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 Pilot is probably the best place to get cat. work for a person like yourself for years to come. I worked for them many years and you will not have any problems on your first storm with them.

Posted By jmw on 06 Jul 2011 02:59 PM

 Are there any companies that offer some type of apprenticeship programs for people who have experience with insurance estimating already?

After leaving the military I started doing construction estimating in South Florida for about 5 years (worked wilma) and now live in Atlanta  and  just got my GA. Adj. Lic.  My experience thus far has been measuring roofs, scoping and estimating intiror damg ,meeting with adjusters, and useing xactimate to estimate claims for homeowners. What I dont have is the back end experience with the insurance paper work and filing process and I'm sure a million other things that I don't know yet.  I am slated to go do the Pilot training in Mobile AL. Aug 29-Sep3.

However after reading some of the post here and speaking to the recruiter from Pilot I would like to be sure I am ready for the Pilot training if that is the path I decide to take.  I have my truck, paws, ladders, rope, computer and printer, tape, and a get'er done adittude thats ready to get started.

Any Info or advice is Greatly appreciated!

Jonathan

Jonathan,

Pilot and Crawford are top shelf organizations to say for sure and as the others have stated,

you would be well served to apply with both firms.

However, I am the owner of American Veteran CAT Services and am working with USAA and an 80 carrier Co-op of WYO admin through NFIP. I also created the Apprentice Project and is currently being utilized by two IA firms, one of which is AVCS. At this very moment I am negotiating a deal with 2 large IA firms to impliment the AP with them as well . I am very optomistic that the AP concept will allow many talented newly licensed adjusters to get a shot at our industry sooner than most.

I give any and all newly licensed adjusters who are veterans honorably discharged from the US Armed Forces as well as adjusters with experience and are also veterans preference. You can find more details on the specifics of the AP at: www.avcatservices.com. Under normal circumstances I would NOT post a link on CADO because it just isn't cool to advertise in the forums with for profit entities. However, there is NO cost to the apprentice whatsoever.

If any apprentice successfully completes the project they will begin working their own claims very quickly. I have had 2 apprentice's going through the project shadowing my field adjusters over the last two months. These 2 guys are also veterans of the Armed Forces and seem to have absorbed a great deal of info and I am confident they will hit the ground running when given the opportunity . I haven't given them their own claims as of yet because as newly licensed they do NOT qualify to work USAA and NFIP claims.

However, I  have had the extreme fortune to solidify a deal with Armed Forces Insurance and I will NOW have the ability to put my apprentice graduates to work. Yes they will be doing their own claims, but they will be under strict supervision until they can demonstrate competent claim handling skills( This way the insured can rest assured their claim was handled by a professional as to which they are entitled)

In closing, being a veteran gets your foot in the door with AVCS, but skill and competence keeps you there.So I would like to invite you to AVCS and go through the Apprentice Project . However I must quantify this invitation with the following:

I strongly advise that you FIRST apply with the heavy hitters ( Pilot / Crawford / Worley / Eberl's). These IA firms are solidly established and have long been referred to as the "Big 4". It is my understanding that all 4 of these IA firms pay their adjusters on CLOSED claims as opposed to paying their adjusters ONLY when the IA firm itself is paid from the carrier. It is in the best interest of said adjusters to work with a firm that pays on your CLOSED claims every two weeks OVER IA firms who pay only once they are paid. However with that being said, there are some reputable trustworthy IA firms who pay it's adjusters only when they are paid.

I am one of those firms that pays only when I am paid, I hope to change that as my firm grows. Additionally, I implore that you go to the Big 4 first because although I am an honest hard working guy, my IA firm is brand new and I am NOT solidly established as of yet and I am learning as I go.

Good luck to you and god speed,

Robby  

Ahem!!!

In my haste, I erroneously left the industry juggernaut EA Renfroe out of the mix of heavy hitters. No offense Marty !!

I have over 50 years staff and IA exp. This is my thinking  that I am 100% retired (health)In the last 20 years I was in the cat. biz almost full time and I was astounded at the type of file that the author submits a finished product is pure junk and some of these type seem to never impove and are flushed out.

A file must cover all the storm damage with documentaion attached and should not require rejection and rewriting several times> you have to be honest with your self and get good training. Do not expect scape copper prices for pig iron at the sales point.

Posted By OkcLarryD on 13 Jul 2011 04:13 PM
Robby,

I've tried 3 times to contact you via your website and all 3 came back as undeliverable.

????

Larry, this is not the first time people have had issues with my site. I am not sure why it is except maybe it has to do with the site only a few months old, but that would seem not to make any difference.
 

In any case, try this again,  www.avcatservices.com

Info@avcatservices.com

Robby@avcatservices.com

If you still have a problem then just google American Veteran CAT Services.