Amended October, 1975
ARTICLE I
Name
The name of this Organization shall be "Cleveland Claims Association".
ARTICLE II
Object
The Purposes of this organization shall be :
A. To disseminate information of general interest among members.
B. To encourage cooperation between this organization and all claims
associations within the State of Ohio
C. To promote good fellowship among members.
D. To establish suggested codes of ethical conduct for the members.
E. To promote professionalism among the members.
ARTICLE III
Members
A. Any person, investigator, adjuster or attorney, in the employ of an insurance company, or organizations retained by an insurance company, devoting his or her or their entire time to the handling of insurance claims and any person similarly employed by any public service corporation or other organization is eligible to membership, provided, however, that no person who devotes any part of his or her time to the representation of claimants shall be so eligible. Such members shall be enrolled upon filing written application with the membership chairman together with the application fee. The name of the proposed member shall be submitted to the membership either orally or in writing. At a subsequent general meeting of the membership he or she shall be eligible to be voted into membership if his or her membership is not denied by a vote of three or more members.
Any person who fails to meet the requirements of this Article shall not be eligible for membership. Any member who fails to comply with the requirement of this Article shall be dropped from the membership. The determination to drop shall be made by a vote of 1/4 of the membership present at a regular meeting and at the recommendation of the Executive Committee.
B. There shall be two type of membership, active and lifetime. Active members shall be those members who are presently dues-paying members in good standing. Lifetime members shall consist of past presidents of the association; providing he or she complies with the requirements of Section A and those members of the association who have been in good standing for at least ten years and have retired from the claim business. Lifetime members shall not be required to pay annual dues.
C. ASSOCIATION MEMBER. Any individual who performs tasks allied with the servicing of insurance claims may become an Associate Member of the Association provided he or she complies with this Constitution, and shall be subject and entitled to all the duties and privileges of membership, except the right to vote and hold office.
Article IV
Dues
Members shall pay annual dues, reinstatement and initiation fees which will be determined by the membership upon recommendation by the Executive Committee and payment of the initiation fee.
Dues shall be payable between January 1 and April 1 and if not paid, the member's name shall be removed from the rolls of membership.
Article V
Officers
Section One
The officers shall consist of a President, Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and an Assistant Treasurer. The Assistant shall be appointed by the Treasurer with the approval of the Executive Committee.
The nominations shall take place in September, the elections in October, and the new officers shall take office at the regular December meeting; and shall serve for a term of one year. Change submitted September 17, 1981
Section Two
The President shall preside at all meetings and perform such other duties as ordinarily pertain to said office.
Section Three
The Vice President shall act in the absence of the President or when the President is unable to act for any other cause.
Section Four
The Secretary shall be responsible for the minutes of the meetings, the correspondence and notices of the association.
Section Five
The Treasurer shall collect all dues, and assessments, keep records of all monies received and expended, and make a financial report at each regular meeting.
Section Six
Should any office become vacant due to death, resignation, or otherwise, the office shall be filled by the membership at the next regular meeting, provided, however, that notice of the vacancy shall be given to the membership at least 30 days prior to said election and by a vote of 2/3 of the members present at said meetings.
Article VI
The Executive Committee shall consist of the current officers and the retiring President who shall serve for a period of two years. Should a vacancy occur in this Committee due to death, resignation, or other cause, the office shall be filled by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the membership present at the next regular meeting provided that notice of the vacancy be given to the membership at the next proceeding meeting or 30 days, whichever is less.
Article VII
Meetings
Regular meetings shall be held at such time and place as may be determined by a vote of the members.
A quorum shall consist of 50% of the membership present at a regularly called meeting.
When deemed necessary, the President with the concurrence of the Executive Committee, may call a special meeting.
Article VIII
Committees
There shall be a Grievance Committee appointed by the President to consider any charges that may be filled against any member or against any doctor, lawyer, company of individual dealing with the members, who the complainant feels may have been guilty of unethical conduct or involving moral turpitude. It shall be the duty of the committee, after investigation, to recommend to the Association that the charges are unfounded; or with respect to any member, that he be reprimanded or expelled; or concerning a doctor or lawyer, the charges be filed with the Cleveland Academy of Medicine, or the Cleveland Bar Association or the Cuyahoga Bar Association, or concerning a contractor or other business, the charges to be filed with the Better Business Bureau of other approximate body.
The President may appoint such other committees as he may deem necessary.
Article IX
Amendments
This constitution and by-laws may be amended at any meeting of the Association by a two-thirds vote of the members present at such meeting, provided notice of the contemplated action upon a proposed amendment is given at the regular meeting next preceding the regular meeting at which the vote in taken.
Article X
The Executive Committee shall appoint two delegates and one alternate delegate to the Inter-Organizational Committee of Ohio Claimsmen.
The delegates shall serve for a period of four calendar years subject to the annual review and approval of the Executive Committee. Should a vacancy offer due to death, resignation, or other cause, this position shall be filled by the alternate; and the Executive Committee shall appoint a new alternate to serve for the unexpired term of the alternate.
The Executive Committee shall annually consider the choice of delegates and make any changes deemed necessary.
(Constitutional and By-Laws proposed by John J. Beyerle and James D. Fitzgerald, Co-Chairmen).