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Ghostbuster
476 Posts |
 Posted - 11/17/2002 : 21:11:38
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Yes, Clayton, you're right. I said so at the beginning of this mornings missive. But, I will not go silently into that good night!
I am well aware of modern western societies trends, and as such, it makes me aware of certain eastern societies fear of us and our ways that cause change to their ways of living. But, that's another story. Just so you know, tonight I was listening to an old fashioned tube style radio playing Don Kennedys, 'Big Band Jump' and then the radio show by Sid Marks doing Frank Sinatra and remembering when our society seemed to make more sense than it does today. A time when our industry was human powered rather than soul-less computer powered. A time when offices were staffed by a mix of old timers and fresh meat in balanced proportions. A time when a company car had a trunk that the ladder would fit into and a V-8 motorvated it down the long and winding road playing Marty Robins, 'El Paso', on the AM radio. In other words, the time when you and I were rank trainees as telephone adjusters trying to learn the basic definition of what a tort was.
But still and all, Kile is right. It remains the responsibility and duty of the field adjuster to investigate, assess, and adjust the loss, NOT the Insured, NOT the approved(?) contractor or body shop, and NOT the telephone adjuster 4 states away trying to walk the Insured thru a Do-IT-Yourself loss scoping.
If you want to accuse me of being a traditionalist, or an anachronisim, or a hopeless romantic lost in time, then I can only plead guilty as charged. Now, I'm going back out to the garage and put oil in the carburetors of my Triumph sportscar, place the cover on my BSA motorcycle, and then stare at the moon while humming Hoagy Carmichaels, 'Stardust'.
(A behind the times relic? I'll show them a thing or two...Whoops, I'm running low on dashpot oil.) |
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CCarr
Canada
1200 Posts |
Posted - 11/17/2002 : 22:19:57
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Ghost, you do hit a soft spot with your ballad of the old times. Just the mere mention of the BSA, the worst label I could swing at you would be the "romantic lost in time". Makes me want to get my Eddie Arnold CD out of the truck and play the "cattle call", close my eyes and relive some memorable moments from years ago. To everybody born after the Edsel died, you will come to recognize one thing at some undefined point in your life - "life is measured in memories, not years".
Anyway Kile, I both enjoyed reading your last comments and embrace it for your conviction to the issue. Just for fun though, and not to take away from your thoughts, there is quite a medical program available for rural parts of North America, that is web cast. A Doctor sitting in say Boston, can see and speak to a patient at web enabled med clinics, in say East Glacier MT (one of the continents most beautiful spots) and do their doctor thing from the distance. Or, with the same web cast mechanisms, specialists can assist generalists in rural areas with as far ranging medical assistance as surgery. Scary, but true.
Throughout all this interesting commentary, my comments have come from my pea brain, not my big heart. I guess I'm old enough to say I wish for the good old days. A Chevy Biscayne or a Ford Fairlane for a company car, a wooden ladder almost too heavy to lift up to the roof racks, and a 50 foot steel tape. If I could just add some automation to that picture, then I wouldn't have had to go into the office every second day to do reams of paperwork. However, quite sincerely, sadly those days are gone and that time will never return.
Yes Kile, for sure, it does take a lot of patience, and quite a different technique to "telewalk" with an insured through the "3Cs", including a scope.
Jennifer, any carrier I have spoken with or been exposed to, do have limits for call center claims. Day to day claim CCs vary from $7500 to 10K, while the newer cat CCs are mostly $5K for all assigned losses. I would suggest that this will go to the day to day limits by next fall. Those that have told me, say that the average gross covered claim is well under $5K; and that meshes with my experiences.
There is an introductory "preamble" that clarifies the claim will be handled by the caller from the CC, and a protocol to follow when that form of handling is objected to by the insured. Again I'm told, that this may occur "1 in 100 times", or "a couple times a day"; by any of their measure it is not a factor of concern. These objections get taken out of the system and are reassigned out the door. Co-operative interaction and participation by the insured is critical for success of the tele adjust claims.
Again, you hit on a key issue, with your comment on claims closing quicker via tele adjust. There is simply a staggering difference in production numbers per 30 days activity. Carriers break these stats down 14 ways to Sunday, but it all says the same. |
Edited by - CCarr on 11/17/2002 22:23:33 |
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jlombardo
USA
212 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2002 : 07:37:08
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| GB....I think I'll go fire up the old Shovel Head.....or maybe the Big Block GTX and go for a cruise.......Progress....Aint it grand...... |
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johnpostava
USA
35 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2002 : 09:57:12
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Thanks for all your very insightful replies to my question. Through your comments and our talks with our client, we are zeroing-in on approximately $325 - 375 per day (8 hours) with possible overtime and a guaranteed min. committment period of 2-4 weeks.
Now all we need is a storm to fit the profile! As with any new venture the carrier may decide not to "go inside" even when the storm occurs (I am still looking for that committment from the carrier).
I will let you all know if anything new develops. Thanks again. |
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Cecelia
USA
25 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2002 : 21:23:19
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| Message removed |
Edited by - Cecelia on 11/18/2002 21:25:53 |
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okclarryd
USA
106 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2003 : 10:08:03
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I just came off an assignment in Texas (which means you know what the claims were about) working inside as a lead adjuster over several field adjusters. You either are an office/inside adjuster or you're not. I tried my best for nearly a year and I'm not. But the assignment was good for my checkbook, I was not treated unfairly, the working conditions were very good, and we closed a lot of claims. I am looking forward to working for the company again as they paid me on time, every time. There wasn't a lot of work in '02 as far as cat work, but I didn't miss it.
I didn't miss getting on those 10/12 roofs in 100 degree heat; I didn't miss crawling under a mobile home to get the photo of the rotten floor; I didn't miss trying to complete an estimate at 1:30 in the morning. All in all, I guess I didn't miss much.
Amd I'll do it again. |
LARRY D HARDIN |
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CCarr
Canada
1200 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2003 : 12:15:05
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Larry, I have to 'ditto' your sentiments.
I'm not a young pup anymore, and likely that and being weaned by a carrier in my early years; helped me assimilate fairly well to the current type of 'inside culture'.
I'd 'do it again', if the opportunity and the need arose. |
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Inside Adjusting during CATS
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