| Author |
Message |
Jim Flynt
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 14, 1999 - 3:57 pm: | |
Lucy, It depends on what your experience and skills levels are. It also depends on how many claims you are able to close per day and what size the claims are. Most of the per diem assignments are going to go to adjusters with at least 3 years experience, although there might be some exceptions if the storm is large enough. The per diem rates net to the adjuster generally run anywhere from around $425.00 to $650.00 per day. For adjusters on schedules, the net income to the adjuster (before taxes and expenses) could run anywhere from $500.00 to $2,500.00 per day.
I hope this helps but again, it depends on the experience, skills levels, and ability to close files regularly and quickly (and to keep them closed (i.e, not lose your "holdbacks")). |
Lucy
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 14, 1999 - 3:07 pm: | |
I have also been contacted by some of the smaller companies. I am not sure which one to work for. Can someone please give me a ballpark figure on what a fair pay rate is? |
Jim Flynt
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 14, 1999 - 2:25 pm: | |
Having been in that situation a few times, here is what I would do:
(1) Ask questions of other adjusters to see what kind of reputation they have.
(2) Have a conversation with the companies asking you to go on standby and ask the following questions:
(a) Who are their carriers?
(b) How am I going to be paid? Per diem or
schedule?
(c) When am I going to be paid? Weekly,
biweekly, monthly? (YOUR cash flow needs
will dictate whether you can accept this).
(d) Will I have to wait until they get paid
before I get paid?
(e) How long will they hold the "holdbacks"?
(f) How many claims will they guarantee me?
(g) How many other adjusters do they expect to
have working for them?
(h) Can they guarantee me other work throughout
the year if I work with them now?
(Hail,ice,etc)
(i) If I was an experienced adjuster, I would
also ask why they haven't called me during
other smaller storms.
The bottom line is this, the answers you get to these questions determines whether you are going to get paid, when and how much. THAT in the end is why we all do this.
I have found personally that some companies don't want to answer some of these questions, and generally with good reason. THEY are the ones who are going to give you problems in getting YOUR money. The good companies have a different attitude and they are the ones you want to work for anyway.
Beware, there are some less than honest firms out there who care nothing about you. If you make the mistake of getting in bed with them, you are going to wake up too late to do change companies and with one hell of a nightmarish hang over.
The bottom line is this, if a company has been giving you work all year when others were sitting at home, THEN YOU OWE THEM SO LOYALTY TOO. The companies REMEMBER those who stick with them through the fat and lean times, but will never forget those who don't.
Find a company that you enjoy working with and who treats you fairly, and forget all of this "shopping around." The "shoppers" may make a few more bucks on one storm, but everyone sees them only as last resort adjusters for the big storms and not when things are slower. They generally are the ones sitting at home "bitching" while the others of us are out working when the small storms hit.
Hope this helps and Good Luck with what is for many a difficult decision. |
Cautious
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 14, 1999 - 11:43 am: | |
I have been put on standby by serveral companies and have very little experanice with most of them. How do you decide who to work for or who not to work for. Any advice?
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