Ask the CEO of any Major Insurance Carrier or IA provider company and you will learn that crippling injuries and fatality falls from modern roof structures are a common and credible threat to Property Claims Adjusters. In proof of this fact many Insurance Carriers have outsourced their high risk roof claims to Ladder Assist type organizations and at least a dozen or more “Rope and Harness” training vendors have sprung up to capitalize on the situation over the last five years.

WARNING:  Most “Rope and Harness” training programs are based on a “Sport Climbing” model and have NO connection with modern Fall Protection as it is spelled out in OSHA regulations 1926.5 OR ANSI Standards Z-359 and NO affiliation with today’s worldwide Professional Rope Access Community.

PLEASE: Take time to educate yourself on the facts before selecting a “Rope and Harness” training program.

By John A. Postava

In 2004 (hard-to-believe it was over 7 years ago!), hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne brought more claim adjusters to Florida than swampland speculators in the 1920s. In retrospect, the “Fearsome Foursome” generated more than two million property claims. Just the sheer number of claims alone required adjusters to increase productivity to meet the demands of homeowners.

No matter where claims occur, filing them quickly, accurately, and efficiently is the main goal of every professional property adjuster. Increasing productivity also will increase independent adjusters' incomes. Saving time does not necessarily mean cutting quality, however. Adjusters can employ some basic techniques to avoid common mistakes and to save time.

Develop Routines

Having a routine means doing the same activities in the same order every time. Developing a routine will keep adjusters organized and prevent them from forgetting vital steps in the claim process. Decide the order in which to examine the property and stick with it each time. Record and scope damages in the same order for each damaged area or room. Deviating from a set routine can lead one to overlook an important detail.

I am a newly licensed adjuster, who is trying to get his foot in the door. I am well aware of how hard it is to do so. AMCAT told me they would put me on their roster if I prooved myself competient after their class, which I have no doubt I will. Are they a good company to work for?

Also, if you are just waiting on the big storm and you get most of your experience on the job, I am wondering how good these training classes are, or if they are just another way for the companies to make money. I know I need to know how to do it, but I am also very short of money and dont want to waste any. If a really big huricane hits, do they send out people that havent taken classes? and if so, would I be better off doing some self studying and getting someone to try and help me out?

Can anyone provide me a list of REAL Rope & Harness Training places where I can get certified, most likely FL, GA or South East?
All the courses seem to be in TX or further. I've searched REI, SPRAT, AITECH in GA, other IA companies that offer "rope training," but which certification is the one OSCHA or rope professionals would agree will help me save my life on steep roofs?

The followed a link I read here on Cado:  http://catastrophecareerspecialties.blogspot.com/ which caused me to rethink where I was going to be trained. I believe I was about to pay upwards of $1000 for the whole trip (hotels, gas, course, etc), for which this post commented on, teaches improper techniques. I've worked with some adjusters who use the improper Gri-Gri techniques, hands-free standing, and knot tying that this post mentioned as "improper." 

I'm a bit confused but wish to get trained on steep roofs before I become "that guy" who wishes he had taken the safety courses because he fell. I've been climbing roofs for years without incident but something inside me is saying to get more information and proper training. 
Thanks!

To: Oklahoma Continuing Education Providers

Due to the swarms of earthquake activity occurring in the state, the Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) is pursuing an emergency Oklahoma Administrative Code rule change to require at least one hour of continuing education on this topic each renewal cycle. The OID will begin enforcing the new rule on January 1, 2015. All resident agents, CSRs and adjusters with a property line of authority will be required to complete one hour of continuing education under the Earthquake course category per renewal cycle. This new requirement will be included in the 24 hours (CSRs 13 hours) as general credits.

Please note: The OID has the ability to ensure this requirement is being fulfilled by checking CE transcripts prior to license renewal. 

Link to actual bulletin

Are there any adjusters who have completed ICAP and will it help getting deployed?

ex-Combat Engineer TX

2021 Training has been providing online certification for TWIA starting in 2013.  Now for 2014 the certification includes both TWIA and TFPA Certification as once class for residential adjusters.

There will be an additional course required to adjust commercial claims for TWIA as TFPA is residential only policies, but the residential certification is a prerequisite to the commercial TWIA certification that will be out in the next couple of weeks.

Click link below for more information.

TWIA/TFPA Certification

For those who don't know:   TWIA is the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association who writes wind and hail policies along the coastal states of Texas.  TFPA is the Texas Fair Plan Association that is an insurer of last resort for the state of Texas and writes residential policies only.

I have heard a lot of different stories from different Adjusters on what state licenses to have. What do you think are the most important states to have??

Howdy folks. I've been lurking on this site for awhile... thinking about becoming an adjuster. I'm in the insurance business (sales) right now and have been for 15 years...  getting burned out big time. Also have a residential home construction background before that. When it comes to getting an adjuster license in Texas, it seems there are 2 or 3 different kinds - there's one for workers' comp, one for "all lines", and there's even one that's a "public" adjuster license. What the heck is a "public adjuster"? I think there is also one that is for property, but doesn't include other stuff - I THINK.

Anyway, what is the license to get if you want to be able to do everything except workers' comp adjusting? I don't want to get the wrong license because of my own ignorance.

Okay, here is the really big question. Is it practical to think a guy like me could get licensed and find an adjusting firm to let me "wade" into it by doing some day claims here and there to get experience and knowledge? I would love to go out and adjust claims on Saturdays, and I could probably squeeze in a day duting the week if necessary. I'm pretty sure the more tenured and experienced guys would be the regular day claim adjusters during non-disastrous times, and that there are still plenty of guys like that with little work to do if they aren't working cat claims somewhere. Right? Wrong? Maybe?

Thanks. I love this forum!