On Monday in Sacramento, the Pacific Coast Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (PCAPIA) convened public adjusters, policyholder advocates, and industry professionals at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento for its 2026 Legislative Meeting. The event that combined continuing education with direct legislative advocacy at the Capitol.
The timing could not have been more relevant. Claims-handling issues remain front and center across California and the West, with many policyholders and their representatives reporting increased resistance, longer delays, and more aggressive technical coverage positions than in years past.
One session that particularly stood out focused on the practical use of AI tools and organizational best practices for adjusters. The key takeaway was not simply whether to use AI, but how to use it effectively. That starts with mastering prompting, meaning learning how to ask the right questions, provide the appropriate context, and iteratively refine outputs so technology meaningfully supports claim strategy rather than producing generic filler. With a growing ecosystem of tools now available, ranging from general-purpose platforms to industry-specific applications, document-management systems, and estimating or workflow add-ons, the professionals who will benefit most are those who remain curious, test tools critically, and adopt solutions that enhance documentation, organization, and communication while preserving confidentiality and professional judgment.
Two additional education sessions addressed property insurance law in practice and the evolving realities of complex, multi-peril claims. Both drew strong audience engagement, sparked thoughtful discussion, and incorporated real-world examples that mirrored the coverage disputes, scope disagreements, and procedural delays practitioners are encountering every day.
The day concluded with arguably the best part of all, building relationships in a collegial setting. PCAPIA hosted an evening reception, followed by Merlin Law Group’s Merlin Mingle, providing opportunities for public adjusters, attorneys, and other policyholder advocates to connect. These conversations matter. Practical solutions to claim obstacles often emerge when professionals compare experiences, recognize patterns, and identify issues that extend beyond any single file.
Finally, Derek Chaiken will follow up with a separate blog post focused on the legislative components of Day One and Day Two, including advocacy priorities, Capitol meetings, and key policy issues impacting public adjusters and the policyholders they serve.
We thank everyone who made it out to the event and look forward to seeing even more of you next year!
n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};
if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';
n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;
t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script',
'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js');
fbq('init', '755884706419894');
fbq('track', 'PageView');