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fivedaily
USA
258 Posts |
 Posted - 02/12/2003 : 00:26:51
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Okay... first, I respectfully request that everyone who wants to, simply post their "Typical Daily Schedule". Please do not make comments yet. Let's give it a few days to see what everyone posts. Then, I'd like to see a discussion on which schedules appear the most effective. Or constructive suggestions on how to improve our schedules. Please do not post to this thread unless you will follow my request. (Of course, I can't enforce this, so I am relying on the adults here to see the reason in my request.)
Jennifer |
Edited by - fivedaily on 02/12/2003 00:37:34 |
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fivedaily
USA
258 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2003 : 00:37:06
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My Typical Daily Schedule for Wind Claims from $0-$10,000 (includes roof, other exterior, sometimes interior):
6 am - wake and get ready for the day
7 am - get paperwork ready for the day, map day via Delorme Street Atlas
7:30 am - leave for 1st appointment
8 am - 1st appointment, scope loss and cover w/ insd. if not home, call at their day # from the driveway to review scope.
9 am - 2nd appointment
10 am - 3rd appointment
11 am - 4th appointment
12 pm - 5th appointment
1 - 3 pm - Drive by homes of any insured I haven't been able to reach by phone
3-5 pm - Drop off film @ 1 hour photo, Go back to hotel, write estimates. Issue checks. Return phone calls from that day.
6 pm - Pickup film & dinner
6:30 pm 8:00 pm- Tape photos, document files. Make any new contacts as necessary.
After 8 pm - ocassionally finish up any lagging paperwork, but usually read novels, study for upcoming insurance exams, spend time here, or write letters to friends/family.
Now, a few things to keep in mind about my typical schedule right now. All of my claims are within 10 minutes of each other. They are all basically roof & fence claims, very little interior damage right now. I make effecient use of templates both in my estimating system and in my diary/documentation system.
With this system, I have an average closure of 5 a day. Some files pend longer, some close on the first phone call because I fast track it. Now, not all of my days are like this, but about 75-80% play out just this way. If the losses are largeer then I lower the # of appointments. I will come back in a few days to this forum to see what other people do, then maybe we can discuss it.
Jennifer
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Edited by - fivedaily on 02/12/2003 00:38:56 |
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Dadx9
USA
143 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2003 : 12:07:07
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Perefct world schedule.
6:00am - Get up, put coffee on. Take shower, quiet time and breakfast.
7:30am - Paperwork.
8:30am - Begin inspections.
9:00am - 1st inspection (complete as much of estimate as I can).
10:30am - 2nd inspection (complete as much of estimate as I can).
12:00pm - 3rd inspection (complete as much of estimate as I can).
1:30pm - 4th inspection (complete as much of estimate as I can).
3:00pm - 5th inspection (complete as much of estimate as I can).
4:30pm - 6th inspection (complete as much of estimate as I can).
6:00pm - 7th inspection (if necessary for homeowner).
7:30pm - 8th inspection (if necessary).
Generally I will do six a day and be done by 6:00 pm.
If I schedule a full day (8) then schedule has to be amended.
6:00pm - Return to office, have dinner, etc....
7:30pm - Finish up any estimate that wasn't completed on sight. Call any new claims. Call any insured from yesterday that I did not complete in their presence.
10 - 11:00pm - Read and go to sleep.
I maintain this schedule M, TU, Th, Fri, & Sat. Leaving Wed & Sun for rainout days or additional paperwork. |
Don
"To be held in the heart of a friend is to be a king."
Bruce Cockburn |
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katadj
USA
315 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2003 : 22:27:49
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Its different in My world:
All appointments are made by a call out individual, for 1-2 weeks ahead.
Local individual works the phone from 8-5, 7 days a week, and calls me if there is a problem, or a cancellation, or whatever. This allows time to work in the evening, without returning 10 to 15 calls. (Oh, sometimes the 2:38 AM calls are disturbing)
UP at 7 or so, shower, coffee &.
1) All daily inspections are layed out the night before in Delorme,
with the routing in place, Name, Address and Phone # on the map.
2) First appt. set for specific time, depending on travel. From 9 to 10 AM, If it's a roof then after the roof is DRY. Also hire BIG STRONG and trainable individual to hump the ladders, especially on double pulls, steeps, and 2 story work.
3) All other appointments are scheduled as AM/PM or within a time frame of 2-3 hours, and fortunately some are "see anytime, per insured".
4) Inspect as many as possible, sometimes two (2) sometimes eighteen (18), depends on the locations , the extent of damages, and the time necessary to properly scope the loss, photograph same and satisfy the insured. (Manage a snack in the truck some of the time)
5) Return to base camp when I get there 3-8 PM, review scope notes, download and describe photos (digital), write estimates. Call Insured and get AP when required. Finish 9PM-11PM if im lucky. (Food? sometimes I eat sometimes I dont, mostly dont)
6) Keep TV tuned to the "Adjuster Channel" a/k/a/ TWC
Whatever is not completed that day is stacked with the first seen on top, and this allows for the rainy day work to be profitable in closing files. Overall average for a 100 loss cat is 5-6 completed files per day.
In the crib by 11-12 and sleep well.
Every situation is different and the scheduling, planning is also subject to our wants , needs and requirements of the employeer. We have to be flexible, creative, aggressive, passive, and willing to spend the dollars it takes to achive the purpose.
Everyone works at a different pace and in various formats. My options change from storm to storm, depending on the type,(Ice,Wind,Hail,Cane,Fire), the time of year, weather, etc.
Only using the most effective tools, top of the line equipment, and technology will allow you to be profitible in this enviornment.
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Edited by - katadj on 02/12/2003 22:29:08 |
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KileAnderson
USA
875 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2003 : 23:13:38
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It all depends on the type of claims and location. It also depends on the time of year as daylight is limited in fall and winter.
Usually get up between 6 and 7, get to the office around 7 drop off closed files from day before and pick up messages and new files.
8-9 first appointment
9:30-10:30 second appointment
11-12 third apointment
12:30-1:30 fourth apointment
2-3 Fifth apointment
3:30-4:30 sixth apointment
5:00 back at the office to turn in closed files and check basket for messages. If there is desk space in the office I make phone calls to set appointments and return messages. If no desk space I head back to the room and do it there.
7:00 go to dinner
8-10 close any files I have left open and prepare for following day.
10-11 watch the news and Seinfeld or whatever is on
11p.m.-6a.m. sweet slumber
Keep in mind that all of this depends on many factors but this is a generic day. If my claims are close together or minor and don't take much time I'll schedule 8 a day, but if they are far apart I may only schedule 4 or 5.
Once I'm in a groove I can do this everyday for months if I have to. |
Edited by - KileAnderson on 02/12/2003 23:14:53 |
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CatDaddy
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 02/13/2003 : 14:08:28
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I’ll throw my typical day in the hat……
When I go out to inspect, I have completed ALL of the preparation for those inspects no later than the day before. I use a calendar and I have appointments scheduled at least two weeks out.
The day before, I have a Delorme map with every claim I have with me on it. As I have said in other posts, the FIRST thing I do is enter my claims into Delorme and see what my territory looks like. I usually pick some type of roadway that dissects the center of my territory and then take a vertical line and that divides my turf into 4 quadrants. I group my claims according to the quadrant they fall in and by street. THEN I start call people, already knowing where they are and what claims I have in the same area. I get my days work into as tight an area as I can. I have found that I had 10 claims on the same street before by doing this first.
So my days work is tight. I have also entered all of the admin information into Xactimate for each claim. So with them mapped out and entered, all I have to do is go work them.
I try to be sitting in front of my first one by 8am. So the whistle blows and you’re off. Straight down hail on an average home takes about 20 to 40 minutes to scope, depending on damage. Then another 20 or so to write it up. After I complete the estimate, while it is printing, I staple my photos and write the check. I get the copy for my insured ready with the check and before I walk away from the van, I start the print on the copy of the estimate for the file. I go inside, do my explanation thing with the policyholder and when I come out, I grab the copy printed for the file, throw it in the jacket and head for the next one.
If they are zoned tightly, I can do one about every 45 minutes. Sometimes faster, sometimes slower. If the policyholder is home, I write the estimate and draft everytime. The claim is done and it saves you phones calls and letters you may have to write for claims that are not first contact settled.
One piece of advice I would give is to try to make your appointment times a little flexible. Not to come later but to come sooner. I tell my PH, “Ok Mr. Carr, that’s 10am on Wednesday the 12th. Now I am going to be just around the corner from you at 9am. If I finish with Mr. Ghostbuster early, is it ok to come to your home a little early? I will call you first if that happens.” 9 out of 10 times they will say yes. This allows you to stay ahead and gives you the ability to squeeze in another 1 or 2 a day.
Its a race against yourself. You want to look at as many as you can close the same day. Don’t get in the habit of looking at 10 and closing 7. The next day you look at 8 and close 7. That type of cycle puts your pending files on the rise and that causes a whole lot of other things to happen. Your phone is ringing, your basket is full of messages, your voicemail is full, your boss is asking you what’s going on and you can’t sleep. All bad things for cat adjuster to contend with.
I try to quit no later than 3pm. A claim that was first contacted in the field takes about 15 minutes to get ready for review. Think about what you have looked at and that its gonna take about 2 ½ hours to write up 10 files when you get in. Get to the office or hotel by 3pm, write them up by 530pm and you have 1 ½ hours to finish planning for tomorrow and whatever else you need to do.
That’s a 12 hour day, 7am to 7pm. Eating lunch is optional. I keep an ice chest handy and have learned to love convenience store food.
MMMMMMMmmmmmmm…forbidden doughnut!
CD
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JimF
USA
1014 Posts |
Posted - 02/14/2003 : 09:00:20
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Anyone willing to venture into their typical day schedule where they are handling a large number of large hurricane or earthquake losses or flood claims where on top of Coverage A and Coverage B damages, but also extensive contents and ALE losses when/where applicable?
How about hearing as well from the multi-line adjusters who typically are handling (larger) commercial claims almost exclusively? |
Edited by - JimF on 02/14/2003 09:02:10 |
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mshort68
USA
138 Posts |
Posted - 02/14/2003 : 09:34:50
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| Yes Jim, large flood or hurricane losses 2 to 3 a day inspections and probably none closed. |
The grass is always greener on the other side, but it still has to be mowed! |
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Newt
USA
657 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2003 : 07:08:09
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I still don't have the DELORME program yet, and plan on getting it before I go to work. I have the MS Streets and Trips, it is a pretty fair program but I dont know of anyone using it. I have run a schedule very simular to the ones every one mentioned. I always tried to have two calling schedules. One in the morning for those I missed the day before. I think it would be a big help to contact the agent and give him a rundown of who and when you are going to see, then he can be in the loop. Many times I figure the client will call the Agent for info about their claim and he should have info for them. Some people don't understand the setup and they only know the agent as the one who takes their money. It makes his job easier, in turn he can be of help to you.
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mshort68
USA
138 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2003 : 08:03:12
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| Just a hint Newt. You can go to www.kazaa.com and download this program. Real easy if you have cable modem. Should be two discs one of which is an installation disk. You will need a CD creator program to transfer to disc. Not that I've ever done it:) |
The grass is always greener on the other side, but it still has to be mowed! |
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KileAnderson
USA
875 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2003 : 10:19:46
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| Newt, when you are working a storm the last thing you want to do is add another layer of phone calls to your already busy schedule. Calling the agent before you inspect every claim is not efficient or even practical. In my experience they are never in the office anyway. The only time I call the agent is when there is a problem with the claim, no storm related damage or enhanced damage or the insured expects the sky when we only owe the moon, or when I can't get in touch with the insured for some reason. Save yourself the trouble and only call the agent when you absolutely need to. |
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fivedaily
USA
258 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2003 : 17:56:12
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Kile, I agree with you whole heartedly. I also only call the agent when there is an issue. And usually I am on the phone with them as I drive away from the dissatisfied insured.
But, I will add, if I see that I have several (20 or more) claims from any 1 agent, I'll try to drop by and give them some cards and let them see my friendly, smiling face. Helps them be more realistic about me if an insured calls in.
Jennifer |
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tomgriffin56
USA
88 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2003 : 22:29:36
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Newt, I'm not making a jab or anything but I think that your inexperience is the problem on this one (not that I am an old pro, but I have been to a few storms). When you get to a storm and are handed 125 claims and you start going through them you may have 80 different agents.
This could change your thinking about "keeping them in the loop". |
Edited by - tomgriffin56 on 02/15/2003 22:31:59 |
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fivedaily
USA
258 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2003 : 14:59:11
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So... back to the schedules. I was really hoping that the adjusters claiming to close 15+ claims a day would chime in... I'd love to know how to do that. With my staff position, production is most important, as long as customer service is not sacrificed.
Anyone out there want to add anything different about HOW they schedule their days out?
Any comments on improving productivity through scheduling?
Jennifer |
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mshort68
USA
138 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2003 : 15:48:01
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| Easy, this is how is goes with your scenario. On first roof at 8:30. 30 to 45 minutes per home first contact settling if possible. Home at 4. Wrap up paperwork and back to office to get messages and call for future appts. Eat when possible and never do continuing ed. because I hate that stuff. Of course you may run into a few probs here and there so you may be able to 8 one day and 12 the next. |
The grass is always greener on the other side, but it still has to be mowed! |
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KileAnderson
USA
875 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2003 : 19:13:24
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| Mshort, I'm just wondering, how do you stay licensed if you never do continuing ed? I'm required to do 30 hours every 2 years to stay licensed in TX. How do you manage to get around that? |
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My Typical Daily Schedule
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