inverse121
Posts: 57
Joined: 8/29/2005
Status: offline
|
Intuitively
Obvious
To
The
Most
Casual
Observer
With many of the newbies asking how and why and many seasoned adjusters saying, "I have never done it that way." I am not a "seasoned" adjuster, but I work year round, and never have a shortage of phone calls for more work. I thought I might add this food for thought. All feedback (positive or negative) is appreciated.
I used to be a mathematician with a background in finance and actuarial math. In many higher level math classes the professor would would work a proof of some esoteric mathmetical concept down to a more simple concept that students were expected to understand and then right in big, chalk letters. IOTTMCO! Neophytes (including myself) would often stare with a blank gaze, afraid to say, "That's not obvious to me. Would you please continue?"
Often when dealing with another mathematician, you would discuss a concept and when the other understood, they would interrupt with IOTTMCO (translation: "I get it, lets move on").
When I first started adjusting claims, I thought a picture of a kitchen with water damage to the ceiling and the replacement of the ceiling in my estimate was IOTTMCO. My mentor, never let me get away with it. He reinforced that I must provide good captions for my photos and comments in my line items. My photos and report should paint a picture for the examiner, maybe the claims manager and as I have now found out for a lawyer or a judge (who are truly casual observers). I could have moved a whole lot faster and made a lot more money if I had run and gunned through the storms.
I would occasionally get a call from an examiner asking for an explanation, which I would give and think, "Wasn't it obvious?"
As I began to get reopens and supplements, I could see the other adjusters' reports with photo captions like "Roof, " "Kitchen Ceiling," "Wet Carpet" and "Damaged Drywall." I don't think they were necessarily wrong or even missed much, they just thought, "IOTTMCO, on to the next wind claim."
IOTTMCO has an even bigger meaning now that I have spent some time inside reading reports, getting to know examiners and staff adjusters, have seen claims enter the litigation process and have been studying for my AIC. Every newbie out there should read the AIC33 book for content. I wish I had read it the first week I was on the job.
I realize my mentor taught me correctly...
"Please lower your expectations for the most casual observer. He or she is not your peer. The most casual observer is the general public, the insured, a newbie adjuster, an examiner that has never been out in the field, an accountant, an actuary, an agent, a lawyer, a judge or a member of the jury where your "peer" is certainly not an adjuster or contractor because they were excluded by the plaintiff's attorney. Please document your file as such."
That insured gets a patched roof. That insured gets a new roof.
That is steep. That isn't steep.
That ceiling can be scraped, primed, textured and painted. The ceiling drywall and insulation need to be replaced.
That carpet can be cleaned. That carpet needs to be replaced.
IOTTMCO?
< Message edited by inverse121 -- 8/25/2006 11:05:04 AM >
|
Printable Version
IOTTMCO - 
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread