Crawford mpany : Cultivating the right career

For many, the decision to take on a new role is led by the desire to experience a new challenge - and that was precisely the reason that saw Jane Hunter join Crawford's burgeoning agricultural adjusting team in the South-west of England in 2007.

'It was an exciting time to be joining the company,' Jane explains, 'as Crawford was expanding and developing its presence and capabilities in the agricultural arena, so for me, it offered up a fantastic new challenge.'

Crawford now has the largest UK network of adjusters specializing in agricultural, rural industries and estates claims. Many of our adjusters come from agricultural families and / educational institutions as well as having insurance qualifications, and the team covers all areas from livestock and arable farming to forestry and renewable energy. Indeed, many of our team continue to farm in addition to their day job.

So, in such an all-encompassing work environment, it's no surprise that Jane is often turning her adjusting hand to a variety of different tasks in any one day.

'One day is never the same as the next,' she says. 'I can be discussing a high-net-worth claim in a grade II listed building in the center of Bath in the morning and then be on a poultry farm talking about a heat-stress claim in the afternoon. In addition to my adjusting role, I am also involved in presenting and training to both Crawford personnel and external clients. '

'My own personal development continues having been selected for the Institute of Agricultural Management 2020 Leadership Program which will involve studies at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester, as well as visits to Brussels and Westminster to champion British farming.'

This diversity is in evidence not only when dealing with claims on-site, but also within the walls of Crawford. 'I enjoy the flexibility and variety that my role provides, so when I'm not 'out in the field' as an agricultural loss adjuster, I'm focused on expanding my technical capabilities and enjoying the training side of my role. The network of support and investment in our team is second to none.'

During her career to date in the agricultural sector, Jane has helped numerous people in the farming community get back on their feet in the aftermath of some devastating losses - but one event in particular really stands out for her.

'I will certainly never forget the 2007 floods in Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds. I don't think I have ever experienced such widespread flooding or seen so many large claims come in in such quick succession.'

Looking ahead, Jane believes that the agricultural sector will undergo a period of significant change in the coming years, as new demands, technologies and capabilities impact the sector.

'We are seeing huge developments in agriculture,' she says, 'an industry which is used to altering and adapting to maintain efficiency and feed the country. Technological and scientific advances are going to play a key role in that change, and we as loss adjusters need to keep abreast of these developments and evolve in tandem.'

And Jane's commitment to this fast-changing sector does not always finish at the end of the official working day. 'I still maintain a keen interest in the family dairy farm in Lancashire and milk the cows whenever I'm around to lend a hand. I also own a couple of my own dairy cattle.'