Surveyors Profession has greatly transformed over the years. Off late a sense of rear has grappled surveyors as they are not able to perceive the fate of profession in the coming years. Uncertainty has taken over as IRDA has not been able to do justice with the surveyor’s profession.
Though some measures of Compulsory membership, training, online licensing, categorization has been announced but that needs to be completed in time bound manner. Many measures are being announced in part with considerable delay which dilutes its importance.
The profession is beset with several teething problems which is a matter of great concern. I could like to identify challenges for the surveyor’s profession and suggest Opportunities ahead of Surveyors.
Problems :
1.Apathy of IRDA towards Surveyors Profession
2.Surveyors Profession not being taken seriously
3.Surveyors independence at stake
4.Non recognition of importance of Surveyors Profession
5.Lack of unity among surveyors
6.Lack of scope for news aspirants to become surveyor
- Categorization process not fair
- Limitation of department
- Contract Survey and Employee Surveyors in Private Companies
- Lack of any consistent training programme for Surveyors
- Remuneration not upto the mark.
Opportunities and Solutions :
1. To bring unity among the surveyors. This is the first thing we need otherwise the Surveyors will get exploited from various corners
2. To project the importance of Surveyors profession and glorify its importance. Unless any profession has self esteem it is not bound to develop.
3. Encourage new blood to enter surveyor’s profession. We need young people with new ideas to develop the profession.
4. Protect the independence of surveyors at any cost. The era that we are moving in to suggests that independence of surveyors will gradually vanish. Many Private Insurers are encouraging employee surveyors which will damage the independence of surveyors greatly. Once under employment the surveyor will look after the interest of company only and independence will be lost.
5. The horizon of surveyor’s profession should be increased. The experience that the surveyors have gained over the years with closely being associated with claim settlement should be expanded and surveyors should be allowed to offer Claim consultancy and Risk Management services subject to suitable safeguards.
6. Training has been a grey area since inception. With the changing times and increase in complexities of business continuous training and development is of vital importance. The nature of insurance risks is changing gradually. The surveyors must need to adapt the latest developments in the insurance field on a continuous basis. The Institute must conduct regular training programmes and bring out training manuals for keeping the surveyors update about the latest developments in the profession. If we want to transform the surveyor’s profession it can be done only with knowledge, development and training.
7. The IIISLA may think of introducing CPE hours i.e. Continuous Professional Education in line of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. In CA Institute it is compulsory for every member to complete a minimum number of CPE hours every year by way of attending seminars. This helps the members to keep updated about latest developments affecting the profession. Also this compulsory measure forces the members to attend the seminars and workshops not by chance but as a matter of routine. Recently ICAI has announced some penal provisions wherein if members do not comply with CPE hours requirement they may not considered for allotment of Audit. This helps to keep check on members to attend programmes compulsorily.
8. Revision of surveyor’s fees has also been an area of contention. The standard of Surveyors Fees is not at all commensurate with the time and efforts put by the surveyor members and are note linked to inflation. Surveyors have no say as such in recommendation of increase of survey fees which is very sad. They have to accept whatever increase is decided. IIISLA will have to devise some mechanisms through intervention of IRDA so that increase in fees is reasonable looking to the rise in cost of living and expenses. Coupled with low fees many times there is considerable delay in settlement of fees of Surveyors which should not be tolerated.
9. Any profession cannot develop unless the members are not punished for any misconduct. IIISLA should devise mechanism to entertain complaints against any misconduct by the members and take suitable action so that members take utmost care in submitting the report.
10. The way Information Technology is moving the Surveyors need to adapt latest developments in Information Technology. The Insurance Companies has fully computerized its claim settlement process. As per information available National Insurance Company is contemplating to allot the work to surveyors through sending SMS and Surveyor must also confirm through SMS about acceptance of the job. Similarly the Surveyors will have to upload the photographs after attending the spot survey immediately. For this Surveyors must prepare themselves for working in Information Technology environment.
11. Surveyors must also focus on the important aspect of Quality of Reporting, Assessment and proper justification for payment or rejection of claims. Many times it is seen that the claims are rejected vaguely without giving any proper justification. The Insurance Company can survive in the market if it has good claims settlement record. Surveyors play a vital role in the claims settlement process. To make the report effective they may quote some previous claims experiences or case laws. Some training programmers must also be organized to guide the surveyors about Standard to be maintained in Survey reporting so that there may not be vide variance in reporting by different surveyors.
12. Surveyors can also look forward to offer Risk Management Services to the clients to utilize their practice knowledge and experience. May be IRDA can think of to allow surveyors to render these services. Since surveyors observe the things very minutely they can be to a better position to suggest Risk Management measures. Insurance Company can also think of appointing surveyor to prepare Risk Management report in case of big clients. This may help the insurers to contain the claims ratio and curtailing losses.
13. I would urge the Senior Surveyor members to contribute live case studies on the basis of their practical experience on the field so that other surveyors can learn and improve upon their reporting. We shall be happy to publish the case studies in our journal for benefit of all surveyors.
14. IRDA also needs to prepare a roadmap for the surveyors profession to continue and strengthen Independence in reporting. Sort out issues relating to membership, categorization, online licensing, opening of branches, action on contract surveyors, review position of Employee surveyors and implement rigid plans and policies to suggest that Surveyors play an important role in the Insurance business and they are not a neglected lot.
Author : R. G. Agarwala, Chief Editor, The Insurance Times
As writer is saying young blood should let in but in reality motor surveyor don’t accept new trainees they just want to create and maintain monopoly over this market and field. May be the senior diploma holder surveyors are feeling insecure because of new B.E holders.