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"... but anyway... BobH and Ray Hall are the only cool guys around here :)"   -- Olegred

I have seen the handwriting on the wall. It says, "Mene Mene Tekel Upharsin" (Daniel 5:25). I have been weighed in the balances and found wanting. I am apparently part of the uncool crowd. Oh, well, been there before. Won't be the last time. Pretty inclusive in-crowd, though. Ray and Bob never told me I couldn't hang out with them.

Somehow, though, I think the little story in Daniel 4:28-37 speaks more to this thread than Daniel Five does.

Muchas Gracias, Sir Olegred.  Good luck with the 12.  Don't walk backwards on any roofs.
 

So, Steve, which Kingdom is coming to an end, and who has been weighed on the scales and found wanting? 

~M~

Very interesting read. I guess the moral of the story is humble thyself. Or in a quote from the movie wall street "Enjoy the roll, it never lasts".

And one more question for you. When you hire somebody, what are the most important things for  you? Experience, licenses? or something else?

Posted By Staffer on 21 Jan 2010 03:08 PM

Typical cat staff adjuster starting pay - $50-75k depending on experience. That doesn't include cat bonus of anywhere between $25-$40k per year.

This is true, but most do not start as Cat adjusters. In my experience, most staff Cat adjusters were staff trainees in a local office for several years prior. And that starting pay is much lower. At the carrier I worked at starting pay was 28-30K and after a few years you became a senior and was raised to the 40s. Cat team made senior pay + cat duty pay, and that probably got them to the level you are talking about. I had interviewed for a couple positions that would hire me at the senior adjuster position because of prior experience but it was starting in the low 40s + vehicle.

"What do you guys do, when there's no CATS? Daily claims?"

Very rarely will we do daily claims.  There's always something to do on CAT claims: 

Review files for recoverable depreciation and adjust reserves appropriately

call the stale files and find out if/when insureds are going to do complete repairs. 

Re-inspect prior claims that are now in dispute. 

Training, training and more training (always getting new/udpated technology)

Review workflows and how we can make them better

Take extra days off with pay!

"When you hire somebody, what are the most important things for  you? Experience, licenses? or something else?"

All the above.  Biggest question that I ask is "I give you 60 claims when you're deployed, tell me what you do from there"  Believe it or not, lots cannot anwer this question.  This usually is a make or break question in my opinion.  The last thing you want to say is "handle the barkers first to quiet them up so things don't escalate".  A good adjuster will have the skillset to get the barkers (usually they have minimal damage) to understand the people with more severe damage take precedent.  Another tip......if you travel with your pet, don't even think about hiring onto staff.  Even if the pet stays in the hotel or wherever.  Schedules change on a moments notice.  What if you have to fly somewhere from your current deployed location and now the pet problem arises.  No one has time for pet problems.

Jim, you are correct but please re-read my message.  

"Typical cat staff adjuster makes $100k minimum unless your a brand new rookie and most companies won't hire rookies into cat positions."

Yes, you typically have to start like you did unless you have the experience.  IA's with experience don't fall into the rookie category.  Seniors nowadays are in the $50-$60k range to start.  Specialists are higher.  Generals are $100k + just in salary but most companies only have a handful of Generals in the entire company.  Not a big need for them.

 "Another tip......if you travel with your pet, don't even think about hiring onto staff".

 

Reminds me of an encounter i had last year. Insured hired a PA to deal with her loss, and on the day i showed up the insured advised her PA would be there shortly. I waited about 20 minutes, insured not saying a word, as though i would decapitate her or something. The PA finally shows up wearing jeans, flip flop shoes and polo shirt untucked along with a BIG  rottweiler sitting on his lap when he pulled up. I thought for a just a minute "is this a joke", until reality sit in, he was who she hired to deal and/or dispute her loss HAHAHAHAHAH. 
 

Bruisey,

Thank you for your input. And, reading between the lines, catadjusters can hear some of the impressions that have been left by the turn-and-burn, in-it-for-a-quick-buck, inspect-sixty-losses-before-you-write-anything-up, wouldn't-return-a-phone-call-if-my-life-depended-on-it, got-to-get-back-home-to-Texas-and-mow-my-lawn sort of catadjusters that have always been there but which flooded the market in 2004 and 2005. There are independent catadjusters and then there are truly excellent independent catadjusters. And there are lazy-good-for-nothing, prima dona (Nice Shoes!) staff cat adjusters and then there are top-notch, stand-out-in-a-crowd staff catadjusters. In each case, there is a need for the latter and no need for the former.

My simple advice to those on both sides of the fence -- simply be excellent. If you are not excellent yet, work toward becoming excellent always. That will go a long way toward keeping you employed and satisfied.

Olegred, you're worrying me.  I did not say that.  Here's what I said:

"Most work 3 weeks a month plus get vacation on top of that"

This is an approximate average.  I know of some companies that do 28 on 9 off (incl travel), others do 21 on and 7 off (incl travel) and others don't have a set schedule but, on average, 3 weeks a month is a fair statement.  Even as staff, I've deployed for 70 consecutive days in past.

Residence - It really depends; if it's a great candidate, they can live in Hawaii for all I care.  Most companies provide company car thus prefer the people that live in the midwest to cut down on travel expenses.  Some of our people have company cars, some don't (those that typically live in coastal areas).  But, like claims, treat each case separately.  If you're talented, jobs are to be had both on the independent and staff side.  I know of at least 3 insurance companies hiring catastrophe adjusters now.  Please don't ask for names.  A simple search should be able to locate them.  Unfortunately, the company i'm with is staffed appropriately at this time barring any mega cat.  Then we will chose the "A or B" IA team only.  If not available (the names we want and request), we'll utilize our 3rd responders (staff) who have been proven to be better than the "C" IA.   We know the fee schedule for the A & B IA may be higher and we're willing to bear it.  What we're not willing to do is have a repeat of 2004 or 2005.   Don't want to be so blunt, but it's the facts. 

I will be blunt for you. Most staff adjusters from top to bottom have seen all the IA's in the USA work before they ask them to come back. They will gleen a small amount of new names (SSX) on each large small event put them on a graded list. Get it now.

Where are you getting the lender placed claims??  Man, I've been looking to get some of those.