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Of course it will not help with your current question but I would like to take this time to let others know that we have recently added a new rating system here on CADO that allows members to add their reviews on the schools and classes they attend. I believe it could be helpful for others but it depends on those that attend the classes to provide their feedback. So when you do attend one please consider sharing your experience by providing your feedback. The page is listed under the "Community" menu on the navigation bar near the top of the CADO pages.

Don't fall for that "job placement" that some of the schools advertise.

When I review resumes from new adjusters wanting to be added to our roster, it doesn't really matter to me which school they went to. Actually, I can't remember ever seeing a school mentioned on a guys resume. Experience, work history and specialized training (like engineering) is the main deciding factor for me. Obviously there is a place for new adjusters and trainees, but which school you came from wouldn't change my opinion too much.

Maybe if I had the time to go visit each of these schools and see how they ran their program, but I doubt I'll know much more about them then hearing stories on this forum.

For a entry level adjuster the school name might not be a big deal, but what they teach is what its all about. A adjuster starting off is not looking to have a big name school under their belt, they are hoping that whatever venue they give their money to can make them as proficient as possible.

The trigger word is school. Regardless of where you go, if you are not taught, your have not learned. Rating a school is necessary so other newer adjusters can make a knowledgeable decision as whether to invest in a school or not. Some of them make promises they have no intention of keeping just to get you enrolled. Those need to be visible on CADO.

 

You can never go wrong with Farm Bureau Tech or Vale Tech. I have attended both and learned a lot from them. I an mot familiar with any of the other teaching schools, so I will not comment on them. Just be careful prior to signing up and ask a lot of questions before signing up. NAIIA has a lot of teaching tools. You might wish to investigate them.

Any new person should learn as much as possible. All Sr. adjusters IA & Staff concede it takes five years FULL TIME, now you can see what the problems can be this is a very complex, hard, pressure job. How long were you on your last job, before you got your first promotion into the top 10% of income earners.

Rarely, if ever, does a person who has achieved the top 10% of any profession suddenly decide to start at the bottom of another incredibly difficult profession. Generally it is the bottom 50% that spends their effort surveying other professions looking for that greener grass that lies on the other side of the fence.

Today and today only, I, your fellow Wizard Deluxe choose to disagree with my kin and believe the grass IS greener over the fence, this bottle of Dr Feelgood Snake Oil will cure my athletes foot, bi-focularism, ague, and the dropsies, make me an instant super qualified storm trooper worthy of the top 10% income, turn me into a brain surgeon, rocket scientist, and the next super star of the adult entertainment business. All I need to do is send in 3 cereal box tops, four books of green stamps, $29.95 to a P.O. Box in beautiful Dime Box, Texas and get a good nights sleep in an over priced motel with my gas tank filled with name brand gasoline that promises to flush away deposits on my valves and pistons.

Yesss, in this tent meeting where the truth of the eternities is sought, today I believe!

Ol' Ghost

HI everyone i am in dallas , i am in the roofing business, i would like to be an adjuster, can i ask for an advise about z best school/hiring co, i am willing to work hard

thank you

Ye Ol' Ghost is an eloquent "sheet" spreader...but can you, Ghost, tell me what to do with the 100+ completed books of H&H Green Stamps that we found while cleaning up my mother's house this weekend? There is also a collection of butter tubs & Cool Whip tubs (all with matching lids) from the years 1978 to current.   Might that throw me into the top 10% income for the week, month, or year?  If not, cabinet space is now available for rent to those who need it.

WOW! You found the ebay pot-o-gold for your retirement fund! Don't tell the IRS.

Ol' Ghost

Vale National is the best, hands down. They've been serving major insurance carriers (State Farm, Assurant, Allstate, Travelers, etc.), vendors and individual adjusters for over fifty (50) years.

I hear Farm Bureau tech is also very good. The one I know of is in Jackson, MS.

Don't waste your time with vendor training courses until after you've invested with Vale, Farm Bureau, or a training vendor with an equivalent status. The skills may be transferable, but their name won't be unless you plan to only work for that particular vendor.

I attended Farm Bureau Tech's two week property course about ten years ago and was very satisfied. I have also heard that Vale National is very good. I can't imagine trying to get started in this business without attending a course such as those offered by Farm Bureau Tech and Vale. When I attended Farm Bureau's course I had been working for a small IA for about 6 months and had already handled about 400 simple hail claims. However, I found the information presented in the property course extremely beneficial and definitely worth the investment.

Posted By ChuckDeaton on 18 Apr 2009 09:28 AM
Rarely, if ever, does a person who has achieved the top 10% of any profession suddenly decide to start at the bottom of another incredibly difficult profession. Generally it is the bottom 50% that spends their effort surveying other professions looking for that greener grass that lies on the other side of the fence.

So you're saying it's ok that I became an adjuster for the reason that I sucked at pretty much anything else? 

 I WENT TO THE ADJUSTER SCHOOL IN HOUSTON ,,,,ERIC THOMAS IS THE OWNER AND INSTRUCTOR ,,,,IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE AND HE TEACHES THE DO AND DONTS OF REALISTIC ADJUSTING WITH OUT ALL THE USELESS STUFF YOUR PROBABLY NEVER GONNA SEE,,,,I HAVENT HAD A SINGLE PROBLEM GETTING ON ROSTERS WITH THE BIG COMPANIES AS LONG AS U GET ALL UR INSURANCE COMPANY CERTS,,,,JT

BEWARE, SOME SCHOOLS TRY TO FRONT AS LARGE IA COMPANIES BUT DERIVE MOST OF THEIR INCOME FROM THEIR TRAINING SCHOOLS. The one in particular that I am referring to is in Dallas area and they have been known to take and keep training deposits from people who do not qualify for obtaining an adjuster license from any state.

I also took the Adjuster School in Houston, owned & run by Eric Thomas. We spent 2 1/2 days preparing for the licensing test, 1/2 day on the exam (I think every one of us 80 students passed) 1 day on XM8 basics 1 day on XM8 sketch, and the last day on general adjuster stuff. The prep class taught me more about policy than most of the new adjusters and many of the experienced adjusters I've since taken various company classes-conferences-and certifications with. If you take good notes, really pay attention, go home after class and study what you learned from Eric that day, you will know policy as well as many veterans, and certainly much better than most newbies. In my humble opinion, policy is Eric's strongest suite. The XM8 class went too fast-2 days on the basics would have been much more valuable, however, I came out of Eric's class and went right to work on Ike claims and did pretty well for someone in the business 1 week. My wife took her adjuster license on line, and it was a mistake. Most of her class was on commercial property and almost 1/2 of it on casualty, neither of which she will use any time soon.
Good luck, keep studying even after you get licensed. There's a lot to learn-which is what makes this profession so interesting!

Don't fool yourself into thinking that policy coverage can be learned over a few days.  If your claims work is limited to wind or hail, yes......but beyond that, there is a lot more to know and learn.  Fires, thefts & water damage have many potential COL's, whether intentional or not and whether covered or not.  Collapses may or may not be covered.  The list goes on.  Point being, most licensing schools have no interest in making anyone more than licensed for cat work.