Larry and Randy, your both right on. This field of endeavor will never be a get rich quick occupation. In all the years I have been a licensed adjuster, I had one very exceptional year and that was 1992, Hurricane Andrew. Companies were begging for adjusters and were paying very high dollars to get qualified adjusters and particularily General adjusters. I was a GA at the right place and the right time. One of the companies that I was handling claims for gave me a million dollar authority to settle their losses. Never again will that happen. Andrew caught many companies off guard, and as I said, that will never happen again. I met many of you on that storm, which was the plus side of that event.
If you stay in this business for many years, health issues can surface. Take care of your health and particularily your lungs. Wear a mask or respirator when in unhealthy breathing conditions. Too many non stop hours can cause emotional and eventually heart problems. Listen to your body and obey its commands, or your body will just not be able to take it.
You can make a decent living at this, but it is getting tougher to do so. Save as much as you can for the dry years and make every moment with your family count for something. Make every moment with your friends and fellow adjusters count for something. You live but one time, make it count.
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.