So if someone is employeed by lets say Pilot are you working as an idependent contractor or are you an actual employee and on a salary? I think I am be a little confused as to the difference between an independent cat adjuster and working for a firm. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

So are you saying to not even start as a CAT adjuster and to work just as a general adjuster? If so who would you suggest trying to get on with?

Posted By BrianTonia on 31 Aug 2009 08:05 PM

So are you saying to not even start as a CAT adjuster...

As a CAT adjuster you will be expected to handle a large volume of claims in a professional manner.  If you "start" as a CAT adjuster, you will wish you had a few years experience doing "daily claims" (non-CAT) so you know what to do.

Claims adjusting was very difficult for me during my first 2 years of daily claims, and when I did my first hurricane after that, it was adding to the demands of knowledge, speed, adapting to changing logistics, etc.  I would have been a deer-in-the-headlights if I hadn't at least been reading insurance policies, scoping damages, writing estimates, for Dates of Loss scattered throughout the year. 

In a CAT site, you get handed a big stack of claims that happed a week or more before your arrival.  They all have the same Date of Loss.  And all the people you have to call wonder why you haven't been to their house yet, and can you come over now.  You will wish that you started with daily claims and established the BASICS of the profession before jumping into the deep end.  I am into my 20th year, and still find this job rather difficult.  You just need to take it one step at a time.

Posted By BrianTonia on 31 Aug 2009 08:05 PM

...If so who would you suggest trying to get on with?

 DcMarlin actually answered that in his post above.  Not to be a jerk - but this business is very detail oriented, and you have to listen.  OMG do you have to listen, understand, enter your conculsions to a report that supports your findings...

Thanks for your fast reply and advise.  Can you tell me how I could get started in daily claims? Also should I still go ahead and get my All Lines 40 hour adjuster license or do I need to go a different route if I am doing daily claims? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Posted By dcmarlin on 31 Aug 2009 07:13 PM
You would be much better off trying to get a job with a carrier or large IA, like Crawford, GAB, CL, etc. Let them train you and get a couple of years under your belt. At that time, you would be in a much better position to be a CAT adjuster.

Got it?

 

Brian,

To ellaborate further, you used the phrase "to work just as a general adjuster."

Nobody justs works as a General Adjuster. Although some appoint themselves as a GA after a couple of years, it is a "designation" earned after being in the industry for many years and handling large  and complex claims involving many different coverages and issues.

Based on your questions, it is obvoius you know very little about what you may be getting yourself into. You may want to do a little research on your own. Otherwise, you may find it hard to succeed.

Catastrophe vendors as we know them today are about 30 years old. Some older adjusters trained their kin and any of them are still around. But I don,t know any person who decided to be a catastrophe adjuster unless the had a leg up such as a contractor that had been doing insurance claims for many years or kin of a contractor so on an so forth. Learn some estimating program and work under/for a successful IA for one storm season. You will not mane much $$ but you will learn a lot if work on 500-700 losses in a few months 5-6. It really takes about 1,000 if you are the sharpest knife in the drawer to not fall on your face as in the slow years you will have to live of the savings of the good years. The adjusters who do best have some staff adjuster experience or a large IA like C & L, Drawford, GAB, McClairns etc.

I've been a contractor for several years and have scoped more than my share of large and small claims from the foundation up doing storm restoration. I can pretty much do xactimate in my sleep( not trying to brag just laying the flatwork). I'm going to get my license here in Texas to supplement my income because you can't always count on  storm in the areas we work . I've been a Fireman as well during the last 20+ years and I'm hanging it up and now will be able to travel extensively where before I was tied to the schedule. I figure you guys on here have heard of about every online course available. If you know of a decent course for the money that will get me through the quickest I would appreciate your input. . Thanks

Take the license course from the less expensive source you can find. I would take a online course. The storm season is just about over until late December &January when we have some ice storm damage. If you live near Houston look up my resume, pay for the lunch and I will give you some inside poop. If you know xmate and how to estimate insurance losses you are at the 5.5 pole of a 7 furlong race.

* in my opine the Texas License course is worthless, unless you need a Texas License. It will not make you an asjuster, but it will show the system you have a strong interest. So with my grading system you will now be at the 5.6 pole and in three years you will be ready for the mile and quarter stakes reace.

Thanks for the reply Ray,

I actually work in the Dallas and Austin areas most of the time or I would take you up on your generous offer. I was leaning that way ( cheapest, quickest , Texas license), as a starting point and then go from there . Most of the adjuster's that have worked for me seasonally or I've dealt with on claims have told me they hold more than one type and more than one state license. I'm just looking for a jumping on point. If your ever in the Dallas area with some time to kill, drop me and email and I'll buy lunch and pick your brain. ( Like the horse racing reference)  :) I'll pm you my email and number. Thanks again. Mark 

* in my opine the Texas License course is worthless, unless you need a Texas License. It will not make you an asjuster, but it will show the system you have a strong interest. So with my grading system you will now be at the 5.6 pole and in three years you will be ready for the mile and quarter stakes reace.

I have a Texas license, and have never worked 1 loss in the State. However, it has saved me alot of time, travel etc. to getting licensed in the other States that i work who also require you to take a pre-licensing course. Texas license reciprocates largely and is worth it's weight in gold.

The way to learn how to be an adjuster is to get a job with an insurance company working claims every day.

I have recently looked into this believing i would be better off making consistent money, as the daily work for the firm i work for is on a roller coaster cycle for now and the last 8 weeks. But even though i have been working daily claims the last 3 years (1,123 losses under my belt) i lack one piece of paper to land a staff job..COLLEGE DEGREE. If i was being interviewed along side another person (neither of us with any experience) and he/she had a degree, then by all means i would expect they be hired over me. But i suspect that even now if i sit along side a degreed person with no experience and me having 3 years  experience, but no degree, that the degreed person would still be hired first.

moco,

There is usually the comment of equivalent experience in place of the degree. If you have not inquired about this you need to. Companies varrie on this and you will need to check in with them. From what you state as number of claims you have handled, you are running just under the 40/mo that many companies lay on the staff as a minimum.

Good luck.

To the fellow that wants to be a Cat Adjuster. I have been an adjuster since 1972 ( See Ray Hall above)  Surely by now I would be a millionaire but alas not so and neither is Ray   If you have any kind of job now stick with it, go back to school, learn a real trade,  you will make more money have less heartache and spend far less money  If you have a wife and kids you can keep those as well   Still want to try it   We all depend on Mother Nature  she is taking this year off  well she has taken the last couple of  years off    All you need is a license in your home state and about every other state in the union. You will need to own / rent Xactimate, Simsol, Integriclaim knowing every aspect of every system. Every vendor requires you be certified, Be prepared to travel to who knows where to pay for the right to be certified, only to have no work ( see mother nature) but next year you will need to be certified again   Might as well get a pick up with a ladder rack, you will need a step ladder, a 16 ft fold up, a tube ladder for narrow inside and at least a 30 ft,  Get a pair of Cougar Paws   I call them suicide shoes as they will allow anyone including 60+ yr olds like me to easily walk around on a 12/12 pitch roof 2& 3 story roofs   get a good cell phone and immediately program 911  see the last sentence.  Buy a satellite dish wired to the roof of the truck so you will have internet everywhere. Also get a trailer so you can haul at least 100 gals of gas, buy a big Honda generator, a tent and camping equipment  so when you working in those exotic storm areas, the day after a Cat 5 levels everything for 50 miles & you are facing issues  with no water, no power, no internet   you can still get to every loss within 48 hours    Buy E&O  do not believe the vendor will back you up when you screw up  And this, you might not get paid for 30-45 days after you get work, and some vendors might never pay you   so make sure your credit card balance is zero.   Like I said the job you have now has got to be better that being a Cat Adjuster.

Posted By BennyBulger on 23 Oct 2009 11:56 PM
MOCO,
You are absolutely correct with your statement about a degree. Look for my book in the future "The ignorance of corporate America". They would rather have a person with a basket weaving degree over a middle aged person that has forgotten more than the person in charge of hiring will ever know. If you don't know the job how the hell can you be in a position to hire for the job. OH, OH I know........it's because you have a degree.
Seriously, I am writing a book on that very subject.

That's what i cannot figure out.. Maybe if i had a degree it would come to me. Not to say that i am against someone pursuing higher education, after all i wish that i would have, and push my kids toward it. My oldest daughter is in her second year at UA. But, on a real note if i have experience giving an me edge then it makes no sense to favor the degreed person, at least no sense i make of it. It seems a more costly avenue for the carrier. The untrained person has to be trained and taught policy language, software, procedures, construction techniques, material etc. As i stated before if we were equal in knowledge and experience,then absolutely kutos to that person who has edge. I can only assume one or several of the following: 1) degreed persons have earned their rights of passage 2) an overall belief that degreed persons are brighter (which may or may not be the case) 3) the view that degreed persons are not worthy. In todays times a degree is very important, but depending on the job at hand not neccesarily needed. Working claims is not an easy occupation and is not easily learned. There are many hours and years involved with reaching the top of the game. But if i had a degree, or decided to pursue one then i certainly would not have my sights on being a claims adjuster, but something more stable and with a little better compenstaion involved than a typical staff salary. I could work industrial construction and make as much if not more than most staffy jobs pay.
 

Part Numero Two:

Ya see compadres, in this brave new corporate world, the MBA's from all your high flung institutions are altering the playing field by seeing business no longer as an internally cooperative enterprise with the competition being the guys down the street or across the waters deep. The concept of 'competition' is now defined as adversarial with everyone within and without the organization. In the insurance bidnez, the Claims department has always been seen as the anal orifice of the corporate beast draining away funds that could be better used on investment ventures. Only the old time claims guys that reached the upper echelons of the executive level held the threat of change to the claims operations in check. Once they passed out of the orgainzation, the reins of common sense loosened on the internal forces to change the fundamentals of how the core intent of the insurance operations functions. That is why the over dependence of call centers, for claims and marketing, computers and software programs to control and predict claims costs, and the elimination of people, particularly experienced aka expensive people. Recall the marketing ploy of IBM back in the sixties and seventies where they intoned, " A computer will never fire someone, it'll just eliminate the need of hiring someone." So, increasingly the focus is to automate to cut business costs. The customer will gradualy accept this as it is presented as a way to save them money. Saving money will always win out over service no matter how dramatic the difference between the new spartan and impersonal way and the traditional methods of the one-on-one personal human touch.

That's where we are and the effect will only increase. The Money Boys will have their way and we out here, the disposable Human Chattel will be shunted away, discarded like one of our old ladders until the need rises again for our services when an earthquake rumbles, a hurricane roars, or the wind and hail rattles the roof causing the customer to scream to the government to get the insensetive greedy corporate entity to do what their insurance contract says it is supposed to do.

If it is any comfort, there is nothing wrong that we have done or could have done to prevent this from happening. After all as small business men we have changed and adapted far quicker than any large business could, particularly with regard to computerization. But when the fundamentals are changed by the new breed of MBA executives who seek each quarterly profit to far exceed the last, then we on our level can do naught. It is out of our control. This is why those who seek to join our ranks need to pause and research the harsh realities we advise them. Had I conferred with my crystal ball back in 1976, my life would be far different.

Ol' Ghost

Regular Calims for New Adjusters Only- Learn under an EGA

You must live in the Houston area, willing to work on a 24/7 notice and have Excatimate leased. I will be the co-afjuster on all losses. Must be able to climb roofs and have all the tools.The claims losses will be Homeowners, Commercial, Inland Marine, Auto-casualty, commercial liability. I will be with you on ever loss from start to finish. We will split the fee bill 50/50. I do not travel on storms. We will both market for this very competitive business in this area under this agreement. Let me hear from you.

The above post also is also open to adjusters with some property experience, but need commercial, inland marine and all the liability lines type claims.

Posted By BrianTonia on 31 Aug 2009 01:15 AM

 I am interested in becoming a CAT adjuster and need some pointers.  First off from reading the posts on this website it seems that attending an actual classroom is no better than just doing it online at home.  I want to get off on the right foot and make myself stand out so I can be successful. 

Once I have done the training and receive my license what is the best avenue to take getting in as an independent adjuster with a company? As an IA do you have to get your own hazard insurance to protect you while on the properties your adjusting?

Having no experience in adjusting, any comments or suggested paths for training and employment would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Get a job as a staff adjuster with a carrier or large independent and work for at least 5 years. If you cannot do that the best thing you can do is consider another field of endeavor. Your three day all lines license may be useful as a paper airplane...not much else.

 

Well you believe what you want to believe about TX license reciprocation.  You come to GA 60 days after a catastrophe and see how much work you will get without a non-resident GA license.   How do I know this?  Cause I got a FL adjuster license that reciprocates with GA just like your TX license will.

Crawford & Co has given me and all who attended their May 31 to June 5 Atlanta claims training XM8 25.1 that is a "real working version" that I have heard will disappear effective Jan 11, 2010.  Which means I will have to pay for it.  About me.  Well I was an agent for 10 years but hated it. So I quit insurance completely from 1999 until 2008.  I got re-licensed as an agent and adjuster in 2008.   Back in 2006 I let the lady from the Insurance Institute of America talk me into taking the Program in General Insurance.  I still wish I took the Accredited Advisor in Insurance cause it is better for an agent and a little more in depth on policy.  Anyway my scores were very good and I got my certificate.  I just completed my first AIC exam and scored very well. This was AIC 33 Claims Handling.  Now I am studying for AIC 35. Property Loss Adjusting.  If I pass this exam I will only need 1 more exam to have the AIC designation.  Currently I am Xactimate 25 Level 2 certified.  I will tell everyone on this site that all of these classes are not that great.  I actually learned more and knew more as an insurance agent selling insurance with experience than I ever learned from books.  After I get my AIC designation I will then only study construction and just keep an HO3 book from Rough Notes and maybe a BOP and CPP book from Rough Notes or National Underwriter.  I still have 3 excellent CPCU books I got off eBay for $25 each.  Anyway...  I am really ready to learn some "real world" stuff.  If I am not happy as an adjuster I am gonna go to LAW SCHOOL TOO like Ghosts friends!  Hopefully my AIC designation will help me in the field of law.  I will just take a $20 to $30 Paralegal job while I go to law school.  Anyway... liking to meet up with Ray in Houston in December and start looking at some real world working with you.

I can help you.  

(Edit by Admin: Link removed it just went to a domain parking page.)

I agree with Ranger 100%. But if you want to learn I have the best 5 day school to learn how to scope, write estimates for $400. (10.00 per hour) limit 15 students. Bunk bed in cabin with 2 baths and 1 kitchen for $20.00 per night or $100.00   rhrayhall@gmail.com

Well now this is good offer from Gwright, but who would you trust someone who is twice as old as me and charges much more and we all know all the good adjusters schools are in Texas.

Iffin I wasn't so wrapped up in trying to locate parts for my broken down obsolete furnace before the next cold front comes to visit, I'd be out in the machine shed a workin' and perfectifying my latest pneumatic/hydraulic/mechanical Catastrophe-Makin'-Machine. I'll call it the ABJ, which is short for Automatic Blow J--. WHOA!!! I almost forgot this a 'G' rated audience on this here playground. I do beg your pardon for my near linguistic faux-paus.

Ol' Ghost

Ray,

I cannot remember the contractor but he was on the North Loop in Houston. Always had wild parties and limos at the adjuster golf outings with surprises in the limo!!!. Many adjusters were obliged to him over the years.

Then came the time that a building inspector was caught by the Coast Gaurd in a 40+ foot boat with a lot of nose candy in it. Came to find out the boat had been reported stolen. The building inspector said it was reported stolen for the insurance money but had been used for the last two years transporting drugs. Guess who the boat belonged to.

When that broke loose in the news, the next day the contractor had closed the doors, there were credit cards, cars and pick ups lining the parking lot.....Sure were a lot of audits done by carriers after that and alot of jobs became available.

This was about '80 or '81

Rocke you probably remember the large insuror on 610 NW and the same contractor, who got most of the staff adjusters black balled before the fire. Just think if they had exactimate back in those days they would be so rich it would be like the Mark Ritch pardon by Bill Clinton to get them off the jail time.

I have a question, (hand being raised and waving about). Will our Certificates of Accomplishment be printed on the same cheap paper the Great State of Texas uses to print our adjuster licenses? Or, will it be the better grade of paper the Great State of Oklahoma uses?

Ol' Ghost

Dirt you are on to something, I want to get on board with you, because I need some new throw down photos to use on my files as the palm trees and the Atlantic as well as the Sierra Nevada in the back ground are showing their age and some of the examiners have a good memory

Newer adjusters should start the new year by reading the most common mistakes made by adjusters on computers written by Simsol pres. go over to channels and drop down to articles.

I will have another 2 day FREE school at a Lake House in Liberty County TX. Registration will start now and check in time is 0800 May 1, 2010 If you have to spend the night Friday and Sat check in time will be 1800 on Friday May 30, 2010. The house has two full baths, 2 double beds and two single beds(first 2 couples get a double bed. We can probably sleep 10 more if they bring an air matress and pillow(on the floor AC)Kitchen, propane outsoor grill. Bring own drink water, food etc.

We will estimate a slab on grade for a total loss. Fire, Flood, Tornado, stick build using the Wagner Book on Framing( Lowes $19.00) (try the net- free). We will use the Wagner book and xmate price list. The estimate will be hand written. All you will need is a calculator, tape, lots of note paper AND go to NFIP and print out the building and contents forms. To keep thing's moving I will hand all of you a sheet with the furniture /contents in each room, but I will interview you like an insured and ask questions This will end at 1600 Sunday May 2nd 2010.

Email.... rhrayhall@gmail.com   713-417-7697

People within 2 hour drive, please commute, Motels in Liberty. Tx. RV park on 1-10. Please car pool if possible. Limited parking at cabin. No more than 20 people.I will have some of my old files to read and will answer questions from these files at 0800 Sat. and Sun. Take notes, write down the questions.

Well big surprise, no takers so far. If it would make you feel better donate $125.00 per day to the Red Cross for the next hurricane uninsureds that do not have flood insurance.

This has been ask many times...... I have my license, but have never worked a claim. I think you you should do a practice claim on your own house and send it to the large vendors who use exactimate. I am sad to say its about all of of them. But thats another topic for another day.

Its reasonable to assume you own or rent a dwelling that is insured. Get a copy of exactimate and "play like" a tornado destroyed the house  and its contents.  Play like you are the assigned adjuster to work all the claims. Keep a copy of the Dec. sheet in your name and send to the vendors and SHOW them you can do the job.

NOW if you can not do this ... you are not a qualified asjuster, So stop saying you are, and asking to be deployed.

You need bad weather more than you need training, Some years not enought bad weather for the old folks. But if are going to give a 2-3 year shot before not renwing your license you cab do a lot of training on your own time. If you would study insurance 21 hours per week you will be able to market your wares better to about 100 or more vendors who hire part time sub contract people like you want to become.

I  think all the training schools except Vale Tec. is a waste of $. You can read, discover your self how to buid a house, the principles of property adjusting in dozens of books. Use exactimate to estimate your own house from the slab up and all the contents. The policy will be the HO-3 for the state you live in and the dec. sheet will be your own . When this done locate me on my phone and and I may ask you to send it to me to critique. Or i may tell you. I dont waste my time. Why would any vendor worth their salt let you represent them if you can not do the most basic requirement. They do not need roof measurements, the need correct estimates.

Bob I am an agent from massachusetts for the past 25 years. I am looking to relocate to Fort Lauderdale and was hoping to get started doing some Cat adjusting work. I took a 1 week course with US Staffing in Dallas last week on estimating. They have another course next month on the software and claim they will call everyone that passes if a storm hits. Am I just wasting my time I know the policies and have had some experience in doing construction. Your advice will be appreciated.

Thank you

Tom Sullivan

A4,

I can't understand how an adjuster w/ 3 years experience has to fight w/ other adjusters everyday .Maybe you need to take a hard look in the mirror.

In three years you should start to have things pretty well figured out . Maybe you are not cut out for this type of career.

A4,

We would be glad to help you if you are having some problems. Tell us the kind of problems you have every day and maybe we can put some insite into what you are up against. As Chuck said nobody has this business figured out. There are to many variables in this business that make it a new day everyday.

   We have to be flexible for the carrier ,the vendors, The DOI-Department Of Insurance, the estimating programs,Price changes and different policiesw/ different coverages, and besides that each state has their own policies we have to abide by. So as you can see there are many variables to work with sometimes happening daily and even sometimes hourly everyday.

  the adjuster who can work with these variables and be the most flexible will have the greatest amount of success in this business. The comradery between fellow adjusters is imperative as you have to work w/ each other to stay on top of these ever changing variables and ,remember you will want to be on a team w/ a team effort to solve these changing variables in order to give everyone your best work product possible.

A4 give us your lead and lets see what comes back to you!

To the Chief of Staff of Medicine, Chief Surgeon ,

I have been reading the forums in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) for the past couple of months and I just quit my job at WalMart to become a surgeon. I think being a doctor is a good fit for me because the money is good and I get to help people. My past history kinda relates to being a doctor because I have been to a couple of hospitals when I was younger and I have never missed an episode of Grey's Anatomy. I was curious if any surgeon would let me watch him doing some operations for a few weeks , he wouldn't have to pay me and I could help him do some of the surgeries. 

Also whilst I know I need to go to a training course, what is the quickest cheapest way to become a doctor ? 

  Cat,

  You forgot to amputate your own fingers,send the photos to Ray and he will critique your surgeon skills. Not everyone is cut out to be a surgeon.

This should work for the new people. Take some photos of your house and all the contents and assume you have a HO-3 in your home state. Then assume a tornado left nothing but the slab or the bottom foundation blocks. You had to move to a temp. apartment for 6 months while your house was being rebuilt on the same site. Write up an estimate for your complete losses in xmate, submit this to all the vendors on this site with a sworn prroof of loss and a caption report on a total loss. This will prove you can do what your license says you can do and I am confident you will get a call in 2011.

Send the complete file to me(in PDF) and a check for $100.00 and I will help you tweek it one time.

I am another brand new adjuster looking to get my foot in the door. Does anyone recommend or know of any sites that have mentor services? I am currently have an all lines license in Texas and have about 8 years of homebuilding experience not just the technical aspects but dealt with many years of  homeowner warranty claims disputes which I think would mirror the customer service side of adjusting. In other words I was the representative of the company whose defects in workmanship caused your  brand new house to flood not some peril. I have used Xactimate briefly while rebuilding homes after Hurricane Ike  for a custom builder as well as taken courses. Not to rant my resume too much I have also worked on a Federal Subsidized  home rebuild program in which my role was  to estimate home damages including cost of Flood and Windstorm compliance, and obtain substantial damage info from FEMA or local municipalities to determine if home would be rehabbed or rebuilt. Thus I am extremely familiar with flood maps, elevation certificates, cost of compliance and all other aspects of storm mitigation.  I realize a staff adjuster would be a great start and have had a few interviews but unless you live somewhere like Irving or Richardson, TX. those jobs are few are far between. I am also looking into restoration companies. I think have a pretty decent  preadjusting background and believe the  only areas I'm ignorant in is understanding policies and building claims.

Does anyone have recomendations for my next step other than register with some IA firms and wait for the next big one?

I live in the Houston area and would appreciate the opportunity to ride along on some daily claims. I'll provide lunch and transportation if anyone is interested. Or if anyone knows of a mentoring service company as I mentioned earlier.

  Does anyone recommend or know of any sites that have mentor services?

Try this link, Click Here

You may also to take a look at some of the jobs on our Career Page, 

And the Getting Started Category of the KB, 

Posted By Aaron Johnston on 23 Jan 2011 02:43 PM

...... I think have a pretty decent  preadjusting background and believe the  only areas I'm ignorant in is understanding policies and building claims..........

I'm sorry, I read this and just had to chuckle. Keep your chin up, keep learning

JWG

Most adjusters do not get managements attention until they have worked for 3 years with hundreds of hours of paid training and 150 weeks of work, getting paid with good supervision.(attention is a good raise in pay)

Lots of good jobs in Insurance work, sales, claims, underwriting, payrool audit, safety prevention, etc. Most carriers hired young people with  any 4 year degree and train you and you rise up through the ranks, just like any other job. Many people with extensive contstruction backgound get into insurance as part time, temp workers called cat. , Just keep working and try to lean as much by practice as you can, get a license (the easy part). In the last 10 years roofing contractors put on door to door salesmen after a storm and this is an excellant way to get a foot in the door.

exctimate is required by 80% of the carriers and it seems all will accept this software, spend your $ on this training and try to get minimum wages from some of the established adjusters; however you must know more than people live in house and they are built by someone, when an adjuster looks at water /wind damage to material in a house they have to present this to the carrier with a recomendation in writing. good luck, it,s very tough for about 3-4 years and for the rest of your time, if the weather is not storm'y.

Many of the older adjusters were first trained in auto-casualty claims and if they showed an interest were then cross trained in property losses on all perils.

This site has weekly posting for experienced adjusters with 3 years storm experience to attend a Florida Windstorm Certification  class for with40 vendors for free. This translate,s to lots of competion for jobs in Florida if a big one hits, same in TX, MS, AL. LA and all Atlantic coast states.

This is something not advertised, If you get 30 losses on site, you will not any more, unless you can produce closed passable files after the first full day. This is not easy, Cat. adjusting has always been "no cure-no pay". You could spen several thousand $$ trying and never make a penny.

Posted By TR on 09 Feb 2011 01:52 PM
Advise on re-entering CAT. Hurricane, Hail...
I worked for Pilot and David Morse 2000-2003 (Polaroid camera,pad,pencil and calculator)
I was QVP for Allstate wind-water-fire, lots of face to face with insureds 7 years.
Returned to my construction business after dry spell, all certs and home IA license expired to date.
Almost completely retired until ..the real storm hit...financial investment/ponzi crooks have put me back to work.
I know things have changed since 2000-2003, so what is the best way for me to catch up to become deploy able again?
Being 2011 much has changed,I've lost my contacts.. what is your best suggestion as to the process and equipment? I'm not looking for a quick fix but rather the right way to get back to it.

Thanks
TR

I am very sorry about your situation TR.  Based on the climb you made to get to where you once were, you won't have any trouble at all in catching up.  Seeing you describe 2003 makes it sound like it was ages ago.

I suggest taking some Xactimate courses and attend a conference that offers some technology seminars so that you will be able to familiarize yourself with what's out there.  In short, the technology changes that are now the norm consist of:

• Xactimate knowledge
• Leica Disto
• Digital Camera for under $200 bucks that has a wide angle lens (Canon SD1300 IS Digital ELPH)
• Laptop
• learn to merge MS Streets and Trips with Xactimate to map out your claims,
• GPS
• At least a 17' aluminum ladder to fit in your car (don't buy a truck just for claims)

All the other tools such as a tape measure, notepad, reliable pens, reading a policy, and the right attitude are all the same.

Xactimate has taken over the industry and you don't need a calculator anymore.  The software is very intensive and quite the behemoth of a program compared to Simsol and MSB.  Conversely, it is user friendly enough so that experienced Adjusters who are Beginners with Xactimate can submit passable claims after a few days.  I have the highest 'user' certification they offer and I'm still learning neat things about it.  Even Allstate has cast aside the inept MSB platform and adopted Xactimate.

Posted By ChuckDeaton on 31 Aug 2009 06:12 PM
If you read the posts and understood them, you understand that there is little chance of you being successful catastrophe adjuster. Best stay on the porch and not waste funds on schooling.

 

Posted By acasey on 23 Jan 2013 04:07 PM

Posted By ChuckDeaton on 31 Aug 2009 06:12 PM
If you read the posts and understood them, you understand that there is little chance of you being successful catastrophe adjuster. Best stay on the porch and not waste funds on schooling.

 

Why are you always so negative to anyone that wants to get in the field of cat work? Didn't you start at one time as a newbie with stupid questions. Get off your high horse and give constructive criticism instead of the negative BS you keep spewing.

Acasey....don't let the Old dawg under the porch get to you son. I don't know how long you have been adjusting, but I can tell you two things.

1. If you haven't been adjusting long and haven't been deployed several times you do not understand the "old dawg"

2. If  you have been adjusting  and have been deployed then take a step back and take a deep breath. Let's say Chuck the "old dawg" was a New Yorker on Staten Island who was EXTREMELY UPSET after Hurricane oops Superstorm Sandy. You got to his property and he he came at you cussing and rasing his arms in anger. Would you reply to him in the same "negative" manner you replied to Chuck the "old dawg"? I hope not.

That response was back to 2009 over 3 1/2 years ago. Does it hold true today, quite possibly. You need to read between the "old dawgs" lines for what he is trying to say.

And one more thing "in case" you are a young/new adjuster.....never and I mean NEVER take anything personal.  I hope I gave you something "positive" to think over.

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Give them what they want, when they want it, and how they want it !

Posted By acasey on 23 Jan 2013 04:07 PM

Posted By ChuckDeaton on 31 Aug 2009 06:12 PM
If you read the posts and understood them, you understand that there is little chance of you being successful catastrophe adjuster. Best stay on the porch and not waste funds on schooling.

 

Why are you always so negative to anyone that wants to get in the field of cat work? Didn't you start at one time as a newbie with stupid questions. Get off your high horse and give constructive criticism instead of the negative BS you keep spewing.

......................................................................

If you are going to call out Ole' Chuck, why not use one of his more in depth roasts of rookie adjusters fresh out of their 3 day turn and burn license course looking for shortcuts and whilst you are at it, find a post NOT 4 years old.

Now, Chuck being negative? Nah, ornery yes, negative not so much. What you obviously are missing is that apparently most new folks don't take the time to read and seek out some answers on their own. Why do all that when you can just cut right to the chase and ask the masses about the cheapest/quickest route to the 6 figure income promised by predatory training vendors.

If you or any newly licensed individual actually put some effort into seeking out the answers on your own (there are easily hours upon hours of solid information in CADO's archives alone), you wouldn't get these "negative" responses. If you or any new claims adjuster does that, you will find a large number of experienced hands willing to help you find the answers you seek. EFFORT is everything  

Heres how it works,  If a big hurricane hits, they will call you.  You will quit your day job thinking "this is IT man!".  If you do well and impress mgmt., they will  send you out as a ground guy for a hail event.  If you argue w/ mgmt. for whatever reason, it will be your ONLY deployment. 

My first was Wilma which of you remember was AFTER Katrina and Rita.   The requirements were..." can you fog this mirror?  Can you find Miami?  YOU'RE AN ADJUSTER!"  I got lucky, and got a mgr who would answer the phone at 10 pm and walk me thru xactimate.   I thought I had made it.  I was WRONG.  I didn't get called out again till Ike in 2008.   I impressed mgmt. at that storm and eventually got out on hail work. 

First off, LEARN ROOFING, work w. a roofing co if you have to.  

second, get a demo disc of xactimate..learn that back and forth.

3rd..GO SLOW!  schedule one..get it done..wait for it to be kicked back...fix errors...wait for second  kick back, fix those.  this work is stressful ...don't get buried. 

 as one guy said.." when you find yourself in a hole...QUIT DIGGIN!"

don't over schedule...you catch hell moving folks back.  schedule 2 rain/paper  days a week...you'll need to do laundry at some point.

do every claim the same way...outside, clockwise...or counterclockwise, inside top to bottom.  take more pictures that u think u need. always take pictures of the overview of interior rooms.  a bathroom ceiling looks just like a bedroom ceiling.  DOWNLOAD them before leaving and look at em! if they are good, dump em off the camera.  Hold up you manila folder w/ name and claim number to get it in your "risk" photo, in case you don't name the picture file right.

find out first off "what gets files kicked back"...you wont have time to redo the same claim 3- 4 times. 

its a rewarding job, you get to travel the country, meet a lot of good folks, see a lot of historical places.

It requires 13-14 hour days, 7 days a week, for as long as you can handle it.  Take a power nap when you cant spell CAT cuz your worn out.  see "digging ref above"

Good luck, work hard, study xactimate and do what your told.

I actually heard one guy say.." I cant teach these ins. mgrs. anything"  I told him.." I all I wanna teach em is how to spell my last name"

 if you need anything else, contact me, I'd be glad to help

Ruddy