On 21 March 2023, I had the privilege — together with my industry colleague/co-trainer Daniel Mwangi — of delivering our fifth joint structured industry training engagement, hosted by CIC Insurance Company. At the time, we were both with Cunningham Lindsey, and these training sessions were becoming an increasingly meaningful part of our professional journey.
Looking back now, that session feels especially significant. It was one of the early moments that made it clear to me that our industry needed more accessible, practical, and well-structured technical training — not just occasionally, but consistently.
In many ways, engagements like this planted the seed for what would eventually become the Specialty Claims Academy (SCA) and continue to form a core part of our mission to strengthen technical competence, elevate professional standards, and build future-ready claims and underwriting teams across the region.
Training Themes and Session Highlights
1. Technical Foundations & Claims Practice — Led by Fredrick Oloo
I opened the session with a discussion on the fundamentals of loss adjusting and the evolving expectations placed on practitioners in today’s insurance landscape. We spoke about:
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The growing complexity of claims
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The crucial link between documentation quality and claim outcomes
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How structured investigation reduces disputes
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The role of communication, evidence, and professional judgment in modern claims practice
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My early involvement with the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters (CILA – UK), particularly through the Future Focus SIG, where I serve as a Committee member.
It was a warm, engaging discussion — the kind that reminds you how important knowledge-sharing is in our industry.
2. Fire & Perils Policy Deep Dive — Led by Daniel Mwangi
Daniel followed with a strong, experience-driven session on the Fire & Perils policy, unpacking:
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Common areas of misunderstanding
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Underwriting and claims gaps
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Real examples of how major fire losses unfold
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Practical approaches to navigating complex claims
The Q&A that followed was vibrant, thoughtful, and indicative of a team invested in continuous improvement.
How These Sessions Inspired the Birth of SCA
What stayed with me most from this engagement — and similar sessions around that period — was how much value teams gained when they had the space to ask genuine questions, debate real-world scenarios, and explore the “why” behind claims decisions.
It became clear that:
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Teams needed deeper technical clarity.
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There weren’t enough structured platforms offering context-relevant technical training.
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The industry lacked a dedicated institution focused solely on developing technical claims and underwriting competence.
These realizations eventually led me to establish the Specialty Claims Academy (SCA) — a place where insurance professionals can access the structured, practical, and relevant learning that the industry had long been asking for.
SCA Today — Growing Capacity for a Changing Market
Since its founding, SCA has grown into a trusted training partner for insurers, brokers, adjusters, surveyors, and risk professionals across East Africa. We continue to design programmes that are practical, interactive, and aligned with both market realities and global standards.
We are proud to highlight several recent milestones:
SCA–MTA Training Partnership (UK)
SCA has entered into a strategic partnership with the Maritime Training Academy (MTA), a UK-based institution offering globally recognized professional courses in marine and technical disciplines.
Through this partnership, SCA now extends a 5% discount on selected MTA short courses (Cargo Surveying & Managing Marine Insurance Claims) to professionals and organizations across our network in Africa.
This collaboration is especially timely given Kenya’s shifting regulatory landscape — including the IRA/KRA Marine Cargo Insurance directive and the Insurance Professionals Act, 2025, which strengthens CPD and professional standards across the industry.
Together, SCA and MTA are helping bridge the technical skills gap in marine insurance, cargo surveying, and complex claims handling.
Pre-Qualified as a Training Service Provider (2025–2027)
SCA has also been pre-qualified by a leading insurer to deliver technical training for the period 2025–2027 — a strong endorsement of the Academy’s capability and impact.
Fully NITA Registered
SCA is a NITA-registered training institution, ensuring that our programmes:
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Meet national training standards
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Are eligible for NITA reimbursement
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Align with emerging regulatory and professional requirements
These milestones reflect a journey that began with early engagements like the CIC training — and has grown into a regional platform for technical excellence.
Appreciation & Looking Ahead
My sincere appreciation goes to Scovier Juma, James Kimani, Dip CILA, and the entire CIC General Insurance Claims team for hosting us back then and for the warm, open, and insightful engagement. Sessions like this continue to reaffirm one simple truth:
We look forward to more partnerships, more conversations, and more opportunities to strengthen the technical foundations of our profession — one session at a time.
📧 training@specialtyclaims.co.ke
🌐 www.specialtyclaims.co.ke
Author:
Fredrick A. Oloo
BCom (Ins.), Dip CII, Dip CILA
Lead Trainer & Director – Specialty Claims Academy (SCA)
( Also: Managing Director – Niche Loss Adjusters & Marine Surveyors Ltd
Council Member – Institute of Loss Adjusters & Risk Surveyors (IARS – Kenya)
Committee Member – Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters (CILA – UK)’s Future Focus Special Interest Group
