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Last Post 08/30/2012 11:47 PM by  BeauKron
Newbie needing advice
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racerdown
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06/24/2012 10:28 PM

    I know this subject has been talked about before....I have been reading all the post on this site and other sites.  I was thinking I could get some update positive information.  I noticed some of the post are up to 4 years old, I am sure things have changed a little bit....esp in regards to schools and training.

    About me... I retired from a large fire department in Texas after 19 years in March of this year.  I built homes and did construction on the side for about 15 of those years.  I am 42 now.  My wife passed away in December of last year and kids are in college, so I am ready to travel.  I have truck and RV. 

    What schools do you guys/girls recommend?  I see there are a lot... from online courses that cost $200 to a 3 week class that is $2995.  I think I want to work for a company...what companies hire newbies?  Any other information would be great.  I am not looking for negative information (like how the how the job market is over staffed, etc).  I came from being a fireman where there was a waiting list 4 years long to get on to the department...but the department would always hire the good firemann right away.

     

    Thanks

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    CatAdjusterX
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    06/26/2012 10:30 PM
    Posted By Chris on 24 Jun 2012 10:28 PM

    I know this subject has been talked about before....I have been reading all the post on this site and other sites.  I was thinking I could get some update positive information.  I noticed some of the post are up to 4 years old, I am sure things have changed a little bit....esp in regards to schools and training.

    About me... I retired from a large fire department in Texas after 19 years in March of this year.  I built homes and did construction on the side for about 15 of those years.  I am 42 now.  My wife passed away in December of last year and kids are in college, so I am ready to travel.  I have truck and RV. 

    What schools do you guys/girls recommend?  I see there are a lot... from online courses that cost $200 to a 3 week class that is $2995.  I think I want to work for a company...what companies hire newbies?  Any other information would be great.  I am not looking for negative information (like how the how the job market is over staffed, etc).  I came from being a fireman where there was a waiting list 4 years long to get on to the department...but the department would always hire the good fireman right away.

     

    Thanks

    Chris,

    Please accept my heartfelt condolences on the loss of your wife.

    Well even with some of our instructions here on CADO being 4+ years old, they still ring true and accurate today as they did back then. I do NOT envy the next gen of claims adjusters. Let me qualify that statement:

    Today as never before, it is a very exciting time for the rookie adjuster. A tech savvy individual can find multiple opportunities that were not available even 5 years ago. What I do NOT envy is that rookie adjusters have a target on their backs from predatory training vendors. A very lucrative industry has been created within the claims adjusting industry and that is the fleecing of newly licensed or soon to be licensed rookie adjusters. Not all training vendors are predatory (far from it) but the ones that are ....,well they are what I consider the scourge of this industry.

    The knowledge required for initial licensing /adjuster 101 /XM8 "combo" classes is NOT the end of the learning experience, it is only the beginning. However, umpteen certifications really amount to squat.

    Make no mistake, certifications DO indeed have a place in this industry! However in most cases, that place is NOT with newly licensed claims professionals.

    Chris, you have multiple options before you and it is going to come down to what is best for you. You can indeed take an online course and then sit for the exam (from your home state) for a few hundred bucks or you could go through Vale National for $3,000.00+. However you must understand that in my 9 years in the industry, I have NEVER been asked even once how I got my adjuster's license.

    How you get licensed is unimportant, what IS important is what you do AFTER initial licensing. Once licensed, you must have a solid understanding of the fundamentals of your estimating software(in the CAT industry, that will be XM8) Once you have the fundamentals, you need to master the software. The #1 single most reason for a rookie adjuster to either quit or be asked to leave a CAT on their first (and ONLY) deployment is lack of XM8 skills. The last place that you want to realize that you need more XM8 training is out in the field.

    All the above is predicated upon entering the industry as a CAT adjuster (independent). You made mention of wanting to be hired by a carrier. That in  my opine is the BEST avenue for all rookie adjusters because in a nutshell you are being PAID to learn the business as a staff adjuster trainee. As an independent adjuster (CAT adjuster) you are literally in a sink or swim environment and the failure rate for rookie CAT adjusters is astronomical.

    Most carriers and IA firms that employ staff adjusters want applicants to have either a 4 year degree and/or significant experience in a related field. Being a firefighter may help depending upon if you were involved in Arson investigation and associated disciplines.

    Whichever way you decide, I will help you every step of the way. Are you a veteran? If so, I would like to add another option for you.

    Shoot me an email at Robby@avcatservices.com 

    "A good leader leads..... ..... but a great leader is followed !!" CatAdjusterX@gmail.com
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    Medulus
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    06/29/2012 4:22 PM
    My info is probably out of date a bit, too, racer because I have been working on staff with a small commercial earthquake and flood carrier for over four years now. But maybe some of those more in touch with the current situation will be able to correct any misinformation I share. As with the X-Man, I am sorry to hear about your wife. Mine died in October 2009 and it has been a tough struggle back to normal.

    Most of the larger carriers hire inexperienced adjusters with the intention of training them their way. State Farm and Progressive come to mind right away. Farmers probably also prefers to train people rather than have to re-train experienced adjusters. Your background as a fireman will likely be considered an asset because of your understanding of fires. Nationwide and others prefer to hire experienced adjusters (last I knew). If you are hired by a company like State Farm, they will pay for your training at their claim school and possibly for 2 to 3 weeks at Vale. It's good training, and a good foundation for moving into independent adjusting down the road.
    Steve Ebner CPCU AIC AMIM

    "With great power comes great responsibility." (Stanley Martin Lieber, Amazing Fantasy # 15 August 1962)
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    racerdown
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    07/01/2012 10:10 PM
    Thanks Robby and Steve.
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    Jud G.
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    07/05/2012 11:14 AM
    Posted By CatAdjusterX on 26 Jun 2012 10:30 PM

    The #1 single most reason for a rookie adjuster to either quit or be asked to leave a CAT on their first (and ONLY) deployment is lack of XM8 skills. The last place that you want to realize that you need more XM8 training is out in the field.

    Just keep in mind that Xactimate is a very big program.  I have taken several classes, use this software 100% of the time, have put it to the test on big losses, and know little tricks to make it bend and do things it's not really designed to do.

    With that said, Robby's statement about this software carries significant validity.  Just about everything we do now to adjust a claim gets filtered by our ability to use Xactimate and communicate effectively through it.  At the same time, it made me chuckle because I continue to learn new things about this program in the field that impact the way I adjust these claims.

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    theclimateriskmanager
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    08/15/2012 3:36 PM
    I am a newbie. I want to break into an adjusting career. However, I am unable to be on deployment for more than a month at a time. I have money, so I am not doing this for the monetary amenities. I am doing this to learn insurance adjusting, so sacrificing cash for local employment is not an issue. Can anyone give me a no BS assessment on the feasibility of working as a newbie adjuster, dirt cheap; 18hrs/day; locally?

    Thank you,

    Richard
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    okclarryd
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    08/18/2012 10:24 AM
    Richard,

    The IA companies don't want to deploy you at home due to the interruptions from your daily life. If you're two states away, you can't go mow the yard, fix the leaky faucet, change your wife's flat tire, take the kid to the Dr, etc. By the same token, they don't want an adjuster that can only be deployed for a month at a time. The storm may only last 3 weeks but it may last two years (been there, done that). It doesn't matter why you can only be gone for a month at a time, the IA firm only knows that you will not be there for the duration, whatever it may be. You will need to commit to the firm to stay the course and be there until you are released, however long that may be. Only with that commitment will you be considered for future deployments.

    I worked a tornado here in Okc in '99 and that storm lasted forever. I had too many chances to fail by working at home and my wife could not understand why I was on the computer when she got up and on the computer when she went to bed and was gone all day. That is the only time I've worked a cat at home and haven't done one since. The companies want your undivided attention for 12-16 hours a day, 6-7 days a week. It's nearly impossible to do this at home or locally.

    Happy Trails
    Larry D Hardin
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    ChuckDeaton
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    08/18/2012 10:48 AM
    I worked the 2000 ice storm from home. The stress was incredible. I will not do that again.
    "Prattling on and on about being an ass with experience doesn't make someone experienced. It just makes you an ass." Rod Buvens, Pilot grunt
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    mxr618
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    08/24/2012 11:42 PM

    Richard - 

    There is a way to stay at home...daily claims. I work from home some days, other days I'm out of town deployed on the hail storm in St. Louis. My days are 8am to midnight or 1AM. When I have a cancellation I get to go to the doctor, go to the bank, etc. I'm still waiting for a hole in my schedule to get some glasses!

    I do at least 1000 miles a week on my truck. Get to sleep next to the Mrs. most nights which outweighs the idea of a 100% Cat career. I'm on standby for the hurricane coming in, two weeks on and a week 'off' to scope the losses here that would normally take me two weeks to do. 

    I got my TX license in August of last year through a license mill (that's been great), XM training via Web conference over three days in November. I got hired in late March. I've done north of 200 claims since. SF certified with Worley in March. I consider myself smart enough to learn anything given enough time...and this job has shown me that adjusting has a sharp on-the-job learning curve and has been very, very humbling, daily. With the exception of a few, the insureds have all been great people.

    I've done sewer back ups, fire claims, hail, wind, water, vandalism, and a disturbing drive by shooting. (I didn't do the shooting, just the inspection part). 

    Daily claims. If you want in and want to work like hell while living most of the time at home, consider it. If you want to rap more about it, ping me.

    mxr618

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    dcandler43
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    08/26/2012 8:59 AM
    I have been an adjuster for over 14 yrs. I was an IA with Crawford from 1999-2004 and then got hired by Foremost Insurance for the last 7 yrs and then got laid off. It is hard to get back into the game. Right now I am on about 12 standby lists. As the storm gets closer, how do you choose the right company to work for? I have heard that some of these smaller IA companies may not pay. I want to go with Crawford b/c I spoke with them on the phone and they guaranteed I will be on first wave but I am getting calls to the house by other companies. Should I ask them right up front who the carriers are they work for, what the fee schedules are, the percent of pay, etc? Anyone work for One Call Claims? I have been working for a local IA and they have had me busy for the last few months but I almost lost my house and everything this winter. I need to make good on this storm. Any suggestions? I am licensed everywhere and have been using Xact for 12 yrs. This might be wrong thread but thanks. Dan
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    BeauKron
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    08/30/2012 11:47 PM
    If you want to work from home, starting as a staff adjuster is an excellent idea. Obtain the training and experience and perhaps "retire" to work as an IA later in life. You'll no longer be a "newbie," but the hours and travel may be an eye-opener.
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