| 05/12/2010 3:07 AM |
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An Allstate staff friend of mine confirmed to me yesterday that she was being trained in Xactimate over the next couple of weeks and that Allstate is leaving MSB/integ for XM8. I wonder if this is going to be a gradual conversion to xm8, or if it will be a msb one day, the next day xm8 situation. However, I can't imagine it's gonna be an easy switch for this giant company. I also imagine there may be additional work opportunities with them if a lot of these guys can't "get it".
I think this is a good move, of course I'm an xactimate guy. What do you think?
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ddreisbach Member Posts:172  
| 05/12/2010 9:24 AM |
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I think it sucks!
First I've got to spend time and money in classes. Then, no matter how good the class is, I'll be much slower on my first storm or two while I struggle to learn the ins and outs of a new estimating program instead of closing claims. It's going to cost me money. Eventually I'll learn it, but in the short term it'll be an expensive hassle.
From reading posts on this site it doesn't appear that there's any clear advantage to the Allstate adjuster. In fact, I think it's more expensive? On the other hand, there's a lot of Pilot adjusters (myself included) that have limited opportunities to work for other vendors or Citizens because they don't know XM8. Conversely, Pilot will have a much larger adjuster pool to hire from. We'll see... |
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| 05/12/2010 2:04 PM |
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I would rather use xactimate because the prices are so much higher leading to less complaints and bigger paychecks. Other than the high prices-it sucks. It is like using a computer program written in the 1980's.
If u have been using msb then you are used to great customer service. They will even remote access your computer for free. Wait till u have problems with xactimate and they make you pay $20 to help you.
Msb screwed up by using crappy prices.
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| 05/12/2010 8:59 PM |
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what did i tell you?
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CatAdjusterX Veteran Member Posts:964 
| 05/13/2010 6:43 AM |
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My buddy just picked up a staff spot with Allstate and confirmed the same thing and fairly soon ! "A good leader leads.....
..... but a great leader is followed !!"
CatAdjusterX@gmail.com
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Tim_JohnsonMember Posts:243
| 05/13/2010 7:54 AM |
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Foremost has gone to Symbility.
Tim Johnson
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| 05/13/2010 10:36 AM |
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Xact is the future. All these shadows of the past like MSB or Simsol will be soon gone, unless they incorporate Sketch and straighten their databases.
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Jud G. Advanced Member Posts:509
| 05/13/2010 10:47 AM |
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A good move? The writing's been on the wall. MSB fails miserably at every chance it gets to improve their system. They've always been talking about a diagram feature that would change the industry, but never did it.
I started using MSB in 2002 when it was a big deal to have their pictures that are clickable to create different construction categories.
I started using Xactimate four (4) years later and it took me a good six months so that I had a decent handle on their program. It took about two (2) weeks before I was able to start submitting claims without major errors. Even still, I am learning new things about this behemoth everyday. Xactimate is very different, but a much more powerful program.
Anyway, my claim volume shifted once again and I am back to using MSB for some other carriers. With no major changes to this software since 2002 I had no choice but to become forced to turn into another one of those Xactimate snobs. In one word, MSB is so prehistoric.
On a final note. With MSB having the luxury of sucking Allstate's tit for so many years, they deserve to suffer for their complacency. This is a good example of how funding failed enterprises is just not a good idea (the words subsidize, bailout, USPS, GMC, ethanol come to mind). Conversely, seeing them fail is a good example of how capitalism can be such a beautiful thing.
Perhaps our newborn socialist empire will bail them out, hmm...? Nah, that won't happen, MSB's just not 'too big to fail'.
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Jud G.Advanced Member Posts:509
| 05/13/2010 1:28 PM |
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If u have been using msb then you are used to great customer service. They will even remote access your computer for free. Wait till u have problems with xactimate and they make you pay $20 to help you.
Msb screwed up by using crappy prices. Xactimate has great customer service too- just sign in to use their free chat feature. If you are a 'phone' preferred person, then this will be a good time to change it up. |
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| 05/13/2010 6:53 PM |
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I agree, every time I had an issue, it was resolved in immediately by their chat support...
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| 05/13/2010 8:37 PM |
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What I like about MSB is that u send the whole file in and reviewer can take what they want And can easily make changes if they want.
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CatAdjusterXVeteran Member Posts:964
| 05/14/2010 5:53 PM |
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I have read all the reports and articles what with "preferred contractor's" and the recent integration of eagleview satellitie software into versions of Xactimate and have asked many of you for your thoughts on this matter and the consensus seems to be while these things may in fact reduce an IA's role in the field, but never completely eliminate the IA.
The prevalence of Xactimate's sketch features make me wonder because with these new features or not so new, whatever,but from all the money we are dropping to learn how to utilize sketch , our completed reports done in sketch makes the desk adjuster's (file reviewers job so easy they could hire high school dropouts to approve these files and with each home now done in sketch and with the satellite tech now available, those homes should they befall another CAT are now archived with every measurement and each room diagrammed, just need a sat report on the roof condition and some basic pics from the homeowner of interior damage, what do they need us for anymore.
The Carriers could actually phase us out and not even have to pay for anything as we are paying to learn the tools that archive each home.
Could we be the Architects of our own demise ?
Now don't misunderstand as it couldn't happen overnight and would probably take years to get all of us out of the field, but in all seriousness, the next 10 to 15 yrs may evolve our industry to being done over the phone from a desk jockey and no visit required from a person.
Robby Robinson "A good leader leads.....
..... but a great leader is followed !!"
CatAdjusterX@gmail.com
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Ray Hall Senior Member Posts:2443
| 05/14/2010 6:53 PM |
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Good post Robbie I agree with you completly. I will tell CADO why. I started with a small auto/casualty insurance carrier in Houston, TX. The first two weeks I read closed files 7 hours per say, made notes and has a Q & A with a Sr. Supervisor or the claims manager 1 hour per day. Then I rode with an adjuster for one week and I did this for three weeks. We we required to investigate ever claim by meeting all parties to the claim face to face and taking a type written statment from them. Take photos of all the vehicles, accident scene, scene of the injury, part of the body, doctors lawyers, repair men ever person who had knowdege of the d=facts or damages.
Needless to say after a year with this company, you could knock on almost any door and get on with another company for a $100.00 raise and a better expense account. Thats what I did. They did not require as much work and I learned the short cuts with THEIR permission. We still took statements . but some time they were telephone statements. ( I had to learn how). I did not transcribe the statment etc. Then I changed again when I had 3 years of very good casualty experience and went to property school and started settling claims on the phone. I remember the first time my boss showed me very complex liability claims or property claims that he had NEVER seen. I had very good basic,s but you can always improve on the end result result. GET THE CLAIM CLOSED THE RIGHT WAY. It don,t have to be the way you were taught always boy.... Just remember.... nobody ever splained it to me that way....
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| 05/14/2010 10:38 PM |
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your duet is wonderful, keep singing while we keep working....
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Ray HallSenior Member Posts:2443
| 05/15/2010 12:39 AM |
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beware olegred, a lot of you folks can be replaced by someone else who can work smarter and cheaper.some of these old guys work by the hour from home and work direct for the carrier.
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| 05/15/2010 2:25 AM |
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yeah, let's talk when hurricane strikes this year... We'll see how many desk adjusters will be climbing roofs.. :)
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CatAdjusterXVeteran Member Posts:964
| 05/15/2010 6:08 AM |
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Posted By Olegred on 15 May 2010 02:25 AM
yeah, let's talk when hurricane strikes this year... We'll see how many desk adjusters will be climbing roofs.. :)
Olegred
apparently you must of shut your brain off 20 seconds into my post (as you did as well during your NFIP certification) as what I was saying every Xactimate report done in sketch is now archived and the next go around will not require a whole lot of field work as this generation of adjusters and all reports done in sketch for the 2010 storm season are now the foundation for the file to be built on should those risks befall another CAT event.
"A good leader leads.....
..... but a great leader is followed !!"
CatAdjusterX@gmail.com
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| 05/15/2010 10:56 AM |
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CatAdjusterX
Relax, buddy. Let's not lose the face, as Chinese say. Measurements of the roofs have been on file with large carriers like Allstate (after 2005 almost every roof has been measured in LA :), but they still send the adjusters out. The essence of the adjusting is determining the damage, not measuring. Yeah, small claims with large insurers could be fast tracked thru call centers, but smaller insurers still handle them in field, as well as larger losses. Besides, every roof is measurable thru telemetry services, what has Xact to do with it? There will be fluctuations in claims volume ALWAYS, and IAs will never cease to be needed in the long run. If you were unable to gather all that yourself though I'm not sure about your marketability given your limited brain function.
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Ray HallSenior Member Posts:2443
| 05/15/2010 1:58 PM |
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This is a question that some of the great minds on this site may think about. Why is xmate the program of choice with at least 75% of dwelling adjustments in the USA. Contractors and carriers alike.(Computer software and non computer estimates)
I am thinking of replacement of fee bill adjustments for IA contractors. More desk adjusters, less roof thumpers. houses within a data base, flat rate billing per componant, roof, rooms, contents, ALE in 10ths of hours. etc. I also see the vendors getting less and fee bills going down.
Just think about this IF we allow Mexican Roofers to inspect roofs, the carriers could climb, photo and measure 250,000 roofs per day with just 1,000 Mexicans. They could be flown in on 4 jets and driven by 1,000 Enterpise Rental employees in PU with a ladder rack, IF NEEDED. get real folks
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| 05/15/2010 2:46 PM |
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Uhhh, Ray, you do know the American Roofing Association has a school down in the valley where newly arrived South-of-the-Borderites are housed, clothed, fed, trained, and put on the bus north to work for American Roofers all over the country, don't you? I thought everyone in the world knew that. Along the way they pick up an old sofa seat cushion, pull off the upholstery, and use it to keep from sliding off these insanely dangerous steep roofs being built. The ones we full size All-American boys would fall off of or flat out refuse to try to climb, all for good reason.
The longer I live, the more rackets I see.
Ol' Ghost
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