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I guess the adjuster I have met on the roof over the years have exaggerated. Most CAT guys told me a good adjuster could do 7 hail claims on a good day, 5 on an average day, and 4 on a bad day.

Posted By stormcrow on 26 Oct 2012 05:33 PM
Chuck don't you read the boards over the last few years. There is many a wal-mart greeter who can do 7 to 10 claims a day. It is only the older f*rts who need time to do a claim.

I was not trying to say that doing 7 claims a day would be easy. I actually think it will be very difficult and demanding. From what I have been told  7 claims a day is what one should aim for (For hail storms) When I worked Katrina, on a good day, I was able to get to 6-8 clients a day. Each clients home required me to do an exterior/interior inspection, measure, diagram, write up an estimate, and go over in detail the construction process and pricing with the homeowner. After my appointments were complete I would take the jobs I sold that day back to the office. I would then fill out the proper paper work to get the jobs turned over to the production department. This would normally take a total of 12-14 hours. It was the hardest I had worked in my life. Again, I am not saying doing 7 claims a day is easy, but it has to be possible right? I ask because I truly do not know, I have not walked in an adjusters shoes yet. I am just going off of what I have heard. What is a reasonable number of claims to close a day? How many closed claims should you average to increase your chances of getting called for the next storm?

Hello Charles.

I have been adjusting almost 7 years and my brother has been doing it 21 years (we work together a lot).  I do think it is hard to get into the door with an independent firm.  I have heard it is hard, but just do not see it.  My nephew got his license and was hired on with a small firm and was put to work within a month.  He has stayed pretty busy.  In fact, they just offered him a call center job in Puerto Rico that he is considering.  I stay as busy as I want.  I am not getting rich, but making more money than I was teaching high school for 10 years.  I have not worried about getting work in the last 6 1/2 years (it was slow for me at first).  Or course, firms are looking for experienced guys, but they also like to hire people with construction and other types of storm related experience.  A lot of firms now want to hire college graduates (that is how my nephew was hired so fast).  With your experience, you should not have a problem (as long as you get the training and certifications that are needed).  Legally, you are not supposed to adjust without your license.  It would be the same as practicing law without having the license in hand.

Posted By Charlesp233 on 26 Oct 2012 07:10 PM

Posted By stormcrow on 26 Oct 2012 05:33 PM
Chuck don't you read the boards over the last few years. There is many a wal-mart greeter who can do 7 to 10 claims a day. It is only the older f*rts who need time to do a claim.

I was not trying to say that doing 7 claims a day would be easy. I actually think it will be very difficult and demanding. From what I have been told  7 claims a day is what one should aim for (For hail storms) When I worked Katrina, on a good day, I was able to get to 6-8 clients a day. Each clients home required me to do an exterior/interior inspection, measure, diagram, write up an estimate, and go over in detail the construction process and pricing with the homeowner. After my appointments were complete I would take the jobs I sold that day back to the office. I would then fill out the proper paper work to get the jobs turned over to the production department. This would normally take a total of 12-14 hours. It was the hardest I had worked in my life. Again, I am not saying doing 7 claims a day is easy, but it has to be possible right? I ask because I truly do not know, I have not walked in an adjusters shoes yet. I am just going off of what I have heard. What is a reasonable number of claims to close a day? How many closed claims should you average to increase your chances of getting called for the next storm?

.....................................................................................................

Let me explain something to you, a rookie adjuster intent on hammering out 7 claims a day is ABSOLUTELY IN THIS BUSINESS FOR THE WRONG REASONS. You appear to be driven by money and that's OK provided you know what the #$%^& you are doing!! YOU DON'T!!

NEWSFLASH, sure you can slam 7 a day, but I guarantee you are going to miss a ton of damage and those claims are going to get re-opened padre which means Mr. Money Bags (that's you by the way) gets ZERO ZIP NADA!

I am sorry but I find it hard to believe you are anything other than a big talker with little intent on doing anything more than listening to yourself talk. I say this because your entrepenueral drive and spirit indicates you made the decision last winter to get your adjusting license in the summer. Well, I hate to break it to you,but it is almost November, summer is over pal. Where is your Texas All lines adjuster's license? Do you even live in Texas or did that adjuster who knocks out 7 claims a day tell you that's the quickest and easiest way to get licensed? I bet I know the answer to that question!!

Well it doens't quite work like that anymore, but hey you have all the answers right?

You find it hard to find work as the winter comes around these vendors get a bit shady? Hmm, so am I to understand that some wannabe adjuster who is talking out his @$$ about hitting 7 claims a day before he is even a licensed adjuster hasn't made it a habit to screw every homeowner into believing they need a brand new roof, even when half the time they obviously DON'T?

This industry does NOT need people like you looking to make quick cash! It is a disservice to the insured, a disservice to the carrier and a disservice to your fellow adjusters coming in to clean up your mess.

Let me be clear, when your goal is to learn the business, look me up and I will bend over backwards to help you. But until that time stay the #$%^ away from this business  

Agree 100%.  7 claims a day comes to 98 in two weeks.  In 10 years as a Cat Supervisor I never ever had anyone inspect 98 claims within 14 days, usually they would turn them back in because it was too hard.  Those who did do 7 a day inspections were the ones I always got complaints on because they never turned the work back in and never returned calls.  I always wanted the cat adjusters that contacted clients, gave me a quick status with photos and closed the claims within 21 days of assignment.  

Posted By CatAdjusterX on 29 Oct 2012 06:07 AM

Posted By Charlesp233 on 26 Oct 2012 07:10 PM

Posted By stormcrow on 26 Oct 2012 05:33 PM
Chuck don't you read the boards over the last few years. There is many a wal-mart greeter who can do 7 to 10 claims a day. It is only the older f*rts who need time to do a claim.

I was not trying to say that doing 7 claims a day would be easy. I actually think it will be very difficult and demanding. From what I have been told  7 claims a day is what one should aim for (For hail storms) When I worked Katrina, on a good day, I was able to get to 6-8 clients a day. Each clients home required me to do an exterior/interior inspection, measure, diagram, write up an estimate, and go over in detail the construction process and pricing with the homeowner. After my appointments were complete I would take the jobs I sold that day back to the office. I would then fill out the proper paper work to get the jobs turned over to the production department. This would normally take a total of 12-14 hours. It was the hardest I had worked in my life. Again, I am not saying doing 7 claims a day is easy, but it has to be possible right? I ask because I truly do not know, I have not walked in an adjusters shoes yet. I am just going off of what I have heard. What is a reasonable number of claims to close a day? How many closed claims should you average to increase your chances of getting called for the next storm?

.....................................................................................................

Let me explain something to you, a rookie adjuster intent on hammering out 7 claims a day is ABSOLUTELY IN THIS BUSINESS FOR THE WRONG REASONS. You appear to be driven by money and that's OK provided you know what the #$%^& you are doing!! YOU DON'T!!

NEWSFLASH, sure you can slam 7 a day, but I guarantee you are going to miss a ton of damage and those claims are going to get re-opened padre which means Mr. Money Bags (that's you by the way) gets ZERO ZIP NADA!

I am sorry but I find it hard to believe you are anything other than a big talker with little intent on doing anything more than listening to yourself talk. I say this because your entrepenueral drive and spirit indicates you made the decision last winter to get your adjusting license in the summer. Well, I hate to break it to you,but it is almost November, summer is over pal. Where is your Texas All lines adjuster's license? Do you even live in Texas or did that adjuster who knocks out 7 claims a day tell you that's the quickest and easiest way to get licensed? I bet I know the answer to that question!!

Well it doens't quite work like that anymore, but hey you have all the answers right?

You find it hard to find work as the winter comes around these vendors get a bit shady? Hmm, so am I to understand that some wannabe adjuster who is talking out his @$$ about hitting 7 claims a day before he is even a licensed adjuster hasn't made it a habit to screw every homeowner into believing they need a brand new roof, even when half the time they obviously DON'T?

This industry does NOT need people like you looking to make quick cash! It is a disservice to the insured, a disservice to the carrier and a disservice to your fellow adjusters coming in to clean up your mess.

Let me be clear, when your goal is to learn the business, look me up and I will bend over backwards to help you. But until that time stay the #$%^ away from this business  

Let me start by saying that I have read a lot of your posts, and you seem to be a very knowledgeable and thoughtful person. With that said, I think you miss read and good portion of my posts.

First of all, I never said as a rookie I could knock out 7 claims a day. What I said was "I know it will not be an EASY transition, but I think EVENTUALLY I could be a FIVE-7 claim a day adjuster" This comment was not fueled by ego, but by information I have received from meting countless adjuster over the past 8 years. The only reason I registered with this forum is to gain knowledge. If you say 7 claims a day is too many to be completed accurately, than I truly thank you for that piece of information. I am sorry if my previous comments came off as cocky, that was not my intention. I said 7 because I had been told that 7 claims a day is what a really good adjuster could do. Well I would like to become a very good adjuster. Is there something wrong with that thought process? And how does 7 claims a day = a money grubber that does not care about the homeowner? Like man, I respect you, but please do not assume you know me. 

You said  "you (meaning me) made the decision last winter to get your adjusting license in the summer" and "Well, I hate to break it to you,but it is almost November, summer is over pal"

Well I did not decide last winter to get my license this summer. If you go back and read my first post you will see that I actually said..

 "This past summer I decided that I would get my Texas All Lines License this winter"

 I have been working a hail storm since July (this past summer) and come this December (this winter) I will have about 3 months off, and I will use that time to get my licence. I was not trying to "talk big" I was just trying to let my plans be known to see if anyone had any productive feedback or advice. I have been told that the Texas All Lines was the best licence to get. Not because it was easy, but because it was the most effective (35 states) If this information is wrong I would like to know (not being sarcastic, like I said, it is why I joined the forum) 

Now this...

"You find it hard to find work as the winter comes around these vendors get a bit shady? Hmm, so am I to understand that some wannabe adjuster who is talking out his @$$ about hitting 7 claims a day before he is even a licensed adjuster hasn't made it a habit to screw every homeowner into believing they need a brand new roof, even when half the time they obviously DON'T?"

This one hurt, man. Please go back and read what I actually wrote...

 I said "I still love being a salesmen, but storming gets more shady by the year" 

How do you take that comment and assume I am a shady guy? I am saying that the work is everywhere, but the guys that are hiring are getting more shady by the year. Every year I get screwed out of thousands of dollars by companies, national companies, local companies, it does not matter. You take these comments and assume that I am a bad guy? Really? I have never told a homeowner to turn in a claim on a roof that was not truly damaged. I do not point out nail pops. I do not look for damage in the valley. I do not point out a baseball sized indention when the soft metal shows golf ball hits. I do not point out foot traffic. I do not supplement for non-existing squares, I do not ask for an entire elevation of siding when I know it came be matched, I do not point out toe bars, and I sure as hell do not go tell a homeowner to call in a roof that I know has no damage on it. I am sorry if you have met a bunch of shady, dishonest, and ignorant storm chasers. Yet do not ASSUME that I am on of them. I have have met more than a few ignorant and dishonest adjusters in my day. Yet I would never assume you were as well. Please return that favor.

Lastly, do you do your job for free? Do you not feel that a good paying job is a good thing? If it was JUST about the money, I would not be looking to make a change from storm chasing sir. I have respect for you and your profession, but I think you misread most of what I said. I think you then just assumed I was a stereotypical shady storm chaser. It is cool though, you are not the fist lol. 

Posted By Medulus on 29 Oct 2012 02:48 AM
One of the factors that has to be considered is the change in file requirements. Back in 1992 when State Farm first sent me to Catadjusting school, we were shown a special Cat file folder. It had a grid on the back where we could hand draw the roof diagram, and lines were under it for the scope notes. On the inside were a few lines for activity logs and a pocket for the estimate and carbon copy of the check written to cover the estimate amount. In addition, care was taken to give every house in the neighborhood to the same adjuster. I remember parking my car on a street in White Settlement, TX in 1995, taking my ladder and literally going from house to house because everyone on the block had State Farm Insurance and they were all assigned to me. The estimates were hand written and doing ten a day was no problem. By 1998, when I went independent, things had begun to change, but I still did six a day, using Xactimate in Miami Dade on the series of tornadoes that struck there in January. On the Atlanta tornado of the same year, however, two a day was more the norm. Each year, however, the file requirements became more and more stringent and time consuming. One file examiner for a carrier which will remain nameless would even call me and say, "There's no diagram of the bedroom." I remember telling her, "It's a rectangle and the dimensions are on the estimate." She said, "Our agreement with your company requires a diagram." While we were talking, I drew a rectangle, put the measurements on it, faxed it to her office and told her, "Go check your fax machine. The diagram is there."
All this is to say that carriers increasingly want cat files to look more like the files prepared for every other claim handled by their staff adjusters. About 2001 I just decided to work cat files as if I were working daily claims - with as much detail as anyone could ask for. Before long I was getting the complex commercial claims, the clean up files, and everything else that would keep me working and on the road. I still give my customers everything they ask for and sometimes more. But the days of seven to ten claims a day are gone for me, even on simple hail storms - unless I hire extra people to do some of the more clerical tasks.

.............................................

Hi Steve, for adjusters such as yourself with significant experience, 7 claims a day whilst may be possible, the ONLY reason that is possible is because you know your job backwards and forwards. Your history is a testament to that very fact. I can see doing volume like that for a hail storm or in situations where you have a partner running the paperwork side of it.

Nevertheless, I would bet the farm that, if were you mentorring this individual and he told you his goal is not to learn the business but to hit 7 claims a day  as fast as possible, well I think you would tell him to slow down and get his priorities in order.

Just my opinion, but it's mentalities from ignorant rookie adjusters looking for the gravy train that powers all the negative connotations associated with our industry.

This is just me, but doing 7 claims a day is going to be one or the other A. I am buying roofs that I shouldn't or B. I am missing a lot of damage and shorting the insured and exposing the carrier to additional risks of a PA rep'd insured or a plaintiff attorney getting involved.

Obviously this thread has touched a nerve with me, I am passionate about advocating for the new folks, it's just nonsense like this that rubs me the wrong way.

Posted By CatAdjusterX on 29 Oct 2012 09:43 PM

Posted By Medulus on 29 Oct 2012 02:48 AM
One of the factors that has to be considered is the change in file requirements. Back in 1992 when State Farm first sent me to Catadjusting school, we were shown a special Cat file folder. It had a grid on the back where we could hand draw the roof diagram, and lines were under it for the scope notes. On the inside were a few lines for activity logs and a pocket for the estimate and carbon copy of the check written to cover the estimate amount. In addition, care was taken to give every house in the neighborhood to the same adjuster. I remember parking my car on a street in White Settlement, TX in 1995, taking my ladder and literally going from house to house because everyone on the block had State Farm Insurance and they were all assigned to me. The estimates were hand written and doing ten a day was no problem. By 1998, when I went independent, things had begun to change, but I still did six a day, using Xactimate in Miami Dade on the series of tornadoes that struck there in January. On the Atlanta tornado of the same year, however, two a day was more the norm. Each year, however, the file requirements became more and more stringent and time consuming. One file examiner for a carrier which will remain nameless would even call me and say, "There's no diagram of the bedroom." I remember telling her, "It's a rectangle and the dimensions are on the estimate." She said, "Our agreement with your company requires a diagram." While we were talking, I drew a rectangle, put the measurements on it, faxed it to her office and told her, "Go check your fax machine. The diagram is there."
All this is to say that carriers increasingly want cat files to look more like the files prepared for every other claim handled by their staff adjusters. About 2001 I just decided to work cat files as if I were working daily claims - with as much detail as anyone could ask for. Before long I was getting the complex commercial claims, the clean up files, and everything else that would keep me working and on the road. I still give my customers everything they ask for and sometimes more. But the days of seven to ten claims a day are gone for me, even on simple hail storms - unless I hire extra people to do some of the more clerical tasks.

.............................................

Hi Steve, for adjusters such as yourself with significant experience, 7 claims a day whilst may be possible, the ONLY reason that is possible is because you know your job backwards and forwards. Your history is a testament to that very fact. I can see doing volume like that for a hail storm or in situations where you have a partner running the paperwork side of it.

Nevertheless, I would bet the farm that, if were you mentorring this individual and he told you , well I think you would tell him to slow down and get his priorities in order.

Just my opinion, but it's mentalities from ignorant rookie adjusters looking for the gravy train that powers all the negative connotations associated with our industry.

This is just me, but doing 7 claims a day is going to be one or the other A. I am buying roofs that I shouldn't or B. I am missing a lot of damage and shorting the insured and exposing the carrier to additional risks of a PA rep'd insured or a plaintiff attorney getting involved.

Obviously this thread has touched a nerve with me, I am passionate about advocating for the new folks, it's just nonsense like this that rubs me the wrong way.

Again, I said exactly this...

"I know it will not be an EASY transition, but I think EVENTUALLY I could be a FIVE--7 claim a day adjuster"

How you assume the above means all I care about is 7 claims is beyond me. How you can assume that I think 7 claims is more important than learning the business baffles me. In context my above quote basically says "7 claims is what the best adjuster in the business can handle on their best day. Even though it will not be easy, I think eventually I can do what they do" But for some reason you read the above and you think it to mean "his goal is not to learn the business but to hit 7 claims a day  as fast as possible"?

When others in the thread expressed that 7 claims would be too much, I responded with...

"Again, I am not saying doing 7 claims a day is easy, but it has to be possible right? I ask because I truly do not know, I have not walked in an adjusters shoes yet. I am just going off of what I have heard. What is a reasonable number of claims to close a day? How many closed claims should you average to increase your chances of getting called for the next storm?"

Are the above not valid questions? Do the above questions portray arrogance? Yet you act as if I am banging my chest and challenging everyone to a claim-off. After reading some of your other posts I was actually looking forward to your advice. I do not know, I can not read my comments through your eyes. All I can say is that my intention are not what you think they are.  

I want to thank everyone for sharing their past experiences with claims per day. I appreciate the advice that you guys gave me.     

Hey Charles,

Great thread, you have certainly stirred up the pot.

I can appreciate your post and your experiences and frustrations with the process of selling roofing for (as it turns out) undesirable contractors. (Who knew, they seemed like good guys?) They're all good in the beginning. As long as you maintained your integrity and did what was right for the customer, the company and yourself, that's what counts.

Been there done that, and I'm now here with you in the same boat.

I have enjoyed reading all the replies you have gotten, lots of experience and  good advice/expectations.

Good luck to you in the process of getting deployed, I'm working on that as well.  

Charles, yes I harsh. Yet I was also very clear that should you decide to get rid of those goals, I would bend over backward to help you. That still stands.

My frustration is not completely directed toward you personally,(well maybe a little) it's just SO many people fall under the ether either from some of the predatory training vendors*** or some adjuster they met at a truckstop or even an adjuster you meet on the roof

What I have always done works for me(may not for others) Most of my career I have handle either litigated claims or public adjuster rep'd claims and plaintiff attorney represented insureds. I actually spend less time on risks with significant damage than I do with risks with minimal if any damage. That may seem kinda backwards (I hear that all the time) but it was the way I was taught. I am also the kind of guy/adjuster that would usually have the lowest closed claim total of other adjusters on a weekly basis, Some guys would have 30+ claims closed per week whereas I would have somewhere around 20 closed claims. By myself, If I can average 3 to 4 closed per day 5 days a week, I was happy. The guys who are hitting 35+ claims a week yes they made some real nice money. Yes some of those guys would have minimal reopens, but most guys with that volume would have 30+ % of their claims reopened . Understand sometimes a claim will be re-opened for reasons that have nothing to do with what the adjuster did. Anytime my claims were re-opened, I would cringe a bit and sometimes I was hit with a few chargebacks

I would stay on risks with minimal damage longer than risks with alot of damage because I still feel to this day that I don't know enough to fly through any claim. I am never going to be the most knowledgable, fastest adjuster out there, but for a bit of skill, a whole bunch of plain old luck and by god's grace I am still here.

Nevertheless, 9 years in, I am not sure I could even accurately scope 6 or more risks let alone write them up ready to be AFC by first thing next AM. Too many senior adjusters and rookies alike run a deficit and that is where things begin to fall apart. ( folks will scope all their claims and try to write them up at a later date) That is a recipe for disaster

Make your first goal to accurately scope any claim, the first time with NO revisions,no matter how long it takes. Then go for 2, then 3 and stop at 4.

In closing, If you can do 4 claims a day, written up and ready to be APC and do that 6 days a week, you will be among the best IA's in the business

***Not all vendors are predatory