| 09/12/2010 9:42 PM |
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In the end, I realize only I can make this call, but some advice would be appreciated.
I started securing licenses and certifications a couple of years ago in anticipation of becoming an adjuster. During my time of procuring licenses and certifications, I was self employed. My business was affected by the economy. I had to close up and go to work for someone else (working for someone else for about 6 months). I consider myself very lucky to have secured a job (with a salary and company car) in this economy. I have serveal licenses and certifications, but no actual experience as of yet. Obvisouly, a lot of adjusters have had a lot of time off over the last couple of years. I'm looking for some advice or comments regarding my position (keep my job or volunteer and accept CAT deployment). I decided to get into the adjusting business when I realized what kind of potential income was involved. The potential income wasn't the only reason; I believe I would enjoy many aspects of adjusting. I realize income from adjusting can vary greatly from one adjuster to another, but even a slow year (perhaps with exception to the last 2 years) sounds pretty good. Where would you draw the line (a job you would quit to do CAT adjusting?). Would you stay on a job that's paying 40,50,60,70K. How much GUARANTEED income would you give up to do CAT adjusting?
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| 09/12/2010 9:56 PM |
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Keep your day job and cease all visits to this website so you won't be tempted by the fantasies we weave of the many glories out on the road. I'm not kidding. What you have now is what all of us malcontents wish we had. Things like security, a sense of belonging to an everyday organization, a regular salary, a certain constantcy in one's life. The grass is not greener on this side of the fence, appreciate what you have and take root. Die of old age in your office chair so you can haunt your cubicle for the next 25 years. It'll be fun.
Ol' Ghost
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| 09/12/2010 10:21 PM |
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A bird in hand. I am on a good assignment that will run out the year if I want, but the siren call of a big cat may be there. I hope I have the strength to stay with the sure thing.
I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather, not screaming in terror like his passengers.
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| 09/12/2010 10:30 PM |
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Thank you for your reply, Ol' Ghost. I think. As I said, I have worked over the last couple of years securing licenses, etc. with the hope of increasing my income. I understand there's no "easy money" in life. In a few of the classes/certifications I attended, adjusters told me of crazy money they had earned. For example, one adjuster said more than a hand full of adjuster made $300,000-400,000 working Katrina. Katrina is obviously an exception. Another adjuster told me how he made $60,000 working a hail storm for about 4 months in Indiana a couple of years ago. Like I said, I'm not looking for "easy money". From what I've been told, adjusting can be stressful. You might not get much sleep, etc. Understading all that, I don't mind busting my A** to better support my family. In your opinion (knowing you most likely haven't taken a poll) what would be your guess at an average income for an adjuster? Is 75K reasonable to assume? I know many factors can and probably come into play. I also would guess there are adjusters that make $200,000+ annually on a regular basis as well as adjusters making perhaps only $30,000 annually. Thanks again for your response.
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| 09/12/2010 10:38 PM |
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I was trying to quote stormcrow here, but I screwed up.
If I may ask, are you doing what I think was referred to as "clean up"? Perhaps my initial post was misleading. I wouldn't have to do CAT adjusting. If doing what you're doing could be secured on a regular basis, I would probably be okay with that. |
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| 09/12/2010 11:52 PM |
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No, regular full handle adjusting in an office on a good day rate and hotel. If you have young children I do not recommend cat work. You may make money but you also lose touch with your chidlren. That can be a very high price.
I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather, not screaming in terror like his passengers.
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CatAdjusterX Veteran Member Posts:964  
| 09/13/2010 12:35 AM |
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Posted By William on 12 Sep 2010 10:38 PM
I was trying to quote stormcrow here, but I screwed up.
If I may ask, are you doing what I think was referred to as "clean up"? Perhaps my initial post was misleading. I wouldn't have to do CAT adjusting. If doing what you're doing could be secured on a regular basis, I would probably be okay with that.
Here's the thing William
Ole' Ghost didn't start out doing "Clean up" one day, he is in that position from years of working storms , away from home for long stretches , and has weathered the lean years and has proven to the powers that be that he is one of those in the profession qualified to do what he is doing now.
You will have to prove yourself able to weather the storm, a few cats under your belt, a proven work product before you would be in a position to do something on that scale.
Don't get me wrong , it's not rocket science, but you have to make a few of your own messes before you qualified to clean up someone else's mess.
Robby Robinson "A good leader leads.....
..... but a great leader is followed !!"
CatAdjusterX@gmail.com
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ChuckDeatonLife Member  Senior Member Posts:1110 
| 09/13/2010 2:03 AM |
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You guys don't have enough experience to know what "rocket science" is, that is why somebody has to follow along behind you and clean up your mess. "Prattling on and on about being an ass with experience doesn't make someone experienced. It just makes you an ass." Rod Buvens, Pilot grunt
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| 09/13/2010 4:39 AM |
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Keep your job. I, too, have several certs, training, licenses. big deal. I learned that most of the places like Jel and US staffing sre simply supplementing their lost income from a lack of storms with enticing us greenhorns into the field with idle promises . "MAKE 800-1200 PER DAY". take our "speial" training and b put on our roster immediately! If it sounds to good to be true, it is! without a huge hurricane event it will be highly unlikely if not impossible to get a job adjusting anything!
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| 09/13/2010 7:00 AM |
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Regardless of how long someone has been an adjuster, they started out new and probably made mistakes. And the mistakes the new guys/gals make provides income to those doing the "clean up".
I appreciate the responses from everyone else. What it sounds like is a big hurricane is the best bet assuming you can deal with being away from the family. |
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Buford Gonzales Member Posts:57
| 09/13/2010 7:46 AM |
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Keep your day job and seek out day work. When your license turns 5 years old you will be brilliant. The IA companies and the Carriers are not the sharpist pencils in the box. The guys cleaning up after the inexperienced adjusters are usually easy to spot, there noses are very brown in color.
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| 09/13/2010 8:52 AM |
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That's right, Buford. It gets that way from, 'Root Hog!, or Die!'
Ol' Ghost
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Buford GonzalesMember Posts:57
| 09/13/2010 9:07 AM |
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You could try putting out a good, honest product.
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| 09/13/2010 9:53 AM |
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Keep your job. There is a good chance that you go on your first cat, you get 20 claims with no help (since you are a newbie) and they send you home. You get home and you realize you spent several thousand dollars on the deployment. Then you reliaze you are unemployed. keep your job
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| 09/13/2010 2:42 PM |
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This is all VERY discouraging. I have been looking forward to and preparing for a potential opportunity to better support my family through adjusting. I wasn't looking for easy money, but a better opportunity. Based on what most of you have said here, I should look elswhere.
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Leland Advanced Member Posts:741
| 09/13/2010 2:57 PM |
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Are you a gambling man? My first job as an adjuster was Katrina. I had experience in insurance restoration working for a contractor. I remember my team lead telling my supervisor that I wouldn't make it. I did make it.
Sometimes we need to bloom where we are planted, and maybe you should stay in your job. My situation was different. I was unemployed when the Katrina call came.
Do you have kids? A spouse? mortgage? Are you the sole income for your family? Do you honestly think you are ready to do cat claims? Wouldn't it be sad if you quit a good job and then got sent home in your first week of a CAT assignment? What if your kids need health insurance?
If you're young with no obligations (or retired) you could get a job in Afghanistan, or teach English in China. You could start a tiny business. Thousands of people do stuff like that. But that's kind of hard to gamble if you have obligations.
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| 09/13/2010 3:15 PM |
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William, no offense to you, but getting certifications and classroom training are not what the best preperation is for this line of work. And unless you are like countless others I have seen, a huge hurricane is no place to cut teeth. That is unless you find someone willing to let you work under them. The scene of showing up on a large event is controlled chaos at best. And there is very little in the way of extended patience from carriers and file examiners on someone in your place. You may pick it up in a flash but I can't count the number of times I have shown up at an initial meeting with a room full of a couple hundred to go over basic procedures and then the next meeting have 30 or 40 that are left. Please don't take this as a condecending tone, just matter of fact. If you want to get into property work there are opportunitys out there for people to get started (on the lower levels) Do yourself a favor and take that route. I have a great relationship with the firms I work for and its not because I'm a nice guy. It's because when I am given an opportunity, I get it done timely and with as much accuracy as possible. I venture to say the people on here that are successful handle things the same way. Those things are very hard to achieve for someone new. As someone else mentioned, try finding someone patient that may give you the opportunity for some daily work. Certifications and classes are very valuable, however they won't provide you the base for what your asking for here.
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MedulusModerator Veteran Member Posts:786
| 09/13/2010 4:51 PM |
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William, none of the people who have responded have told you to give up the regular job and go out on the road. I know that's not the answer for which you had hoped. However, the very unanimity of the response should tell you something. I came in off the road at the beginning of 2008, and got a job with a regular paycheck (in commercial property claims). I got tired of grossing six figures less one year than I did in the previous year. For most catadjusters there have been more bust years than boom years lately. This is not really a good time to start in catadjusting. A person with lots of licenses and no experience who is willing to work clean up is not going to be in high demand in the current market.
BTW, I would really happy if I never heard anything about adjusting not being rocket science ever again. I would like to remind everyone that rocket science isn't adjusting either. I've been adjusting for 20 years now and still find it mentally challenging because there are always a few oddball claims and special circumstances mixed in with the mundane claims. They keep life interesting and, occasionally, require skills far more appropriate to a rabbi than a rocket scientist.
Steve Ebner CPCU AIC AMIM
"With great power comes great responsibility." (Stanley Martin Lieber, Amazing Fantasy # 15 August 1962)
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Buford GonzalesMember Posts:57
| 09/13/2010 6:01 PM |
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That's the fun part. Figure out what it cost, what it's worth and how much the carrier owes.
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| 09/13/2010 6:18 PM |
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I run into people everyday that ask me about getting into this field. They think that this is a job that a person can get in to with zero experience, no education, can get a license in 2 days, and can make 6 figures the very next year. I guess this is possible, but if it sounds too good to be true..................
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