of walking into people’s houses, which has introduced him to many diverse religions and cultures. He utilizes the latter half of the day to communicate extensively with contractors and insureds over the phone.
“[What I enjoy most about my role is] getting to meet new people. I’m a huge people-person. I never meet a stranger. I really try to treat people the way I want to be treated myself. I’m very straight forward, so contractors and insureds understand what I need to accomplish before I leave. Transparency is huge.”
Mike’s tips for new adjusters:
Stay organized
Actions speak louder than words – follow through on what you say and when you said you would do it
Stay humble and always ask questions
In his spare time, he enjoys the outdoors with his family and neighbors, often relaxing by the pool. He jokingly calls his family a “huge bunch of fish”.
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