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You need to market yourself to other adjusting companies so that you will have more work. How do you do this? You send out resumes and seek work all the time. Somewhere out here someone needs your services. They don't know how to find you.

I am sure that you are studying and keeping up to date with the changes in the laws, software etc.

 

Good luck.

Its just they way things work. My impression was your employer was an IA with a good rep., but also sent you guys out on small storms for his regular customers right. In 05 he was ask to put on more and found good people who want to stay aboard, but the slice of pie has been increased by 200%.

Your boss is the one at the cross roads in regards to traveling to storm sites. He must get larger in the storm work to keep all hands happy and he must leave his "core" behind and stay home himself. IMHOP.

I have never seen both home and road stay on top of their game. Both places are requiring good claims work to survive and it seems home always suffers the most.

ClaimsMentor is following the whistle blowers allegations. A Federal Judge has now ask The Justice Dept in DC not to sweep this charge under the rug.  The charge is adjusters loading up the flood cover and poo pooing the wind cover.

If its true it will be the block buster of all times on our livlihood.

Who determined what amounts were attributed to flood and to wind? Did the IA or Staff adjusters in the field make the allocation or was it done in the office where someone on the Ins Co staff said ok here is what we are going to do..?

This was the original article naming the 5 adjusting firms and the carriers involved in this newly unsealed whistleblowers case( the 4 adjuster whistleblowers are not named):

http://www.propertyandcasualtyinsur...OODSCAM-dh

Note, I've not been able to find a website for Branch Consultants,LLC and this article even mentions they can't find the office,etc

Here is the link to the news from yesterday about the Judge demanding federal intervention of the US Justice Department:

http://blog.nola.com/tpmoney/2007/0...se_de.html

Be sure also to read this story which outlines how VERY much these whistleblowers will earn on this. While its reduced if there is federal involvement, it's still a HUGE sum of money if the allegations are founded:

I found the article specifying how much these whistleblowers stand to gain- here is what it says so if the federal government does get involved, they will get reduced fees but it would still be a huge windfall to these whistleblowers due to the extent alleged to be involved:

If whistleblowers are successful in pursuing the suit without the U.S. attorney's intervention, they could be awarded as much as 30 percent of the proceeds if the suit is victorious. If the U.S. attorney's office decides later to take over the investigation and the effort is successful, the whistleblowers' take is reduced to 15 percent to 25 percent of the proceeds, Dugas said, because the government is the one doing the heavy lifting.

Under the False Claims Act, anyone who knowingly submits fake bills to the government is liable for three times the amount of damages sustained by the government, according to the Branch suit. There is also a civil penalty.

Above is info from this article...see link to view all info

http://www.nola.com/timespic/storie...thispage=4

It's on page 4 of this 6 page story.

 

 

 

This article had much more specific examples of the scoping problems alleged:

http://blog.nola.com/times-picayune...s_ins.html

Let's not lose sight of the fact that this is probably a group of PA's pursuing this in the 1st place and needless to say it is very much in their best interest that these damages and losses be attribited to wind vs flood. Those examples in the petition are a lot like most claims that a PA will submit on a flood/wind claim. i have a copy of the petitionthat is brought in the name of USA EX REL Branch Consultants, LLC which states it is a Georgia corporation located at 4720 Southshore Drive in Metairie, LA. There is a company by the name of Branch & Associates LLC, listed in GA that was created in 8-22-06 with a Merideth Wingate Branch as the registering agent, but who knows if this is one and the same. There is also one in GA called BRANCH CONSULTANTS, LLC, created in 1999

Steve,

Can you post a link to the petition? The articles are saying a portion of the case is still sealed. I'm wondering if this case which was just unsealed (except portions per the articles) will be resealed due to the request for federal involvement? Were you able to find web sites for the two firms you mentioned in your post?

A blog that I posted about contains a link to to the complaint.

Here is a link to the post (http://www.insurancecoverageblog.co...plaint.pdf

 

The next image shows some examples listed in the document.

Watch this flash movie provided nola.com

http://www.nola.com/katrina/graphics/flashflood.swf

Here is a link to some arial images of the area.

http://ngs.woc.noaa.gov/katrina/090A30A_KATRINA.HTM

http://ngs.woc.noaa.gov/katrina/KATRINA0000.HTM

Ah ... the future of the vendor system in catastrophe work will have to be tuned into this new industry within an industry.

The new breed that morphed into the new industry police department. Whistle Blowers... for a % fee of the uncovered overpayment.. All flood/wind  claims in the future, co-insurance penalty losses, nudging on service bills by climbing the ladder, test squares, O & P allowed, surface water , wind driven rain will be under seige. However; both flood and wind cover on the same property will always be the big payday. This will put the SAP adjusters under intense pressure.

Re-insurance carriers will be more aware of some venders.

 

Roy thanks for posting the link. I appreciate it! Also- great Xactimate instructions for new adjusters on your blog!