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I think Larry's prolly right, but deside four yourself.

What exactly is your background that would qualify you to be an adjuster? Whatever you don't already know needs to be learned before your on a storm, because on a storm you hardly have time to do all your own claims.

If you do decide to pursue this line of employment, Pilot would be the best to start with. If you go through their evaluation and you fail, be happy that you did not realize you are a failure with 100. You would save a ton of money by just staying home and not having a pile of lawsuits because you were not qualified for your job.

Ask some of your adjuster friends to take you along one of these days and see first hand what it is we do. Right along with them, watching everything they do and if you think you can do it better...then get your license.

Just what we need in this profession, more failed car salesmen, more failed roofers, more failed contractors, more failed ............................, help me out here ................ My advise is to stay on the porch.

HI Chuck Deaton, (name calling removed) I think last time I looked at the news the auto industry was strugling as a nation. I guess the housing market is down because there are to many failed real estate agents and the stock market sucks because brokers do not know what they are doing. I could have done with out your useless advice.

Our pal, Mr Snappy, reminds me of the spider enticing the fly onto it's web, "Dinner will be served as soon as you get settled!"

Ol' Ghost

Erin123, I am sorry, but the truth is the truth, this is a rough business and it seems like everybody that is failing at one thing has friends that have made it big in the catastrophe adjusting business. My comment stands, the last thing professional adjusters need is more failed whatevers, If you rank in the top 30% of Caddie and Hummer salesmen, you have money in the bank, your marriage is solid and will stand you being gone for, well I have been gone basically since 2004, and you have no aversion to being sued then more power to you. What about medical insurance, do you have any?

But if you are just an average Caddie and Hummer salesman, your mortgage is in arrears, you are broke and got a certificate from high school and your wife gets lonesome then my suggestion is to do yourself and your family a favor and stay on the porch.

Maybe Mr. Snappy would be willing to explain to us all how an HO-3 differs from a manuscript policy and how to get paid from TWIA when the State of Texas is broke.

Hahaha. Since you know so much about me your presumptions are wrong. I am not married nor have a mortgage. I am twenty five years old and have a year until I finish my bachelors online with university of phoenix. It sounds like you have had some of these experiences yourself and are just sharing the risk involved. Maybe you found your wife in between the sheets with another! I dont know and I do not care to try and guess your life story or why you becam an adjuster cause I really do not care. Thank you snappy for some legitimate advice.

I an sorry that I offended you, however, you asked for advise from experienced adjusters. I am nothing if I am not an experienced adjuster. I started this profession and was married before you were born, my MBA was earned before the advent of the internet and before the online diploma mills were invented, before Hummers were first manufactured and I work every day.

I didn't presume anything, you are right, I don't know you, but you can apply the test and if you are successful in the auto sales business my advice is to stay in it. If you are failing in the auto sales business, then evaluate why you are failing, correct your problems and stay in it.

Only a few people really succeed in the Catastrophe claims business and you get to an adequate place on the pay ladder the same way, smarts, luck and hard, hard work. It is the same cut throat business as selling cars. Mr. Snappy pointed that out.

Here is a test, go to your high school track, and start walking, can you walk a mile in 10 minutes? Can you walk two miles? If not climbing 5 roofs a day, every day, writing 5 reports, everyday, and if you can't be civil with me how are you going to deal with a claims supervisor that refuses all your claims, after you have submitted them 4 to 10 times and then the vendor doesn't pay you.

You are right, in 35 years I have been through some of these things and I dealt with them and I am still dealing with them.

Well Chuck you poked first. I am a very hard worker and I know nothing comes easy. I appreciate the honesty, but I was looking for more helpful information instead of criticism. I looked at cat adjusting as a good oportunity considering storm season is here. And yes you are right the salesman that has been here for 11 years probably has a pretty nice savings account, although his sales are also down. Me on the other hand I have only been in the business for 2.5 years and been in school and with having bills and other expenses its tough. I am in very good shape and have played sports my whole life. I am not worried about the physical demands but more having the knowledge to complete the jobs. This is why I asked for advice. You had to start somewhere im sure.

I did start "somewhere" a long time ago and I make lots of mistakes and I worked and still work in many areas of insurance adjusting.We are assisting cleaning up Katrina lawsuits now.

Talk to your friends that are making money as Cat adjusters and see where they started and how. There are many ways to "start" and the way I started 35 years ago is not relevant to your situation.

There are some things that are relevant and I pointed some out and offended you.

The truth remains, insurance adjusting especially handling claims after catastrophes is difficult for anybody and it is impossible if you do not correctly assess the situation. You will find that most of the claims of money made are b++++sh+t. I know because I am an experienced professional catastrophe adjuster working every day with people who lie like dogs about what they make. One set of friends work 40 to 60 flood claims a month, good money, another set traveled to Houston, got 27 flood claims, got them rejected, rejected and rejected. They made money but not the great sums bragged about.

Posted By Erin123 on 04 Jun 2009 04:47 PM
Hahaha. Since you know so much about me your presumptions are wrong. I am not married nor have a mortgage. I am twenty five years old and have a year until I finish my bachelors online with university of phoenix. It sounds like you have had some of these experiences yourself and are just sharing the risk involved. Maybe you found your wife in between the sheets with another! I dont know and I do not care to try and guess your life story or why you becam an adjuster cause I really do not care. Thank you snappy for some legitimate advice.

Posted By ChuckDeaton on 04 Jun 2009 04:00 PM
  how to get paid from TWIA when the State of Texas is broke.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Te...-Good.html

Chuck is right about this. If anything, we grizzelled dinosaurs are a little weary of repeating ourselves about how to chase the rainbow for that elusive pot-o-gold. So, one more time. Please pay your dues first, young pilgrim. Find an adjusting job at a real insurance company and 'earn & learn' for about 4 years. Next, find a job at an independent adjusting company for another 3 years. Now, seek out the storm crews and ascend the career ladder into our lofty blue sky world. Then, you will have paid your rightful dues.

Ol' Ghost

My comment was intended to point out a quote related to the financial condition of TWIA, the recent passing of an Texas windstorm bill and the very real idea that another Ike or Alicia storm could bankrupt Texas.

Nobody agrees with everything I say or think and never have, so, take my words for what they are worth. I was a working cat adjuster when my hero Roy Cupps started this board, I was working for Crawford doing workers' comp in Las Vegas, and I am still here, in South Louisiana, working every day.

Thansks everyone for the advice including chuck. I will make sure I research this more and do it the right way if it is something I still want to pursue

David, CADO on an average of at least once a month on this web site receives a post from an individual who wants to become a Cat adjuster yesterday for as long as I’ve been a member here since 1998. The perspective of the postings is always the same “I know a couple of Cat adjuster who are making big money. I need some advise on how I can get an adjuster license and the necessary training required so I can be ready for the next hurricane season.” I find this very disrespectful to our profession. I have offend wonder if these poster have found a web site for brain surgeons and ask “Hey a friend of mine was telling me how much money you make doing brain surgery. Can anyone give me some advice on how I can pass the medical examine and be ready to perform brain surgery by next spring? Any assistance from the old timers on this site would be great. Thanks in advance”. I ask you the question what do you think the response would be from that profession?

I know Cat adjusting is not brain surgery, however it does require training that from my opinion cannot be done in one or two storm seasons. I have been in this profession for 11 years and have worked for both small and large vendors. At the completion of each season I have always been told your work product has placed you on our first call list for next seasons. Each seasons when a hurricane is in route, I receive at least 10 stand by calls and e-mails from the companies I have worked with. After 8 years in this profession learning how to become a competent insurance claims adjuster I’m finally working year round with one company Cunningham Lindsey. This is not a profession (like being a brain surgeon) that you can just jump into with no experience and start making big money as it has been referred to. I have made a decent living as an independent insurance adjuster but from my prospective earning big money would have been to become a brain surgeon. There are a lot of expenses associated with this profession and a definite need to learn how to budget to make it to the next season.

This is not a get rich quick profession. If you really want to purse this profession than you need to make a long-term decision and follow the advice given here and work your way up the ladder like the rest of us have had to do.

Oh and one last thing, if your are lucky enough and get an assignment this coming season on a good storm and make enough money to pay off your debts. I doubt you will have enough money left over to sustain yourself until the next season, regardless of how much your current debt is. You’ll be right back where you started, no job and no money.