FEMA continues to monitor the COVID guidance provided by the CDC. The CDC is encouraging organizations to promote social distancing and to hold meetings via videoconferencing. In light of this situation, all 2023 NFIP Adjuster Claims Presentations will be held via webinar.

Renewing or Obtaining a Flood Control Number
In order to adjust flood losses for the NFIP, independent adjusters must (1) register with the NFIP and (2) possess an active Flood Control Number (FCN).  The Adjuster Registration
Application can be found here.

Note: The above is from a NFIP Training Bulletin Received 1/2/2023

Hello, I’m currently using the workbook to get through to complete my Level 2 Certification. I’m a bit stuck on Chapter 4, Interior Practice Estimate C - M-Thomas

It has a staircase with a landing with a second section making a U-Shaped staircase over a pantry. With the upstairs portion beginning at 4’ below the level.

"Governor Kathy Hochul today directed the Department of Financial Services to issue Temporary adjuster Permits to qualified out-of-state independent insurance adjusters, in order to expedite insurance claims in light of the winter storm impacting the Buffalo and Watertown areas. Expediting permits will increase the number of adjusters available to process claims and help New Yorkers get their claims paid faster. Insurers are encouraged to make any necessary applications on the Department of Financial Services website.  "

The above is from a 11/21/2022 Press Release, clicking the Read More will take you to the Press Release.

The information below comes the WYO Bulletin W-22007 issued 10/1/2022

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 WYO Financial Assistance/Subsidy Arrangement (“Arrangement”) at IV.C.2 authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in its sole discretion, to authorize the use of an alternative Fee Schedule to ensure the availability of qualified insurance adjusters during catastrophic flooding events.

This information and the attachment is from the NFIP Write Your Own (WYO) Bulletin W-22001 issued 8/9/2022

"FEMA is pleased to announce the release of the 2023 NFIP Adjuster and Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) Fee Schedules.

Federal regulation requires fee schedule revisions to align with a new FY WYO Financial Arrangement. The FY2023 Arrangement will be effective October 1, 2022; therefore, the 2023 NFIP Adjuster and ICC Fee Schedules will apply to claims with dates of loss on or after October 1, 2022. FEMA is providing the notice well in advance to allow WYOs and the NFIP Direct time for system updates.

This is a repost of the article. We are moving all articles from the old format to the new format.

As hail season approaches we want to remind everybody to think ladder safety each and ever time you grab that ladder. OSHA has reported that the most recent accident statistics suggest that the working men and women in America abuse and misuse ladders in the workplace as a rule rather than an exception.

 

Subject: LADDER/CLIMBING SAFETY
First Posted on Saturday, September 02, 2000 - 1:32 pm: By: Lyndon

Bottom Line: Too Many Falls Last Year!!

1.) Take time to evaluate your ascension. Look at all slopes and valleys. Two and three story structures call for the utmost of attention and care. Ladder pulls are a particularly risky effort and deserve your utmost care.

2.) Do NOT be afraid to say NO! If you are very concerned about a particular roof, GET HELP! Local roofers are always willing to assist you! IF you ask the carrier, most of the will give their blessing as opposed to having you fall!

3.) A variety of ladders is not a bad idea. It offers you choices that you would not otherwise have.
 

... more

 To kill some time in this lull period & spread some knowledge, here is the scenario (or scenarios) as you see fit to make it. I will lay out the limited info as follows, and let's see where it goes.

Heavy fire loss occurs in a single family dwelling. Cov is HO-3, no issues with eff dates. Insureds have just left home about 6:00 p.m., a couple hours before fire breaks out and is discovered. High winds fan the flames and each house on either side sustain heat/smoke damage before the fire is brought under control. Let's say both neighboring houses now have some melted vinyl siding, one sided 2 years ago and the other 12 years ago. The elderly neighbor next door initially beat on the insured's door trying to see if they were OK, and burned his hand. He then rushed home to get his wheelchair bound wife out of their house, but she spends a week in the hospital with smoke inhalation related complications.

The insureds are a young couple, both smokers, with a 6 year old son. They just moved in about 2 years ago, only work in the house since they came was replacing the kitchen flooring, and adding a center island with a new cooktop on it. These were professionally installed within the past 6 months.

National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) website provides information on Adjuster Licensing, you can click on the article title above or follow the link below to go to their State Requirements page;

State Requirements 

Speaking of roofs, my driving around the south and central Texas area finds that the developers are building houses in the new subdivisions with roofs that are not meant to be climbed. Steep, cut-up, mostly two stories. The old days of the accessible 4/12 ranch style house roof have been gone since the mid-1980's.

Increasingly, I am of the opinion that a preferred way to investigate these roofs are with a truck mounted crane and lift bucket. Our safety is now, more than ever, being compromised by inherently dangerous roof designs.

Information on some of the resources for adjusters that can be found on the NFIP site.

Updated: The information below comes from the October 1, 2021 NFIP Claims Manual

Section 2: Claims Processes and Guidance
This section provides FEMA claims processes and guidance. The primary audience is claims adjusters with call-out boxes denoting the claims examiners’ roles and responsibilities.

Adjuster Fees

FEMA uses the current NFIP Adjuster Fee Schedule to make payment to insurers; the insurers, in turn, make payment to the adjusters.

• Current Adjuster Fee Schedule effective August 24, 2017 (See Appendix A).
• For ICC claims, use the ICC fee schedule, effective September 1, 2004 (See Appendix B)

Quick Facts: Claims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners, and Investigators

• 2020 Median Pay
  • $68,130 per year
  • $32.76 per hour
• Number of Jobs, 2020
  • 349,400
• Job Outlook, 2020-30
  • -3% (Decline)
• Employment Change, 2020-30
  • -9,000

Update  - The Latest addition is effective 10/2021.
This manual improves clarity of flood insurance claims guidance to NFIP Write Your Own (WYO) companies, flood vendors, flood adjusters and examiners, so that policyholders experience consistency and reliability of service. 

Source: FEMA Website

This chart shows provides a coverage comparison of the following NFIP policies. 

The Three Policy Forms 
There are three policy forms – Dwelling Form, the General Property Form, and the 
Residential Condominium Building Association Policy. Each is used to insure a different type 
of property. All, however, contain certain terms and condition (e.g., Mortgage Clause, 
Reformation of Coverage) that are unique to flood insurance.
 

source: NFIP

"We are constantly looking for top quality personnel to represent Pilot and our clients. As a result, we are always hiring qualified individuals."

"Due to the fact that our business is based on storm related events, all of our positions are temporary as-needed positions. Wages will vary based on the particular storm, your role and the client company you are representing."

"Citizens Property Insurance Corporation was created by the Florida Legislature in August 2002 as a not-for-profit, tax-exempt, government entity. Its mission is to provide insurance protection to Florida policyholders who are entitled to but are unable to find property insurance coverage in the private market.

Independent Adjusters

The Independent adjusting firms listed below supply individual adjusters to Citizens when they are needed. If you are interested in working with Citizens as an independent adjuster, contact any of these firms to see whether they currently are hiring new adjusters."

The above is from their site, the  Read More link will take you to the page listing the adjusting firms as stated above

About Lighthouse Claims Service

"Lighthouse Claims Service is a full-service adjusting firm, fine-tuned to the needs of the individual client. Whether your company needs full Xactanalysis assignment capability or just a short form appraisal in any format, we customize our product to meet your needs. We specialize in property claims, either first or third party, personal lines or commercial lines. Our management team has over 40 years experience in the claims business."

The above is from their site.

"Alacrity Solutions hires talented, motivated, and committed professionals to serve our customers across North America with “best in class” services."

Newt, here is a new thread for you or whoever else may be interested. Again, I emphasize that each topic like this should have its own identifiable thread, so as in the event that it develops into anything, and as a result has some future value, it can be found.

Here is the scenario - stick within its framework - consider it 'real' and start to develop your own 'flow' as opposed to relying on others, and offer it up for critique and refinement if necessary. Maybe by the time it has gone through the grinder, if there is sufficient participation, it will evolve into a useful general template.

A fairly significant hail storm ('hail' used because it is the least cumbersome peril regarding the effect the damage has etc) passed through ClaimCity on Thursday May 1/03.

Saturday May 3rd at 9.00AM a vendor called you and after a 'know before you go' chat (which is not part of this thread) you agreed and were deployed by the vendor.