When Rita Lewis started out in claims, it was initially a temporary situation. Soon the job became a long-term career path. Rita is a flood claims manager, leading a team of adjusters in Allen, Texas. She thrives in the fast-paced industry, and enjoys tackling challenging situations alongside her team.
After working in the flood-department for a large carrier, Rita joined the Crawford family in 2020. Her professional network included many Crawford employees that eventually became her colleagues. Rita has worked in flood her entire career, and is a knowledgeable resource for other adjusters. She was eager to help develop the flood department from the ground up.
“There’s a new energy in joining Crawford,” Rita said. “Our work environment is actually exciting.”
Rita prioritizes her relationships with her team members and pushes them to continue to enhance their skills. With over 13 years of experience, she can provide expert insight and assistance, and believes organization and communication are keys to a successful career. Rita helps her team develop new skills ensuring they are prepared for anything that can happen during a flood claim. Catastrophic events present stressful and complex situations and Rita is able to not only perform well herself, but also ignites her team through challenging times.
“We deal with complex situations which require you to perform under pressure and your team will help you get through that,” she said.
Rita spends most of the workday writing reports, devising action plans and helping others troubleshoot to resolve incidents. Although she loves being in the office with her team rather than collaborating virtually, Rita is still able to watch how each adjuster grows and is impressed at their ability to accomplish goals together. Rita believes this type of growth environment is rooted in the Crawford culture. Each day, Rita feels welcomed and is shown appreciation by her team and senior leadership.
Crawford has created a company culture that employees feel comfortable in and promotes exceeding expectations. When Rita interviewed for the position, she was attracted to the company’s genuine presence and approachability. She stayed because of her trust in leadership and personal connection to Crawford’s values.
“I enjoy knowing that what we’re doing is helping others get their lives back on track,”
she said.
In addition to organization and communication skills, Rita encourages new adjusters to focus on improving their technology skills as well. She anticipates the adjusting industry will only become increasingly more virtual and technology-based with a high demand for innovation. Rita advises seasonal adjusters to learn all aspects of a claim to make themselves as marketable as possible. For full-time adjusters, she advises the importance of taking time to research companies before committing to one.
Outside of the office, Rita enjoys spending her time with her family. She has three young granddaughters whom she loves getting to see grow. She describes herself as a shoe-a-holic and a perpetual foodie. A relaxing day for Rita includes shopping, trying different restaurants or testing out new recipes because she believes food is a gateway to experiencing new cultures. Rita is grateful to be a part of the Crawford CAT family and looks forward to the future of her career with the company.
