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dave
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 14, 1999 - 11:06 pm: | 
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Roy & Jim and all the "troops" , again a wonderful idea , perhaps after things get settled down a bit, say 2/3 weeks or so , we can take the time to have a "face to face" meeting. After all the years of chatting on the net and working storms , it will be fun to identify the verbage with the face, while a lot of us do know each other and have worked and/or socialized in the past, the years do go by. Count me in , anytime , anyplace. |
Jim Flynt
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 14, 1999 - 8:55 pm: |
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GREAT IDEA ROY ~ CADO MEETING
Let's use this storm (Hurricane Floyd) as an opportunity at some point to have a CADO meeting for any and all visitors. Perhaps we can have a cookout or "social" and let everyone finally meet each other. I too will be "on site" and ready, willing, and able to assist in any way needed or requested as you see fit Roy. Thanks again for all you are doing by your hard work and efforts to keep this site going. |
Roy Cupps
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 14, 1999 - 8:25 pm: |
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Jim, I will be in the storm area maybe we can get the CADO visitors together for a meeting and planning session. Hurricane Floyd may provide the best chance yet to bring a large group of us together. |
David Pierce
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 14, 1999 - 1:44 am: |
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This site is exactly what i have been needing to see. I have plenty of construction/remodeling experience. Worked for HUD as a estimator and inspector, Real estate agent, licensed in Texas as an adjuster. My problem I am sort of lost about what to do and how to do it on a cat assignment. If anyone needs someone to carry your ladder for a few days. I could sure use the experience from someone who has been there. My family and myself would be very grateful for the opportunity. |
Billy Burnett
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 13, 1999 - 9:17 pm: |
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My calculations for an oldie is 10 years or more in a profession. I guess I am an older independent adjuster. 5 1/2 years in adjusting, 7 years in remodeling, but always willing to learn more. For newbies and/or oldies, I will take both. Plan to see you there.Include me as a student. Let me know where. Prefer talking when taking care of business, or telling a good story with friends.
Keep up the good work, and caring for our client universe ... carriers, vendors, homeowners, fellow adjusters |
Jim Flynt
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 13, 1999 - 8:35 pm: |
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21 NEWBEE HURRICANE IDEAS
With Hurricane Floyd appearing almost a "done deal" for landfall or skirting damage somewhere along the East Coast, I thought I would jot down a few ideas for NEWBEE adjusters. Others may want to do the same.
(1) The first thing any adjuster should consider on THIS storm is a place to stay. With a CAT 4 or better hurricane, insureds are going to be displaced into hotels and swarms of adjusters will be battling for the same rooms. In Hurricane Andrew, many adjusters found themselves 45 miles from the major damage, yet due to traffic, the morning drive was 3-4 hours just to get to your losses. Plan ahead and call ahead for hotel or temp housing.
(2) The very first thing you should do once you get your claim files, is CALL the insured. If there is widespread devastation, phones may be out for quite some time, so drive by your losses and leave the insured a note where you can be reached.
(3) When you call your insureds, don't give an exact time for the inspection appointment. Ask them if the morning or afternoon is better, and then give them a time "range" when you will be there.
(4) Allow yourself enough spacing between claims so that you are not late or can't arrive. If you see that you are running well behind, call the insured and advise them.
(5) For every 2 or 3 days that you are out scoping losses, allow yourself one day "inside" to write them up and close them.
(6) Don't let inspected claims "pile up" on you without closing. You don't get paid until they are closed, the insureds get angry if they don't hear back within a reasonable period after your inspection, and you will forget what you looked at.
(7) Make sure you don't mix up your loss photos. Use one roll of film per loss or one floppy disk per insured and make sure you label them. You will never make this mistake more than once (take it from someone who made this mistake ONCE.)
(8) If you receive a claim where the insured has a "public adjuster" involved, return it to your supervisor and ask that it be reassigned. Public adjusters are going to take up a lot of your time and will take advantage of a new adjuster. (Yes, they can smell you a mile away).
(9) If you get a file/claim which you feel is beyond your estimating capabilities, don't hesitate to ask that it be reassigned.
(10) Remember, you don't have authority to settle the claim. Advise the insured that you only make a recommendation to the insurance carrier based on your estimates and information provided by the insured.
(11) Make sure you carry and leave with the insured blank contents forms for them to fill out and return to you. Prepared return envelopes with your office address are handy to give out too.
(12) If this is your first storm, try and get your smaller claims out of the way first. They will be easier to close and also by closing them, you will start your "cash flows" coming in. The larger claim files are going to take much longer.
(13) When you greet the insured the first time, always ask: "Mr (or Mrs) Insured, please tell me about your damage?" Too many times adjusters go to the risk and start writing scopes without talking to the insured or start telling the insured about the insureds loss. In my opinion, this is a huge mistake. Further, I think it is a good idea to ask the insured to hold one end of the tape. It allows the insured to be a part of the claims process.
(14) Always over estimate the amount of time it will take for you to get your estimate back to the insured and also the time required for the insured to get their check from the carrier. It will save you havig to return or answer a lot of extra phone calls.
(15) If you are handling severe damage claims, then you need to pay a quick cursory visit to each of those losses very early and establish whether and how much of an advance the insured will need for ALE (hotel, meals, cover and protect, etc.)The carrier may also want you to set a damage "reserve."
(16) Try and explain the "insurance claims process" to the insured and give them an idea of the time frames involved.
(17) While you are waiting for the hurricane to hit, pull out an HO-3 policy and review it. Pay particular attention to policy sublimits, debris removal provisions (extra 5%), "duties of the insured after a loss", and the "appraisal provisions."
(18) Don't be afraid to ask questions. Find an experienced adjuster working with your firm and see if they will help you. Or post your questions here on the CADO page or email one of the Newbee "mentors."
(19) Don't be afraid to tell an insured that you don't know the answer to his question, but that you will find out and get back to them with it.
(20) Don't forget the folks back home. Your wife, kids and marriages are important too. Make sure you keep the home fires burning and stay in regular touch with them.
(21) Finally, plan to take late Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings to rest, relax, and perhaps go have a nice dinner. On many of the major storms, there will always be one or two adjusters who die of heart attacks. Take care of yourself. No one else will.
Last but not least, keep everything in perspective, don't loose your "cool", make lots of new friends, and believe it or not, you will not only make money, but you will have an enjoyable experience to boot.
Good Luck to All! |
Bob Fisher
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 13, 1999 - 8:06 pm: |
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Jim,
Your seminar for NEWBEES sounds great. My wife, Lauren Huddleston and I are on standby for Pilot and expect to be where Floyd hits. We definitely are interested in attending if you get a seminar together. We also look forward to meeting you and all the other folks who have been so helpful already on this forum. See you there. |
Jim Flynt
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 13, 1999 - 6:19 pm: |
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NEWBEE "HURRICANE ADJUSTING CLASS"
If any of our NEWBEES would like for us to consider a half day hurricane class this coming Sunday afternoon or early next week, assuming that Hurricane Floyd "hits", please email me or post a response here. Perhaps we could have it at one of the hotels in the storm damage area. If there is enough interest we will try and put one together.
If any of you experinced adjusters would like to help, please also email me or post a response.
My vision is that we could discuss basic policy coverage for wind, general exclusions, Coverages B and C (contents), ACV versus RCV, loan to value, basic estimating, and then allow a question and answer session for you.
If there is enough interest, perhaps we will have time to at least put together a "hand out" which would help you.
If the interest is here, we will post a message to this site advising when and where.
The BEST part of this offer, is that the seminar will be FREE.
Good Luck and let us know! |
Jim Flynt
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 13, 1999 - 10:57 am: |
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NEWBEES. HELP IS ONLY A PHONE CALL AWAY!
Newbees, if Hurricane Floyd hits and you run into a snag, have a question, need help, or just need someone "to listen" then email any of the "Newbee Mentors" or myself and we will email back our phone numbers on the scene and where we are staying.
If you have questions before being deployed or deciding which firm to work for and it is causing you stress, then by all means let one of us know, and perhaps we can help you with your questions.
We will try and assemble a small group of capable experienced adjusters when we get to a storm site to assist in helping Newbees (assuming the damages are confined to one town or area). If any of you would like to ride with a more experienced adjuster for a day or so, to see how we do it, then that can probably be arranged also.
Good Luck to all of you. Hurricane Floyd is looking quite REAL, and this may well be your first "test." And don't worry, we all had to go out there and start somewhere. We survived and flourished. SO WILL YOU!
WE'RE PULLING FOR ALL OF YOU NEWBEES! |
Jim Flynt
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, September 01, 1999 - 10:37 pm: |
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MENTORING INFORMATION for NEWBEES
If you are a NEWBEE and have specific questions about adjusting, policy, construction, costs, expenses, estimating, software, adjusting firms, how to get started, etc., please feel free to contact any of the adjusters who have volunteered to "mentor" by email. We will all try to take the time to answer your questions personally and as promptly as possible. I know that several of you have already taken advantage of this offer and we all sincerely hope you will continue to do so.
Remember, the only "dumb questions" are those that are never asked.
NEWBEES please assist US by letting us know what you need or want in the way of information. |
murphy
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 24, 1999 - 9:12 pm: |
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I, too, would like to volunteer my assistance to anybody who wants to learn. I am a female Cat Adjuster with 10 yrs experience in the field, and happy to help, as so many have helped me over the years. I have a camper I take to sites; if you have one, it would be a good way for you to keep your expenses down during training, especially. Dave Hood, Jim Flynt, Tom Toll and I all know each other and have worked on some of the same storms over the years; top notch, all. Just sitting by the phone for now, until things develop. Would be interested in "mentoring" as soon as the call comes in. email katkmu1@aol.com |
Jim
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 24, 1999 - 4:35 pm: |
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NEWBEE HURRICANE ALERT(# 2) Tuesday 8/24/99
NEWBEES be aware that many companies today have alerted their core adjusters and placed them on "Standby" for "Dennis" which at this point could hit along the Florida to North Carolina coast line as early as this weekend. Keep your eyes and ears open to the latest news and weather.
NEWBEES also be aware that most companies have taken adjusters off standby for Hurricane Bret damage. |
Bob Fisher
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 23, 1999 - 1:31 pm: |
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Jim. My thanks to you and the other experienced adjusters who are responding to this forum section. I am sure it will be a great help to me and others as was your "NEWBEE TRAINING or How to Become a Pro" posting.
My wife and I have been fortunate to have an experienced adjuster offer to be our mentor and the process has been very helpful. On his advice we began by taking the Pictorial Homeowner's 1991 course to learn more about insurance. We have also taken a two-day course on DDS and a three-day orientation course at Pilot. We then took the Leonard's weeklong Introduction and Type IV Adjuster course which led to a Texas adjuster's license. Next, I attended the SCS Adjuster's Training Course in Kansas City which was an excellent learning experience. Most recently, we spent a week with our mentor in a private training session measuring, diagramming and estimating simulated damages on several homes and condos. Our next step will be to ride along with him on his next deployment.
We will continue our training by attending training seminars such as those offered by SCS and NAT CAT every chance we get, even after we get deployed on our own. The learning process never stops.
What you and the others are offering here is invaluable and will go a long way toward increasing professionalism in the adjuster community. Thanks again, Bob. |
Jim Flynt
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 20, 1999 - 4:26 pm: |
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NEWBEE HURRICANE ALERT Friday 8/20/99 4 PM EST
NEWBEES be aware that several adjusting companies today started putting adjusters on "standby" for "Bret" should this storm strengthen and make landfall.
Now is an excellent time to be "locking in" with the adjusting firm that you want to work with for what may turn out to be the first hurricane event this season.
Please email me or any of the other adjusters who have volunteered to be NEWBEE "mentors" if you have any immediate questions. |
Glen Garoutte
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 20, 1999 - 9:41 am: |
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My fellow welfare reject.Please understand that everyone was given an opportunity in their life, no matter what line of work you have been in. The people that are new deserve that chance just as much as you did. Try not to be so harsh in your opinion of the new people coming into the profession. I sometimes have a hard time understanding , when evidently your an experienced adjuster, that you would worry about a NEWBEE taking your job. Surely if your work has been a high standard, and with as many storms there have been this year, your busy. This will be the last time that I will remark to your statement, And I think its evident who has their head where. I also noticed once more that you didn't have the BALLS to post your real name. I wish you luck in the future, and hope that since you know so much and know everything, that you never ask for any help from anyone. Its people like you that are strictly in this for themselves, instead of trying to improve the industry. |
Carol Cole
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 19, 1999 - 11:16 pm: |
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Jim Flynt.
Seems like I keep hearing your name come up.
You seem to have some good Ideas. This last one
is a great one. Count me in as a newbee. I would
appreciate all the help I can get. The main Problem I have is I do not know what questions to ask until I get in the field. You may know what questions I need to be asking. If so please inform me.
Carol Cole |
Lenny Wenrick
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 19, 1999 - 10:27 pm: |
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This posting is dedicated to Mr. Flynt, Chuck Hoffman, Tom Toll, R.D. Hood, Robert J. Curren and Glen Garoutte.
My name is Lenny Wenrick from Reno Nevada, and I am proud to be a NEWBEE/TRAINEE. I am so new, five months ago I had never heard of a Cat. Adjuster. I will at the appropriate time place my resume on this site. For the purpose of this posting I will give a brief of my background. I have worked as a Deputy State Firemarshall for the State of California, a Safety Engineer in the construction industry for the Boeing Company and for Lockheed Space Operations Company during the construction of the Space Shuttle Launch Complex facilities at Cap Canaveral and Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and for the past ten years as a general contractor.
I have been visiting this CADO site for the last three months. During my tour here I have read everything this site has to offer, including every posting in all categories as far back as March of 1999. I have completed a certification course in Property, Casualty and Codes. As well as purchasing the Boeckh Cliams System 5.1 of which I have spent approximately two hundred hours of self traing ( Mr. Flynt I heed your advice).
To the nobleman I have adressed above. You are to be commended for the erfforts you have put fourth in trying to reestablish the foundation of this forum. Your leadership, professionalism and wisdom has not gone unnoticed. I hope you do not become discouraged from the lack of intelligence and the stupidy of others. That you will continue to share your wisdom and educational messages for us students whom are listing. I as well have been a teacher to many of deserving students along my travels. I am proud to have been able to advise, assist and help these intelligent individuals who were able to put their pride aside and ask the dumb questions that improved their careers and lives. I would be honored to have any one of you fine gentlemen as my mentor. I hope I do not have to chose, for the ones I did not chose would be my loss. |
Glen Geroutte
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 19, 1999 - 7:49 pm: |
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Well welfare reject it looks like another posting of someone that number one does'nt have the courage to post their own name, and also just wants to make another ignorant statement with no concern for others. If you have something to say worth while, then say it, otherwise please keep your Illiteracy to yourself. Please feel free to say something with some merit. |
Glen Garoutte
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 19, 1999 - 11:04 am: |
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Its great to see the willingness to help the NEWBEES. A few things come to my attention that would help.
1.What certifications are needed
2.Which companies are willing to give the NEWBEES an opportunity.
3.Stress the quality of work that needs to be performed.
4.What estimating programs are most widely used.
5.What companies to stay away from.
6.What pay schedules should they look for.
7.Put a list of adjusters that would be willing to let the NEWBEES ride with them for a short period of time.
These are just a few things that I feel would help the NEWBEES in the field. I for one believe that if you help someone, down the line it will come back to you many times over. Thanks to all that have posted your real names, and have shown your interest. |
Robert J Curren
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 19, 1999 - 12:43 am: |
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Jim
Would be pleased to act as a mentor. Count me in. New adjusters will always need some guidance from those that have been around the block and been beaten up. It is always a diffficult decision when right and dollars conflict. Proud to call you a friend. |
RD Hood
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 18, 1999 - 11:46 pm: |
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Count me in, always willing to offer a helping hand to anyone that is dedicated and wants to learn. We need new blood, young and willing ones, that can step into our old shoes soon. |
Tom Toll
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 18, 1999 - 11:32 pm: |
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My wife was a trainee, (I prefer to call them that which they are) working with me and being coached by other GA'S, learned one heck of a lot. Thanks to those other adjusters who helped me answer her questions and did such a marvelous job of helping her understand.
She passed her AR GA test with an exceptionally high grade. Walked out of the testing center well ahead of the 5 gentlemen who were still struggling with their test.
Lesson learned. Good teachers (mentors) and a strong willed student. Keep that in mind. Janice and I are always ready to help the trainee, if needed. |
g.garoutte
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 18, 1999 - 8:29 pm: |
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Jim I want to thankyou personally for your posting. |
Chuck Hoffman
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 18, 1999 - 6:01 pm: |
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Fantastic idea! If I can be of assistance, please
cotact me. |
Jim Flynt
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 18, 1999 - 5:56 pm: |
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Based on conversations with Roy and several emails which I have received in response to a posting I did a while back regarding "NEWBEE TRAINING or How To Become a Pro", there has been an idea tossed back and forth regarding a separate page on the CADO site where NEWBEES would be encouraged to ask questions, share their experiences, and hopefully pick up new ideas which would be helpful as they continue down the path of becoming adjusters.
Further, it seems that some of the NEWBEES might want to request a "mentor" who could answer their questions (by phone or email) in a more personal way and steer them in the right direction.
If you are a "NEWBEE" and would have an interest in having an experienced mentor, please leave a post here with such request.
If you are an experienced adjuster and would be willing to serve as a "mentor" for one or two NEWBEES, likewise please do the same.
It is only by working together and sharing our common knowledge that we can advance our industry and ourselves. Hopefully, this will in the long run improve the lot of us all.
Please share your feelings about this, and NEWBEES we need your input most of all.
By helping new adjusters we can pay back those who helped us when we first started out. We, as a community are only as strong as our weakest link. |
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