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Posted By Jon H on 26 Aug 2011 02:14 AM

I'm a newby and have been approached by a few staffing firms for deployment. Mason, IMS, N&C/Equity claims, Allcat and NADO have all sent notice. Which ones are good and which are to be avoided? Any help as soon as possible  would be greatly appreciated. I need to make a decision yesterday.

Here is what you do friend,accept every standby offer from everyone. I am assuming that you have done your homework on all firms that you have applied to be on their roster.

With all things being equal, accept the first offer to deploy. Once you accept that deployment and have a destination and time to be at the orientation, your next calls are to the other vendors to say you are no longer available.

I would ask you to NOT deploy with NADO, whilst I believe everybody deserves a second chance, NADO burned many adjusters while working under another name. Also I don't like their contract verbage which states a financial penalty for ALL revisions . Multiple revisions I understand that but getting hit from the first revision ain't right.

I have worked with more than a few adjusters who were owed close to 20,000+ and one who is a great lady and they took her down for 34,000.00. She sued and was able to get only 16,000.00 less 1/3 for attorney fees.

Maybe they have changed but my advice is to not deal with them u nless all else has failed and only then under a microscope, if they mess around with your first positive cash flow, leave the site and cut your losses.

Remember the old adage, fool me once, shame on you ,fool me twice shame on......me !!!

Robbie, we're being asked to deploy (not standby) by NCA and Brush Country. Our investigation shows both to be good companies. This will be our first deployment and we plan to go, just can't decide which to go with. Any thoughts? Deb

Posted By CatAdjusterX on 26 Aug 2011 02:27 AM

Posted By Jon H on 26 Aug 2011 02:14 AM

I'm a newby and have been approached by a few staffing firms for deployment. Mason, IMS, N&C/Equity claims, Allcat and NADO have all sent notice. Which ones are good and which are to be avoided? Any help as soon as possible  would be greatly appreciated. I need to make a decision yesterday.

I would ask you to NOT deploy with NADO, whilst I believe everybody deserves a second chance, NADO burned many adjusters while working under another name. Also I don't like their contract verbage which states a financial penalty for ALL revisions . Multiple revisions I understand that but getting hit from the first revision ain't right.

Robby, I would interpret that to mean that the vendor charges you if they have to pull your file to complete the revision because the adjuster just couldn't get it right.  No examiner in their right mind would pull a file to conduct the revision on their own.   It's much easier to send the adjuster an email and request that they do the revision.

I've had to pull files before, because some adjusters would make the file worse after making some of the changes I requested originally.  In a storm situation, you have to decide at that point whether to cut that adjuster or train them.  Damned if you do either, damned if you don't.

As for the firms, I've heard things about all of them.  I've heard very good things about Mason from reputable sources/adjusters.

Posted By Jud G. on 26 Aug 2011 01:01 PM

Posted By CatAdjusterX on 26 Aug 2011 02:27 AM

Posted By Jon H on 26 Aug 2011 02:14 AM

I'm a newby and have been approached by a few staffing firms for deployment. Mason, IMS, N&C/Equity claims, Allcat and NADO have all sent notice. Which ones are good and which are to be avoided? Any help as soon as possible  would be greatly appreciated. I need to make a decision yesterday.

I would ask you to NOT deploy with NADO, whilst I believe everybody deserves a second chance, NADO burned many adjusters while working under another name. Also I don't like their contract verbage which states a financial penalty for ALL revisions . Multiple revisions I understand that but getting hit from the first revision ain't right.

Robby, I would interpret that to mean that the vendor charges you if they have to pull your file to complete the revision because the adjuster just couldn't get it right.  No examiner in their right mind would pull a file to conduct the revision on their own.   It's much easier to send the adjuster an email and request that they do the revision.

I've had to pull files before, because some adjusters would make the file worse after making some of the changes I requested originally.  In a storm situation, you have to decide at that point whether to cut that adjuster or train them.  Damned if you do either, damned if you don't.

As for the firms, I've heard things about all of them.  I've heard very good things about Mason from reputable sources/adjusters.

It is my understanding that the financial penalty begins with the first revision that is sent back to the adjuster, if they pull the file because the adjuster isn't following Carrier X guidelines, they will receive NO compensation.
 

Posted By Deb on 26 Aug 2011 10:38 AM
Robbie, we're being asked to deploy (not standby) by NCA and Brush Country. Our investigation shows both to be good companies. This will be our first deployment and we plan to go, just can't decide which to go with. Any thoughts? Deb

Well Ms. Debbie, that is the million dollar question isn't it ?
 

With that being said, have you ever heard of the concept of Occum's Razor ?

It's a theory that all things being equal, the most simplest clear cut answer(Which IA firm seems the easiest to deal with) tends to be the right one

 

Good luck,

 

Robby

Brush Country wins hands down!

Posted By ChuckDeaton on 26 Aug 2011 04:22 PM
Brush Country wins hands down!

How did this work out for you??  Have heard conflicting stories about them.

Maybe my post was misleading, I never worked for Brush Country, but I did work an ice storm for NCA. Brush Country would have to be bad, bad to be worse than NCA.

beware of companies that dont pay you until the carrier pays them--

your answer is ....  4 Cast Claims in Stephanville TX.

I also am new to the Adjuster field.  I have an extensive background in Construction and when I got my License I sent resume's to all the firms I could find.   I got calls from many but they all seemed to say.... if you get this certification , or take this class , then we "Might" give you an interview when you finish the class. 

I looked at a ton of companies in Texas.  I sifted through the BS an finally I got an unexpected call from Craig at 4 Cast Claims.   One of the many resume's I sent out.  The owner calling me ?? Wow thats different.   He was easy to talk to. We chatted on the phone for over an hour and never once did he seem like he was too busy to talk to me. He offered me a home and said they would help with me with acheiving all the certifications I needed.  I have now been with them and taken some classes and still I am amazed at how Craig has a view for the direction of his company that is like none of the others.   I didn't want to be just another name on a long list.  Goal Acheived !

I've looked at the big ones like Worley & Pilot and the smaller ones like Brush Country and Southwestern Adjusters.  I don't think they hold a candle to 4 Cast Claims !!  Do you want to feel like part of a family or just a number on someones list ??

Bret

Nice ad, Bret.

This needs to be in the Classifieds, not here.

My thoughts too.

I always find it interesting when guests with 1 or 2 posts sing out rabid praise for a new company like 4 Cast Claims. Is it just me or does this sound like self promotion.

 

Know before you go, many people have been burnt in recent years.

I have been contacted by NADO to go to FL and work commercial risk assessments for Citizens. They want $250 up front for a certification class and then they want you to wait an unknown amount of time for Citizens and them to assign you the files. They are promising two years worth of work and a guarantee of assignments. But I know guarantees mean absolutely nothing. It almost sounds too good to be true. I have never worked with NADO before and know nothing about them. I saw above where someone stated that they got charge backs for revisions. Any advise about NADO?? Thanks.

Well, think about it.

If a company is hiring you (whether it be as a W-2 or 10-99 position), do you really think you should have to pay them an "up-front fee" for the pleasure of working with them? If so, would you like a job? Pay my firm $249 (see, we are competitive), and I guarantee that after an unspecified amount of time, I will send you some work.

I do know that some firms, such as AAN, charge fees for setup, E&O coverage and the like, but at least they have the good grace to state that those charges will be deducted from your pay and not ask for fees up front.

With regards to file revision fees, I have worked both sides of the fence, and some firms simply love to nickel and dime their adjusters for petty BS. I have seen adjusters get dinged for things as simple as not inserting a comma or semicolon, or not capitalizing Xactimate, which strikes me as excessive. On the other hand, I have been the guy rewriting entire reports before submitting them to the client, attempting to make sense out of the random string of unorganized thoughts the newbie adjuster craps all over a word document with photos attached as individual JPEGS. Hitting those guys with a revision fee strikes me as reasonable and appropriate.

Unfortunately there are sleazy IA firms out there. Keep doing your homework- I am familiar with Mason and Brush Country but only in the capacity that my company services the same accounts (clients). I end up looking at a lot of their reports on prior losses so I can limit my scopes to recent damage, etc.

I stuck my neck out for a fledgling new IA firm just starting out right after Katrina and it has paid me big dividends. Not every established company is good and not every johnny come lately will be bad. That is just the nature of the game we play.

If this is the program I've been asked to be a part of, then you should get paid during the three week training with FL Citizens (CPIC) to generate ITV's for commercial structures.  At least that's the arrangement my firm has with Citizens.  I'm almost certain that this is the same arrangement that NADO has with them.  This sounds like a little trickeroo to me.  Check around on the https://www.citizensfla.com/ to find out other firms who are doing this work.

A second arrangement my firm has with CPIC is paid development/orientation of EGA/GA with a decent day rate.  None of their adjusters are paying for this either.

****

I only know of one firm who charges a fee to review your resume and qualify you for the potential of receiving claims; AAN &/or Adjuster 411.  With this cheeky arrangement, you get nothing in return except an empty promise.

If you have experienced adjusters willing to pay this fee, what does that say about that experienced adjuster?  perhaps they can't find work and this firm is the last straw?  Secondly, this could benefit them by attracting inexperienced adjusters who are serious about their commitment and somewhat naive.  Thus, it appears that this pay to play practice draws in green adjusters and experienced adjusters with a questionable past.

They do a lot of work for MetLife which has one of the lowest fee schedules in the industry.  Metlife has a very high vendor attrition because of their schedule.  Conversely, this makes a wonderful opportunity for individuals willing to learn how to adjust or for new firms/account managers to land an account.  Working on a low fee schedule with significant requirements would be successful if you had people with blind devotion mixed with a touch of naivete.