Blogs

Discover how one risk manager created her own system when there weren’t funds for a RMIS

The Problem: The Underdog’s Dilemma

An underdog isn't a professional lacking talent; they are a professional lacking a budget. Upon arriving at my institution, I felt that underdog status immediately. I was tasked with managing a vast influx of claims and specialized data, like the insurance claims process, without the budget for a dedicated risk management information system (RMIS). The sheer volume of manual tracking was overwhelming, and without a centralized system, there was no clear starting point to organize the chaos.

The Potential Solution: The "Inward" Pivot

My goal was twofold: manage the daily workload effectively, while collecting the data necessary to justify a formal RMIS. I realized that the "wish list" didn't require a six-figure software contract; it required a shift in perspective. I stopped looking at what I didn't have and started looking at what I did. The solution was to build a homegrown RMIS using existing resources to track incoming requests and transform them into meaningful, reportable data.

The Stakeholders: Aligning Needs

Building a system in a vacuum is a recipe for failure, so I began by sketching a blueprint based on the needs of critical groups:

• The Brokers: I collaborated with our brokers to identify exactly what information they required to process a claim efficiently. By aligning my intake with their requirements, I ensured our external partnerships remained seamless.
• Leadership: I identified the specific data points leadership needed to see to understand our risk profile. This ensured the system wasn't just a filing cabinet, but a strategic reporting tool.
• The Claim-Submitters: I engaged with the departments and groups that submit claims most frequently to ensure the process was seamless for them. Because we worked with the broker to front-load the necessary information, the consensus from these groups was overwhelmingly positive; they were happy to do more legwork upfront in exchange for a streamlined process with significantly less back-and-forth later on.

The Learning Curve: Upskilling with Modern Tools

Since we are a Microsoft 365 institution, I dedicated myself to mastering the functionalities of the Office suite. This required a significant learning curve, moving beyond basic spreadsheets into the world of relational data and automated workflow logic. I treated the project as a masterclass in technical self-sufficiency, leveraging YouTube and Microsoft Learn to understand the products and what I could do with them. I also found that Copilot was an invaluable partner; by providing specific technical requirements, I was able to troubleshoot and build out complex logic faster than I could have alone.

This was not a small feat and took a lot of work to learn the products - bonus points at your institution if you have people able to help with this who have experience.

The Final Product: A High-Functioning Ecosystem

The result is a streamlined claims process where no detail slips through the cracks. The ecosystem functions through a seamless handoff between three main components:

• Intake & Automation: Microsoft Forms serves as the standardized intake portal. Upon submission, Power Automate triggers an immediate response to the claimant, centralizing all future correspondence.
• Home of the Data: The data lives in a master Excel file, which feeds a dedicated SharePoint site with a dashboard for at-a-glance program monitoring. For documentation, I utilize OneDrive to house individual folders for each loss, keeping all PDF submissions organized and accessible.
• Strategic Reporting: This data now drives my biennial risk management report, allowing me to present leadership with hard data, graphs, and charts that accurately tell the story of our risk landscape.

The Impact: Efficiency and Accuracy

The true measure of this system’s success isn't just in the numbers, but in the massive amount of time reclaimed. Because the information collection is so thorough and aligned with professional standards from the start, our brokers almost never have to come back to us with follow-up questions. By capturing every necessary detail, from police reports to specific fiscal year codes, at the point of entry, we have eliminated the back-and-forth information chase. Today, this system handles our program so effectively that onboarding a third-party RMIS would likely be more work than it's worth.

Insights Home

#InsightsArticle