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Barry19
8 Posts |
 Posted - 11/04/2003 : 19:50:08
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| it seems like much of the discussion is against going with carriers. why? this industry is difficult enough to get into, and if i can get a spot as a trainee on a carrier cat team to take advantage of the training provided...how could that not be a good idea? also, so much is made of i/a making X of money. what about on the carrier side? whats the average? |
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catmanager
USA
102 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2003 : 20:33:39
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| Go get the training, earn a regular check for awhile. You will not regret it in the long run. |
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trader
USA
236 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2003 : 22:43:40
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| You will NEVER have any cat. experience that will take the place of day in day out claims with a carrier, OR National IA. If you have a 4 year degree, walk in ask for a job and you will off and running. Just like brain surgery ---takes time and training. |
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Dgowdy
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2003 : 22:51:56
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Bottom line, don't come on this site, hold yourself out as ANY kind of an adjuster, show up to a storm site and then disclose that you can't even take a picture of the front of a risk! No matter what profession you desire, get some training first, before you mis-represent yourself. There's too many real experienced people out there who can see right through that stuff.
Carrier or I.A. at least get some exposure somewhere before you come on here and hold yourself out as an adjuster......we've all worked too hard to have others claim to be something their NOT! |
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fivedaily
USA
258 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2003 : 08:02:05
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Not sure what Trader is talking about... but as a staff adjuster I have worked cat straight through for 4 1/2 years. You can get plenty of cat work w/ a carrier if you work on their cat team.
And for dgowdy's comments... well Barry, we've talked and you know this stuff. What he is saying seems to be born of some unseen frustration.
I don't think anyone here thinks you have misrepresented yourself.
Jennifer |
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Dgowdy
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2003 : 12:51:37
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Jennifer,
Was not referring to anyone who wrote on this thread, sorry for the mis-understanding, was just venting due to other threads wherein some have spent time judgeing real adjusters when they themselves have no background at all.
I do feel that anyone getting into business can't wrong with either a company staff position or with an IA as a local field adjuster, both have very positive things to gain. |
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GRoos
USA
8 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2003 : 13:41:27
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To comment on the original question, I spent 4 1/2 years as a staff adjuster prior to becoming an I/A. The company I worked for as a staff adjuster put through a 3 month training class. There I learned the policies, estimatics, territory management, and report writing. While I was a staff adjuster everyone complained about the money. You can work 300 or 700 claims a year and your pay is still the same. After I thought I had learned all I could from the company I was working for, I quit and moved on to something new. There is always more to learn.
Just remember, as others have stated, you have to walk before you can run. Become a staff adjuster first and learn the ropes of adjusting. |
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richc222
USA
8 Posts |
Posted - 03/24/2004 : 23:42:02
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| Good response GRoos, former staff adjusters seem to be in demand by vendors. Working two years staff would be a great start to a cat career. |
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LarryW
USA
126 Posts |
Posted - 03/25/2004 : 02:22:23
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Fivedaily: I think Trader was saying that there is no experience more valuable that that of working everyday claims.
Barry19: Back in the old days, a rookie adjuster started as a trainee and probably worked all lines claims. A typical claims pending usually included auto, general liablility, property and maybe some inland marine, fidelity, surety or medical malpractice. Typically, that pending case load included personal lines as well as commercial.If a claim went to litigation, the same adjuster handled it through that process. It was a great way to learn all aspects of the claims business and it enabled one to identify an area of special interest which could be targeted. As far as I know, there was no such thing as Cat Adjusters back then.
So much for the good old days, in today's world specialization is the new art form. Of course, specialization does have some advantages. Way back when, as I am sure most of the other old foggies will attest, it took many years to really learn this business. Because of this specialization, an adjuster can be highly proficient after two or three years experience. And that is a fact. I believe this is one of the reasons there seems to be so much resentment towards the newbies on this site. Today's property adjusters probably handle as many property claims in two years as we old farts did in six or seven years. I imagine, a lot of the older folks don't think of it in those terms and still feel that these "two year wonders" have not paid their dues.
Of course this site deals with only a very small part of the adjusting profession, property claims and 95% of that being residential. Property adjusters with a few years experience have only that, a few years property adjusting experience. But,with such a steady diet of it,they are likely damned good residential property adjusters. I don't know why I am saying all of this, except I really believe that if anyone wants to get into the adjusting business they should realize there are many facets to it and that the more facets they learn, then the more opportunities will unfold in their careers. As an independent cat adjuster, I would likely have been starved out of the business during the many slow times, had I not been able to accept assignments for casualty work or other normal everyday claims. So, if anyone wants to get into this business, my advice (remembering that free advice is usually worth what you pay for it) would be for that person to learn as much about claims as they possibly can, get as much exposure to all different types of claims as possible. Get a job working everyday claims, like Trader says.
Perhaps my definition of this business is much too broad, maybe we should call it the residential property cat business. But, I prefer to call it the claims business.
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Larry Wright |
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Slew
25 Posts |
Posted - 03/25/2004 : 16:22:52
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| I did the same as GRoos. I think I took the right path. |
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PBMAX
11 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2004 : 14:40:36
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thank every one for thier [HELPFULNESS]
I went to a meeting , 60 people
The were no young people there ???
EXPERIENCE IS A GIFT,[SHARE IT]
WHAT WE DO IS NOT EAZY..... |
paul brosch |
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for newbies...carrier vs ia?
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