Michael Moorhead
Akron, OH
Posts:12
 | | 07/01/2008 1:37 PM |
| I received an email from Eberls, and they would like me to join their roster. However, they next State Farm IDL is in October. This does me no good. So I am reaching out for other options. If a CAT hits does State Farm run these IDL's more frequently? What can I do to be prepared for this season. I have been doing daily work, but I want to go down on a CAT this year and every year after this one. | | | |
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Ray Hall
Adjuster
Houston, TX
Posts:783
| | 07/01/2008 4:46 PM |
| I would recommend to any adjuster that is working daily claims to print out the last 30 days of work in PDF form and send this to many of the vendors by overnight mail. If you have made a living for months, this will show in your closed files and you should not have any trouble if a big one hits. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO, this works both ways. Ask you employer to give you a letter of recommendation. I would not ever put all my eggs in one basket. | | | |
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Steve Beaumont
Founding Member
Adjuster
Homeless Gypsy's-Fulltime RV travelers
Posts:277
| | 07/01/2008 7:12 PM |
| | I would recommend NOT doing that Ray as if I worked for a vendor that got that information I would immediately tear up the resume' and all the paperwork, and it wouldn't matter to me if that person was God's gift to the adjusting world or not. You see if someone would do such a thing I would instantly know that they have some ethical problems in that the information they just sent me is confidential and protected by the privacy laws of the country and if they would do that to impress me with their work, what would ever prevent them from doing the same thing with the work product they are doing for me. All of us need to remember that what we do for a vendor is not to be given out to anyone who isn't entitled to it, or else you open yourself, the vendor and the carrier to potential civil damages. | | | |
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Ray Hall
Adjuster
Houston, TX
Posts:783
| | 07/02/2008 12:27 AM |
| Steve I neglected to say black out the confidentual information with a marker pencil. I call your old work "reading files". I have files that are over 20 years old on interesting liability claims and property losses with a long captioned report. Sorry to cross you on this topic, but I think old reading files are the best examples of your "work product". I have had several people ask for some old reading files on my work. | | | |
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Ray Hall
Adjuster
Houston, TX
Posts:783
| | 07/02/2008 11:50 AM |
| I have never ever wanted to give bad advise to another adjuster. Steve Beaumont is probably one of the top adjusters in the country that has decided to be a storm adjuster after many years as a claims manager; therefore, please weigh both post and take his as the best advise. | | | |
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Leland Coontz
Posts:81
| | 07/03/2008 1:15 AM |
| Blacking out confidential information is called making a "redacted copy".
I sometimes get roof inspection reports from ######, a very respected vendor. Their reports are extremely detailed and well written. The first time I got one I saw the bill and it was about $150.00 more than other roof reports I've seen. Then I looked at the report and realized why. I also understood why ####### insurance company always requests this inspection company. These reports, in my opinion, would hold up in court far better than most.
I called them up the other day and asked them to send me some redacted copies of 2 or 3 sample reports. They agreed right away. I am going to forward copies to the students in my Florida ###### certification class. I am also going to send a copy to my Katrina supervisor with ####### Adjusting Firm.
Of course a good redacted copy will be carefully reviewed to make sure confidential info doesn't slip in. It does no good to delete the name of the insured and then have a photo of the insured's business name included.
Many independent adjusting firms will ask for redacted sample reports of an adjuster's work. It's not unusual at all. It's hard for me to think of a better way to determine if an adjuster can write a report than to read one he or she has written.
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Bob Harvey
Gold Member
California, Central Coast
Posts:378
| | 07/03/2008 1:27 AM |
| Thats a great point Leland, and nice to see you around here again. Musta been busy. Posted By Michael Moorhead on 07/01/2008 1:37 PM
If a CAT hits does State Farm run these IDL's more frequently? If it is a really big storm, State Farm may run some on-site IDL's like they did for Katrina. If this years storms are minor, then there are plenty of adjusters on stand-by and you would not want to quit your day job. | | | |
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Richard Olive
Posts:6
| | 07/11/2008 12:34 PM |
| Mike ,relax, incerase your calm ,you have been blessed you are now in the cat bird seat, entering the storm season and having no prospect of state farm calling you out is what I call a great blessing . Now you actually have the prospect of maybe getting a real job adjusting . And you may even get a chance to make some real good money , which you are never going to do at state farm. | | | |
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Bob Harvey
Gold Member
California, Central Coast
Posts:378
| | 07/11/2008 12:57 PM |
| Posted By Richard Olive on 07/11/2008 12:34 PM
And you may even get a chance to make some real good money , which you are never going to do at state farm. Are you saying that about State Farm specifically - or Cat Adjusting in general? I fully agree that adjusters should work daily claims between catastrophes, or you can get really rusty. Personally I like working for State Farm, their checks don't bounce and I have done very well working for them. I worked a hurricane for a carrier that went bankrupt in 1992, and some of the carriers I worked for at Northridge in 1994 also went BK. I eventually got pennies on the dollar. State Farm is very organized, tends to be well staffed and has someone on site who knows the answers. If an adjuster is starting out - they may have their head handed to them at any Catastrophe due to the volume and demands. So I agree with starting out with a non-Cat day job for a while, which Mike is doing for now. | | | |
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Tom Toll
Life Member
Moderator
Posts:894
| | 07/11/2008 3:03 PM |
| Richard, I have read all your posts and it appears your not very happy with being an insurance adjuster. Perhaps, in order to maintain your health, you should find another vocation. I agree that the companies do try to squeeze as much out of an adjuster as they can, without proper compensation, however, I still maintain it is best to be professional in this field of endeavor. In todays business society, no job is perfect. They all have their weakness's and problems. It will get worse as the economy worsen's, and it will. I have been at this for 49 years now, this past April and have seen a multitude of changes in the adjusting arena, some good, some bad. It is the nature of the beast. | |
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. | |
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