Forums

I was always of two minds about posts like the Rose of Texas' (aka Texas Donnie). In the first place it narrows the field, a sort of natural selection, and those who have higher standards for what they post in a professional public forum tend to shine and stand out in contrast. On the other hand, it reinforces the notion that many have -- that the catadjusting ranks are replete with hit and run Bubba boys who should be hired only as a last resort.

In the final analysis, the latter is probably more potent than the former.

Sorry you had a bad experience, Mr. Rose, but I could only understand about a third of what you were trying to tell us.

In response to the comments made regarding pay issues with Cunningham Lindsey, I can only comment on personal experiences.  As Tom stated, we both have worked with CL many years.  I can only recall two times that I did not get paid (in full) for a file that I worked.  When I contacted CL, it was found that another adjuster had erroneously been paid, and in both instances, once the error was found, I was paid immediately.  During 2008, I spent almost 10 months working with CL and payment was always received when due. 

 

I’ve had no problems with the “new” management at CL, nor did I have any problems with past management.  I have worked with other vendors, some good and some not so good.  Given a choice, I will always go with CL. 

Donnie Rose's comment was one of the best pieces

of writing anywhere on this website in a long time

and I have been reading this site since it shared space

with news about Roy's son's Boy Scout Troop low

these many years ago. Rose  had something to say and

he said it with the bark on and with an economy of words

and  hard hitting expressions.

 

Compare that to Meg's scolding of him and  pontification

about the 1st Amendment and the 5th Amendment and when

Abraham Lincoln was born and when Abraham Lincoln died.

All I can say is don't operate heavy machinery after reading that,

it might make you drowsy.

 

But all that said, there is no freedom of speech issue here.

This website is private property and controlled by its owner

and if Roy  wants to cap some speech and not cap other

speech it is his "printing press,"  even when he delegates that

job to his agents, the monitors.  We are all here at his indulgence

and all that talk about a community making rules is just

that -- talk.  Fortunately Roy keeps a  light hand on the reins.

 

Didn't any of you silent readers find Rose's comment refreshing

and gut busting?  It's time to speak up.

 

Drink up Shriners and keep laughing.

 

Guy Snappy

Snapfish,

I wondered how long it would be before you weighed in! You love a controversy, don't you?

Guy, I couldn't agree with you more ! I was just waiting for Tom to talk about how he's been in the business for 49 years and how he's 6'4 in height again for the 600th time.

Keep it coming, I need more laughs

With due respect to Tom and Janice let me say that I came out of the chute in the CL rodeo, my bull rope tight and my hat screwed on, but CL bucked me off in the first go round. To their credit Tom and Janice rode the full 8 seconds that was 2004. While I went on to other opportunities. After reviewing and assisting in the settlement of litigated claims started by CL adjusters and reviewed by CL adjusters, It seems to me that there are more goat ropers than bull riders at CL.

To be fair, every company has good people and those you wonder who they are sleeping with to get their job. CL is no different that Pilot, Crawford or Eberls, just smaller. I am sure the Tolls have enjoyed their treatment based on personal relationships within the company. When the problems occurred, I suspect they know someone within CL to call to get the issue resolved. Not everyone has that access, but I consider it a sign of a good adjuster.

CL has had payroll problems for 10+ years. Even staff have checks that have bounced. If you piss off Exec. Management, you will never get paid, otherwise they will come up with the money. I know of a few complainers that I can believe failed to meet minimum standards that did not get paid, which is correct in my book. Pilot is the only company I have worked for that has never had pay issues. Maybe I am one of the chosen ones for Pilot. Eberls was slow due to errors in their accounting department, but I was paid.

Donnie's issues appear to be valid considering the CL person involved.

Tex, your funny. You did provide me with a good laugh this morning, thank you.

Tom,

Shouldn't you be over in the Knowledge and Attitude forum....copy and pasting all your daily thoughts and wisdom over there?

We ..as in all of us on CADO...the ones the lurk, hide and laugh behind your back know how you operate. You're only fooling yourself.

As being a " so called " real adjuster, I've seen your lackluster product on MSB Integra and it's far from stellar. So, words to the wise man, being in the business 49 years doesn't make you a superior adjuster, it just means you haven't made enough money to retire happy and get out of this adjusting arena that you have wandered around for 5 decades. And please do not tell me you love your job and love helping people either, because we are not buying it and you shouldnt be selling it.

( If you google your comments you post on the website, you'll see I'm right about where you have stolen them from )

No need to respond either, because I could care less Mr. Copy & Paste man.

Whoa, Tex! That's a little strong. Tho I was a frequent poster some years ago and decided to watch thru the knot hole in the fence as others played here in the backyard, this kind of of slam is over the line, bringing me hopping over the fence.

As a temp file examiner, I too have reviewed Mr Tolls work product. I found it to be okay, given the parameters we all labor under in this brave new world where pure crap estimating programs are forced down our throats. Granted Mr Toll views the positive in life on these forums. Granted that can wear a little on the legitimately frayed nerves of we in this New Economic Depression. It is still wrong to attack his persona. If you wish to launch a torpedo attack, aim at the topic presented here. And that topic is one persons sour view of the management of Cunningham-Lindsey and their practices of assigning losses and claims scatttered all over Hell-N-Gone and half of Texas.

As the mood strikes, I will have other posts to make about the state of our industry from my experiences with companies and vendors. And, much to the chagrin of some here, my views will be to the point and incisive.

Ol' Ghost

Tex, I have never tried to hide the fact that some of my Knowledge and Attitude comments are cut and paste. I strive everyday to try and impress upon people how important attitude and diplomacy means to us in the world we live in by whatever means possible. Your last commentary proves that I need to continue on in my world of cut and paste and comments from my own knowledge base, as you have just displayed as much diplomacy and attitude as placing a cow patty on a plate and asking someone to enjoy their Texas steak that you just cooked on your grill of diplomacy. 

 

Apparently you are just a lurker, with a sour attitude. Why don't you try to present something that would benefit our profession instead of trying to degrade someone else. It is I only, that must be concerned about my work product. It has been satisfactory to many carriers for many years, so I don't care that someone like you cares about it, one way or the other. I do not claim, nor have I ever claimed, to be the ultimate adjuster. I have always stressed on CADO that knowledge is never ending. I suggest you try some.

 

Ghost, welcome back and thanks for your comments. I am at a disadvantage about Cunningham Lindsey daily claim business, as I have never been on their staff at a branch. I can only project and comment on their cat business, of which I have never had a problem. I adhere to their guidelines, whether I approve of them or not. Their guidelines, like that of all vendors, are based on what their respective clients need and insist upon. As far as lengthy travel in Texas to work claims, I have no doubt of that. Texas is a big, big, state. I am sure we all realize that no vendor or company will have claims offices in small towns throughout that state. That would be cost prohibitive. Travel is a part of this business. When I started with Southern Farm Bureau, I had three countries assigned to me, which required extensive travel, but I had a company vehicle, paid expenses, (meals), so that was understood to be a part of claims handling. I spent most of my day back then, in the car, but I always enjoyed it.

It seems to me that the new generation of adjusters wants claims assigned to them within a few miles so the easy money can be made. It does not work like that and cannot work like that. If one hires on with a company and is told of their area and that is accepted by the adjuster, then it should be accepted, or the job offer refused, if not acceptable.  Adjusting is hard work; we all know that, yet we continue to do it. Is that because we love the work, enjoy helping people in their time of trouble, or because we live in LaLa land and think we will retire rich. The latter does not fly. An adjuster can make a decent wage if he applies himself and learns more each day of his or her life. One nice aspect of the adjusting field is the fact that there will always be insurance coverage, therefore, insurance claims. The job is recession proof, if you’re on staff or Cat. Yes, I know there are lay offs in this business too, but for all intents and purposes, this is a recession proof profession. The more we learn the less likely of a lay off. The more we learn the more possibility for advancement there is. Knowledge is key to any job and a large key in a complex occupation such as adjusting.

I have worked for Crawford and Company, but after having a minor problem with management, switched to Cunningham Lindsey. I have also worked for several more vendors of which I enjoyed. I met RG through a friend of mine that convinced me that they were the company to work for. After meeting RG and finding out he was a down to earth individual, I decided to try it. I have now been with them for over 11 years and have enjoyed my relationship with management and other adjusters who have worked for them on Cat for many years also. I am not fool enough to think they don't have problems, all vendors do, but, I have seen less problems with them than any vendor I have worked for. I have met all the management with Cunningham Lindsey and find them to be honorable people and people that want their employees, staff or contract, to be content. RG has gone out of his way to help adjusters. I know this for a fact. Bill Slove also strives to help his adjusting staff. David Repenski is always open to suggestions to improve their station in this field. Their rules have to be based on what the particular carriers want, whether domestic or London, we must never forget this. It is a part of the business.

Like Ray Hall, I strive to help young adjusters make their place in this business and like Ray, I have gotten old and developed some health issues which prohibit me from climbing roofs. I do, however, continue to do as much as possible, as I love this business and always have. Each day presents a different challenge and I have always liked challenges. It makes life much more interesting. I started the Knowledge and Attitude forum to try to present to all that attitude and knowledge is a plus in any field, particularly this one. There have been almost 22,000 hits on that thread, so obviously some do enjoy reading it. I will continue with my warm and fuzzy posts until the hits stop. Life presents challenges and problems every day that we live. I have mine and everyone else has theirs, but we cannot give up hope for the best. We are in a financial situation in this country due to many failures on the part of our government and ourselves. Over indulgence of credit card use, a war we should have never gotten into, and pouring money into countries that hate us are just a few. We cannot allow ourselves to get down; we must stay positive for our live to be positive.

I wish the best of luck to all of you who read this. Remember one thing, luck is not handed to you, it occurs only if you are positive about yourself and life itself. Make your own luck and prosper.

 

 

Yeah, yeah, yeah and no, I do not flip burgers. So who hasn't grown older as the years roll by? I, too, used to dance the Light Fantastic along the ridge row till my bi-focals shoved me into a slight case of vertigo. And, And, those SOB architects of the past 25 years who have seen fit to design roofs solely intended to be accessed by the short, thin, Hispanics brought across the river in south Texas, matriculated thru the Roofing Association roofing school, put on a bus, and sent across the fruited plains to Bumfuzz Roofers, Inc , to install those monsters. So, for me, it was the old One-Two Punch; Vision/vertigo and impossibly dangerous roof designs.

That shoved me into desk adjusting and file examining on the day rate. Which brings me to go off on a tangent from this topics subject line. During my last stint reviewing the work products of C-L and Pasco for one particular insurance company, the overall better quaility of adjustors files were from the House of C-L. But, not by all that much. The real problem, indeed disservice, to the Insureds was the companies initial rules with the vendors concerning the chosen estimating program, Integriclaim. Any of you can dig up and find that instruction about altering the unit prices and the not so veiled threats attached to it. But, wrong is wrong.

Wrong is the abject refusal of MSB to quickly adjust thier prices, particularly on roofing materials. At first, as I was not a pricing speciailist and the roofers had yet to penetrate into the claim payment process, I put off their howlings to the usual baying of the greedy hounds found at every storm event. But, soon, very soon, my review of the MSB estimtes floating across my desk prompted me to start calling the closest Home Depot to the Insureds location to check on the current costs of materials, like felt, roofing, decking, trim metal. I did not like what I was learning. When MSB showed say, $6.00 for a roll of felt, Home Depot charged $18.75 plus tax. The same ratio diference would be on other material items. So, being the good little consciencious child what I are, I queried the company management folks.

"Oh, Yeah, we know that. MSB is always too low. We go ahead and pay the difference when we get the contractors estimate after having the Insured go out and get several more estimates and making the contractors itemize every element of the estimate. If they don't want to and send in their usual proposal, we just wait till they do. Sometimes it can drag on for months.", said the company supervisor.

Where's the problem? Pure and simple, it is in the lap of MSB. Is it intentional or just plain sloth? Did they market their product to these carriers as a means of underpaying claims or delaying proper payment of claims till the Insured had to send complaint letters all the up the monkey chain? Do space aliens really want to probe my anus when I drive over the New Mexico state line and what's so interesting back there anyway? Questions, questions, too many questions.

So, what's to be done? Since the carriers and vendors don't want accuracy in the estimate unit costs, why bother with working the file as we were raised to do? This is a real, undiluted, ethical quandry for me. I fear my time at this place as a temp will affect my future abilities because it is way too easy to adapt and change into that mode where a culture of avoidance in dealing with the Insureds was so prevalent along with the inherent vice of underpayment.

Culture of Avoidance?, you ask. Yes, when the Insured phones, the call goes to a call center in another state where the operator is chosen to have a thick, barely understandable cultural accent. The call is then transferred to the claims office where the adjuster is located. Here is where it gets interesting. The adjuster and supervisors never answer the phone. That's right. They automatically let it go to voice mail where the messages are erased without being noted every few days. The only time the Insured gets to speak with the adjuster is when the adjuster has the estimate and report from the field inspector and he/she is ready to process the claim for payment/denial/referral to SIU. And, woe to the Insured if they don't pick up that phone before the answer box gets it. Then they go back to the bottom of the stack. A Culture of Avoidance. And contractors? HA! They don't exist. Seeing how they are not listed as Named Insureds, answering their usual questions about where's the money, and how much did you pay, and all the rest, they are hung up on because to tell them anything would be to violate the privacy laws designed to protect the parties privy to the contract of insurance. So, contractors? F and feed 'em fish heads!, to use an old colliquilism.

Thanx for letting me get this off my chest. There's more but I'm getting tired. As this is the brave new future of adjusting for we who are desk bound, I can only respectfully suggest those who still wish to find the pot-o-gold at the end of the storm trooping rainbow seek a different rainbow. This ain't the world of the past when Walter would call and send you across the country on a Delta flight leaving in 90 minutes and your reservation already has been made for a Toyota Tercell rent car waiting for when you get there.

Ol' Ghost

Well Mr Tex ASS walker, your non existent profile sure says a bunch about you. You see nothing, hear nothing and say things about people that would piss off any adjuster. Go cook some more cowpies.............................................................................................

New Forum User
New Forum User Member Since: 20 Feb 2009 04:17 AM ( Probably drunk as a skunk at that time of the day)
Last Visit: 03 Mar 2009 05:20 AM (HIC)
Posts: 3

Oh.....look another self proclaimed-self appointed EGA on here. R.D. Hood, I bet you delivered pizza's before you handled a few commerical claims during Katrina, and decided...hey, I can handle these without anyone knowing my background or skills as a adjuster.

Send us ..as in all of us on CADO your credentials on why you claim to be a EGA, GA, NGA or RGA. I would love to take a glance at one of your files. Hell, I bet it would be as funny like comedy central, since this is what this site has came too over the past 2 years.

It use to be a pleasure to look in and read every once in awhile on here, but now I'm sorry to say it's just a shame of all the chest bumping ego's and wanna be's, has been's and never ever will be's on here claiming they are re-eventing the wheel in the claims handling side of the insurance industry.

There are actually only a handful of decent adjusters on CADO that I can say I have respect for because they know the business and do not feel the need to get the last word in.

These topics that are on here is such a waste of time, doesn't anyone of you claimed EGA's and GA's work or have work to do? It's the same old bozo's on here from day to day, month to month, year to year. My god, from the space shuttle stories to discovering a cure for cancer you tell on here, I would think all of you would be busy making money or trying to secure a job in this depressed enconomy. That goes to show, 80% of you are smoke blowers.

I know, I know, my profile says nothing, I have no posts, there is no profile on me. If you need to respond, go ahead. If I need to go make " cowpies " I will again on someone's else expense.

By the way, I'm not bitter or sour at all. I just like rattling the cage :)