Effective claims management influences outcomes

by Resolve Editor Kate Tilley

AILA board member Andrew Lillico has a passion for claims.

He has particularly enjoyed managing personal injury, workers’ compensation and CTP claims across his career.

“My philosophy is about helping an injured person get their life back on track; they’re not just a claim,” he told Resolve.

“I really enjoy that a claims manager’s efforts can influence the outcome. Without an inspired claims person helping to motivate an injured person, manage the strategy, and control liability, the claim and the claimant  can get into a downward spiral and take much longer than otherwise to reach a happy ending,” he said.

More recently, Andrew has been involved in complex property, medical negligence and motor claims, through his role as Commercial Claims Section Manager at the Insurance Commission of Western Australia. The section manages claims for government agencies, including property and business interruption; general liability; professional indemnity; medical treatment liability; motor vehicles; personal accident; and travel.

Like many, Andrew “fell into insurance”. While studying for a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of WA (UWA) in Perth, he worked part-time at a QBE call centre. After graduating in 2009, he got a job in the claims department, initially working on personal lines claims, then advanced into workers’ compensation, and was a service manager until April 2012.

That was when London beckoned. Or, to be exact, Andrew’s then partner now wife, Holly, wanted to work in London and Andrew wasn’t keen on attempting an international relationship.

He and Holly, a lawyer, spent almost five years in London where Andrew was a Product Manager with the Lloyd’s insurance processing services company Xchanging.

While they had planned to stay only about two years, The couple fell in love with the city, once they had weathered the first winter. “That was a shock,” Andrew said. After growing up in Perth’s balmy climate they were instead going to and from work in the dark.

But they loved the overseas travel opportunities, with cheap European breaks, often to obscure locations, like Latvia; the “awesome travel network” of the London Underground; and the networking on offer in a vibrant big city.

They returned to Perth for their April 2016 wedding, then decided to move back home, which occurred in November 2016. They now have two young daughters.

Andrew joined AILA soon after returning to Australia and starting with the Insurance Commission. “Working within a government agency, I knew there wouldn’t be as much organic networking with the industry.”

He joined the WA branch committee in 2017, was a finalist in the Ron Shorter public speaking award in 2018, and, when a WA director retired in late 2018, put his hand up for a directorship.

He finds it “intrinsically rewarding” to help organise successful events and appreciates the opportunity to build relationships with other committee and board members.

While Andrew is keen to “give something back” to the industry, he is acutely aware of the personal rewards from his AILA involvement. “I learn a lot from more senior, very intelligent people on the board.”

Andrew is family oriented and always aims to be home from work in time to participate in the girls’ bath time and bed routine. “It’s a reality check on what’s important.”

He has also just embarked on a Masters of Business Administration at UWA, so has very little spare time. “If I can get to gym once or twice a week, that’s a big achievement,” he told Resolve.