Mike Loiseau is one of the most experienced subject matter experts at Shift Technology. With a career spanning 30 years, Mike is a subrogation specialist, holding a CSRP (Certified Subrogation Recovery Professional) designation from the National Association of Subrogation Professionals (NASP) as well as multiple Claim Law Associate certifications. Using Mike’s knowledge of the field, we’ve been able to advance the performance of our subrogation product and deliver results that not only meet but exceed the needs of our customers.
How did you get started as a subrogation professional?
Funny story – I had no plans to move from liability claims to subrogation. One late afternoon the chief claims officer walked into my office (creating quite a bit of anxiety at that point) and asked if I would be interested in making a move to subrogation. He explained the property results were not where they should be and thought that my skill sets would drive improvement in that area as well as subrogation overall. Turns out he wasn’t wrong! I found subrogation to be very compelling – it’s been the most rewarding claims-related experience that I’ve had in my career.
I started my insurance career with Allstate Insurance as a multi line adjuster. I worked for Sentry Insurance for a couple of years and then joined Hanover, where I spent 29 years. Prior to moving to subrogation in 2003 as a regional subrogation manager, I was overseeing liability field offices. I eventually became the leader of the subrogation organization for a period of time with my last role concentrating on large loss claims for the country.
What would you identify as your biggest accomplishment?
I think that my biggest accomplishment has been advancing awareness of the importance of subrogation within the industry at large. For example, I’ve been heavily involved with the National Association of Subrogation Professionals (NASP) holding a variety of roles varying from NE Chapter Co-Chair, Co-Chair of the Educational Committee as well as having a seat on the Board of Directors while at Hanover. I would visit other carriers to speak with them about the importance of subrogation to the industry as well as the many benefits of being a NASP member. I was also voted NASP ambassador of the year. The experience that I have gained through this interaction with various carriers has been invaluable to me and will continue to drive product advancement to assist clients in their decisions regarding subrogation claims.
Are there other areas where you think you’ve made a big difference?
After Hanover, I became VP of Operations at a dedicated subrogation service provider – and of course I’ve been promoting subrogation here at Shift. I’m always happy when I can help an insurer understand how much more they could be getting out of subrogation. It’s a complex process, but it adds up to an enormous amount of cost savings when done correctly. The benefits of subrogation do not end with the money received. The downstream impact subrogation can have on the customer experience may impact the overall book of business through assisting with retention and potentially even growth.
What do you think is the biggest obstacle to insurers when it comes to subrogation?
Legacy infrastructure. There have been tremendous changes and advancements in technology, including artificial intelligence, but a lot of insurers are still hoping to detect recovery opportunities through outdated processes, home grown business rules based technology which are not effective or efficient. This makes subrogation difficult, because you end up slowing down the overall claims process while you look for subrogation opportunities, and nobody wants that.
I think one of the benefits of Shift – and why we can work with these organizations – is that we don’t automatically recommend tearing out and replacing these old systems. Sometimes that’s not possible, or not cost-effective, or just something that the insurer isn’t planning on doing yet. Instead of making this blanket statement, we work with insurers to understand whether it’s possible to build smart, automated systems alongside their existing infrastructure. You’d be surprised how often we can make that happen.
Is that part of what you hope to achieve at Shift?
I have some grand strategic goals in mind, but I also plan to connect with prior and new contacts to show them how Shift's solutions can assist with their subrogation decisions to positively impact their combined ratio results. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to help clients realize their true recovery potential, so please feel free to reach out and let's chat!
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Want to learn more about Mike Loiseau and how his expertise helps insurers navigate the future? Contact us to set up a conversation with Shift subject matter experts.