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dano009
46 Posts |
 Posted - 10/19/2003 : 12:30:59
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| I agree that SF knows and does operate a fairly good cat. My complaint is their condescending attitude towards IA's. This summer I went and took their cat property exams, which I had to pay for. You would think that someone with twenty years of property experience wouldn't have to prove that I could measure a hip roof and an interior room. I understand that the carrier needs to weed through those IA's that can't even read a tape measure and so forth, but it is just their general attitude towards their cat IA's that need some improvement. Early in my career when I was a staff adjuster with Farmers, I won 17 straight arbitration awards against SF. The awards weren’t that difficult to obtain, but SF just took an attitude that they could do no wrong and weren’t to be challenged on their faulty decisions. A few plaintiff attorneys over the years have indeed challenged SF, and they and their clients have become millionaires. Something to do about bad faith judgments I think. |
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danmeler
25 Posts |
Posted - 10/19/2003 : 13:45:12
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Well, regarding leaving the storm: After driving nearly 3000 miles to get here we'll work it on out. Each of the other 3 storms (one for USAA, one for State Farm, and one for Nationwide) we've worked this year did not top 75 wind/hail files and I find the year's income to be a little on the thin side. But we don't intend to take any more USAA work in the future. That 75 file trend would seem to indicate something of a gloomy outlook for our business...if indeed it IS a trend. Each carrier was happy with our work and didn't cut us off early. They just brought in enough adjusters to slam dunk the claims. My wife and I work together as a team and are both of a mind to phase out of this over the next couple of years (after 24 years in the claims game for me). When done with Isabel we're going to lay back till probably late Spring and regroup. Time to explore options. One nice thing, you can just work a little hail or something for some spending money if you want. It's not a business you have to be in or out of 100%. We truly believe this is still the land of opportunity and anyone clever enough to be a decent cat adjuster can diversify. Cat adjusters are a pretty resourceful bunch (in my opinion).
As for an adjuster association...good luck. It'll never happen, and THAT's a cryin' shame because if ever there was a need for a group to be organized, this is it. The carriers will continue to beat the vendors down, encountering little resistance. And the adjusters will continue attempting to make a living doing what only WE know how to do. We (vendors & adjusters) hope to make up for the poor fees by working volume. But keep in mind an old business principle: A sure route to financial ruin is to repeatedly increase your share of an ever dwindling market. Sooner or later you have 100% of nothing. |
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jlombardo
USA
212 Posts |
Posted - 10/19/2003 : 14:48:59
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| Danmeler---You said it all "we don't intend on taking any more USSA work in the future"...By letting us ALL know that , you are helping to solve the problem...At some point, they will have a storm and no one will come........And as far as an organization, I think ALL adjusters should be invited into the organization, not just CAT adjusters.........will it work??? I don't have a clue, but it is better to try, than not...... |
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ALANJ
USA
159 Posts |
Posted - 10/19/2003 : 15:36:40
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| I believe the organization will be in place by the first of the year. It was the hot topic at our adjuster get together. |
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dano009
46 Posts |
Posted - 10/19/2003 : 15:54:30
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| I went to get certified with a vendor in August of this year for USAA in San Antonio. One of their cat gurus from HO came to the daylong meeting. She informed all of us how important we were to their organization. Without the services of the cat adjuster, USAA wouldn't be able to meet their quality service goals to their members. She went on to say that no cat adjuster would get less than 100 files. USAA wouldn't have their cat adjuster’s drive from god knows where just to work 50-60 files. Well, as we all know by now, USAA has lied once again. Without an organization, the major insurers will dump on the vendors, and the vendors will dump on the adjuster. The vendors won’t take a loss; they will make the individual adjuster absorb the loss. I worked for CNC Resources on an AMFAM gig this spring. CNC wouldn’t pay us until AMFAM paid them. The problem, CNC held AMFAM payment for 30 days before they paid us, then they did it at two week increments. I finally just got a staff job. I even get benefits too. Call me when there is a Cat 3-4 or above hurricane. |
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csiemens
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 10/19/2003 : 23:35:18
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I'm working for USAA, got 80+ claims within the first week or so. I've closed a bunch and thought that I'd be able to go home soon, but just got another bunch.
Yes, they do kick some back for little things, but if you can write up the detailed logs for State Farm, then USAA shouldn't be too much of a problem. State Farm really can want pages of details for every little thing.
Actually, the USAA fee schedule is good, considering that most claims are not that big. It would take several claims with another carrier to match the USAA schedule. |
Chris Siemens |
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Bill Hill
USA
10 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2003 : 09:08:25
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| I was going to respond to this discussion on USAA but I see there are enough caveats to make the adjuster beware. They are not worth it - period. I could go on and on but won't. |
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mdsmith
USA
2 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2004 : 15:51:50
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| Sounds like a lot of people should find a different line of work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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USAA Certification ?
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