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Posted By Jeff L on 13 Jan 2010 10:07 AM
I will take issue with you getting paid for mileage. That is going to go away. Same goes for photos being paid out at $2/copy.

That is true, I have already seen firms offer "local" adjusters for every claims. Adjusters have a choice to take the assignment with no mileage, or stop getting assignments. There will always be a newguy that will take them to get their foot in the door.

Posted By K ung Fu tzu on 08 Jan 2010 03:04 PM
It really depends on how many years you've been with the company. 40-50 is a good start with someone with 5 years experience latching onto a compay. I have friends that started with Allstate and State Farm in the late 80's making about 105-110k.

I gotta tell you, there's always a rumor floating around of a staff adjuster making six figures doing daily claims for an insurance carrier.  For example, I just met a contractor who's brother became a GA for USAA and currently makes $165K to cover a large region.  Whether 'K ung''s story is true or not, we'll never know.  Whether my buddy's story is true or not, I'll never know until I see the pay stub or get offered his job when he moves on.  I work as a 1099 adjuster at 65%.  To work an entire year getting an average of 40 claims a month is just right for me- its not the greatest, but I'm content.

Internal documents on pay grades for a carrier (in the top Fortune 100 list) that I worked for until 2002 paid $40-50K with a co. car & benefits for their field adjusters.  Their Unit Manangers (to oversee 30-50 personell for auto/casualty) only made upwards of 110K according to the memo.  To oversee adults acting like toddlers for that pay?  Err, not my cup of tea...  I've done the management route and am keenly aware as well as shocked at the kind of crap the average employee will pull.

I believe that Olegred is dicussing the standard mileage rate for federal income tax deductions, with his .59. However the new rate is only .55 so he lost .04 per mile already. Besides, a deduction is simply money you did not earn, unless you would have spent it anyway.

Interesting note on the math. 1100 claims over a 12 month period means you would need to close on average 3 claims a day for everday of the year. All 365 days each and every day, no day off, no interruption in the work flow. Not saying it can not be done. Just interesting. Can anyone say Wilt Chamberlien like numbers. 

Flood certified with one and a half years of  experience?

I think the days of a cat. adjuster closing 1500 roof claims is over. Too much paper work required today. 30-40 years ago it was possible with 4 black poloroid shots, hand written estimate with tape and a hand written bill. This was the day you could close 10-15 per day and work 6 months a year on hail only and make an average of $90.00 per file on straight down large hail. The computer has really slowed me down.

Today if you get 40 files a month from several vendor's and average a bottom line of $150.00 net to you, you have the best job in the state. The best IA's in Houston may average $80.000 gross commish per year.

I agree getting paid for auto expense and digital photos is now given away to get losses. If an IA works 480 losses per year he will drive about 30,000 miles in a metro area and much more in a rual area.  His cost to lease xactimate is $6.66 per file if he is on the best deal. The new price list in a metro area(no milage allowed, no photo,s allowed) for one of the largest carriers in the US on ANY  hail, wind, tornado F-1 to F-3 and any other physical damage pays the street adjuster on 60% for a loss of $9,999.00 $138.40 per file. Assume you get 30 and go home . If you are one of the best you will get 100-200. Hmm that is getting rich, but better than driving nails. The way to keep score is how many files did you work this season. Therefore if you can not GET 1,000 files per season its a very bad year.

I did not mean computer estimates have not helped on large complex losses. I was one of the first to go to a computer with an old DOS double disk computer on the flood losses that took 40-50 hand pages and many changes before getting an agreed price. But thats not a 3 line roof only estimate.

One thing that computer estimating has done is reduce the amount carriers will pay for each individual loss. They are under the assumption that computers make our lives easier and more expeditious. I would prefer to write a small claim on paper and mail it to them. Oh, the good old days. Computers have made us lazy, as we depend on them for line item pricing and photo mounting.