The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has teamed up with claims specialist LMI and major loss adjusters Crawford & Co and Cunningham Lindsey to lobby Immigration Department officials over proposals to cut skilled work visas for loss adjusters.

In a blog post, LMI MD Allan Manning says the industry group explained loss adjusters’ role in the claims process and their importance in increasingly complex claims.

“We received a very fair hearing and we were assured we could not have done more to explain our position,” he says.

“Changes to the visas could not have come at a worse time for the profession as we work to improve our education system and deal with the retirement, or imminent retirement, of some of our best and brightest.”

In a LinkedIn post, ICA GM Risk Karl Sullivan says many members have expressed concerns over possible visa restrictions for loss adjusters.

A united front is the best way to prevent such restrictions, he says.

Dr Manning says the profession must improve mentoring and professional qualifications to reduce its intake of overseas experts.

He says industry figures with “close links” to Immigration Minister Peter Dutton helped to arrange the meeting after insuranceNEWS.com.au reported an earlier warning on visa cuts.