Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters
The Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters is the professional body representing loss adjusters in the United Kingdom and overseas. It is a legal entity under the authority of The Privy Council
External links
The Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters (CILA) is a Chartered Professional Body that sets the professional and ethical standards for Claims handling. The aims of the Institute's Charter are to promote the education of its members and it therefore provides its members with a range of qualifications from a Level 3 Certificate recognised on the Qualification Credit Framework in the UK to a Masters level 7 qualification. Accreditation for the highest level qualification which is required to become a Chartered Loss Adjuster is provided by Bournemouth University.
The Institute has a Guide to Professional Conduct, a Royal Charter and Bye-Laws. All of these can be found via their web site www.cila.co.uk
Those interested in obtaining qualifications in Claims Handling offered by the Institute can find details at Qualifications
Whilst the highest qualifications are achieved by written examinations the entry level qualifications Certificate and Diploma are computer generated and members of the CILA access these qualifications via http://www.mindhub.co.uk/category_s/100.htm[]
Loss Adjusting can to an extent be traced back to the Great Fire of London in 1666 following which Judges decided on compensation payments to the victims. When the Association of Fire Loss Adjusters was formed in 1941, the founding President, J McMullen-Brooks had the outstanding idea for the coat of arms of the Association. It was the scale of justice upon the sword of truth, elaborated with bundles of rods bound around an axe to symbolise the strength of members uniting together and surmounted by a crest of a lamp to indicate learning.
The Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters obtained its Royal Charter in December 1961 and is governed by its Council. Amendments to Charters can be made only with the agreement of The Queen in Council, and amendments to the body’s by-laws require the approval of the Council (though not normally of Her Majesty). This effectively means a significant degree of Government regulation of the affairs of the body, and the Privy Council will therefore wish to be satisfied that such regulation accords with public policy . There are strict rules concerning Royal Charters and the CILA can be found listed as a body holding a Royal Charter via http://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/royal-charters/chartered-bodies/
Being an Institute of individual members a President and Officers are elected each year at the Annual General Meeting. In 2013 the Institute elected its first lady President Candy Holland who took over from Kevin Wood in September 2013. The make up of the current Council can be found via Council Member. The names of all past Presidents can be found via Past Presidents .
Loss Adjusters help to resolve claims mainly but not always insurance claims. The Association of British Insurers makes reference to Loss Adjuster in the handling of claims in such areas as the 2011 Riots and their website includes guidance to those affected by the riots https://www.abi.org.uk/~/media/Files/Documents/Publications/Public/Migrated/Riots/Recovering%20after%20riots%20ABI%20guidance%20for%20property%20owners%20and%20businesses.pdf
The Institute has a small Secretariat with an Executive Director Malcolm Hyde, appointed in 2009 who authored a key Loss Adjusting text book Property Insurance Law and Claims
The Institute holds a number of events to supports its members' learning and has a number of Special Interest Groups to aid members in specific areas of interest. These can be found via special-interest-groups
At the very heart of the Institute is the requirement to act in an ethical and fair way. This is exampled in the Guide to Professional Conduct which states, amongst other things,
2. ETHICS & CORE PRINCIPLES
2.1 A member shall act fairly and justly when acting on instructions from an insurer in relation to a policyholders claim under a policy issued by that insurer. Members should understand that they are trusted by Insurers to ensure that their Insurance promise is fairly and speedily delivered. Members should be objective in considering the facts in an impartial way to establish whether the Policy operates and to what extent.
The Institute carries out work to support its members in key issues and further details can be found via https://web.archive.org/web/20140913150854/http://www.cila.co.uk/node/2013
The CILA is recognised worldwide and has members throughout the globe. Examinations for the prestigious qualifications are sat by members in many areas including Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Kenya, Nigeria, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Members achieving the highest level are entitled to use the designation Associate or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters. The designations used are ACILA or FCILA. The Institute seeks to promote professional standards and therefore has steps toward the highest level and therefore the public may see designations such as Cert CILA and Dip CILA.
The Institute can be contacted via Contact and a list of events the Institute is holding can be found via http://www.cila.co.uk/news-events
The Institute is considered to be thought leaders in many areas of Insurance Claims settlements. This is exampled by a book authored by Harry Roberts and Damien Glynn Business Interruption Policy Wordings
Element of Insurance Book Page - 223 The Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters It is an established practice of insurers to instruct independent firms of loss adjusters to deal with serious material and consequential loss claims. They investigate the circumstance in which the fire or other insured peril occurred, establish that a valid claim within the terms of the policy has arisen, and by negotiation reach agreement with the Insured on the measure of the loss and of Insurers' liability (if any), when they report to the Insurers giving their recommendation as to payment. The adjusters' duties extend to the apportionment of advantage, the collection of evidence to support repudiation of a claim, if this is necessary, or for the prosecution or rebuttal of third party claims, and generally to dealing with all matters that arise when claims are made. It became clear that it would be to advantage of all concerned if there could be friendly co-operation among the individual firms of adjusters, and in 1941 the Association of Fire Loss Adjusters was formed. The widening scope of the duties of its members led to a realization that the world 'Fire' was too limiting, and on the granting of a royal charter (in 1961) the Association was renamed The Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters. (Many theft claims are dealt with by adjusters.) The object of the Institute, as laid down in its charter, include the securing of the observance of strict professional conduct, the co-ordination of the activities of its members for the better execution of their work, and by providing the necessary facilities, the establishing of high standards of education and knowledge.
Posted by/ Hussein Mahfouz - Insurance Consultant Plus Cargo & Plants Surveyor - www.linkedin.com/pub/hussein-mahfouz/67/334/9a0