In our latest adjuster spotlight, we talk with Abbie about her journey to becoming an insurance adjuster. After being a stay-at-home mom and later becoming an office manager, Abbie was ready to get out of the office and into the field. She was looking for a career that would allow her to travel and see more of the country while still making a good living for her family. She happened upon a job listing for an independent adjuster and was intrigued.
We’ll let Abbie, a mom of 3 and an Oklahoma resident, tell you more about her journey in her own words.
Finding My Path
I was lucky to be able to stay home and raise my kids for 14 years. As many of us know, it’s an extremely tough but very rewarding job. And I do mean job! Once my kids were all in daily school, I decided to rejoin the workforce.
I began working outside of the home in the medical and dental fields as an administrative assistant before moving into the orthodontic field, where I managed a practice for five years. After some time, I found myself going a little stir-crazy being in the office every day. I wanted to travel and see more of the country. I wanted to find a career where I felt like I was helping people or making a difference. And I wanted a job that was more financially rewarding.
I didn’t have a specific job or career in mind, so I started researching job listings that required travel. Then I ran across a posting for an Independent Adjuster. The position immediately grabbed my attention, listing descriptors like “travel,” “help others,” “investigate,” and “make a great living.” It sounded so exciting! Those job details sounded perfect, but frankly, I had no idea what an independent adjuster actually did. I googled, “What is an adjuster?”
It was the first of many, many searches.
The more I learned, the more intrigued I became. I began reading everything I could get my hands on about insurance adjusting. I watched a ton of videos from AdjusterTV with Mathew Allen. I listened to Chris Stanley from IAPath’s podcasts. I attended AdjusterPro’s free webinar course, and listening to Pablo really got me excited about the opportunity. I decided then and there that this was the career I wanted.
During the webinar, Pablo was honest with the attendees about the licensing process, what it would take to find employment, and how to set yourself up for success. I knew I couldn’t dive into this headfirst tomorrow. I needed a plan.
Although I knew this was what I wanted to do, I still had a lot of questions. I settled in to do some digging and a lot more research. Over and over again, the questions I googled were answered by AdjusterPro’s website and blog posts. By then, I knew the first step to becoming an adjuster was getting your home state license. So, in October of 2022, I made the leap.
Setting Myself Up for Success
During my research, I had grown to trust AdjusterPro, so I purchased their Oklahoma Total Adjuster Package. I felt like if I really wanted to do this successfully, I needed to start with more than just the license. It was more of an investment upfront, but the extra courses and knowledge were worth it.
At this time, I was still working full-time because I had a family to support. I knew I couldn’t start the courses thinking I’d ‘study when I had time.’ I would have to find a way to take care of my home duties, my current job, my kids, AND still prioritize making this dream come true.
It took some experimenting, but I found that it worked best for me to get up early in the morning and study when my brain wasn’t so tired from the hectic day. I would also study and review the week’s material again on the weekends. The course itself is only 40 hours long, but juggling working full-time and home life meant it took me a bit longer to complete.
Meanwhile, I began saving as much money as I could. During my research, I learned that independent adjusters who work catastrophes often need to be able to pay their own way until that first paycheck arrives. I’d need to potentially pay for adjusting gear, hotels, gas, food, etc. So, in so much as I could, I started cutting extra costs here and there to set aside my ‘adjusting nest egg.’ My goal was to pay upfront for these items and not start my career in debt.
I completed my exam prep course at the beginning of December and then spent two weeks reviewing material and re-taking the practice exams until I was consistently making 90% on them. I finally took and passed my state exam in mid-December!
I was thrilled and relieved, but a big part of me knew it was just the beginning.
After passing the exam, I applied for my Oklahoma license and scheduled the Tactical Xactimate part of my package. I had waited to take this course, as well as the Construction 101 course, until after I received my license so I could use them for continuing education hours. (Something I highly recommend!)
I saved the Adjuster Success Method course until last, which was perfect. It covers a lot of information about IA firms, how to find work, and how to handle a claim. I felt better equipped for that knowledge after taking the other three courses.
After Licensing
When you are first starting out, getting certifications and attending additional training is really important. The knowledge and experience look great on a resume, plus the networking opportunities of in-person events are really beneficial when it comes to finding a job. So I wanted to be ready and able to attend those types of trainings when I had the chance.
I heard from many of my sources that independent adjusters are usually independent contractors. This meant I needed to treat this as if it were my own small business. It was up to me to do the research, the work, make a plan for my business, and be ready to market myself to get work.
I gathered all the information I learned about licensing, reciprocal licenses, training and certificates, and gear I needed to purchase in an outline. I made multiple to-do lists to tackle each piece of the process. I wanted all the pieces laid out in front of me so that when the time came, I had everything covered.
And since I had been saving money, I was better prepared to handle some of the upfront costs.
In the meantime, I began applying for reciprocal licenses. I started with the wind and hail states since, as an “Okie,” I knew spring storm season was around the corner. After that, I moved on to licenses for the hurricane states. Lastly, I applied for a few additional licenses for states I wanted to travel to and work in. I finished with a total of 16 licenses. While you don’t need to take a course or exam to get a reciprocal license, you do need to apply and pay fees, so it can take some time and planning.
Next, I reached out to AdjusterPro for their resume guide and the Independent Adjusting Firm directory. These are great free resources that really help with starting your applications! I put together my resume with my previous work history, state licenses, and AdjusterPro courses.
I began applying with the IA Firms to get on their rosters. I followed up, ensuring they received my application and spoke with their HR staff about any next steps they recommended. Once I was on their rosters, IA Firms notified me of additional training they offered. Classes about damage ID, ladder safety, wind and hail claims, policy, more construction basics, auto classes…all offered for free through the IA Firm.
This is why it’s so important to get on rosters and follow up! You won’t get notified about the trainings they offer without being on rosters first. I was able to get key certifications for State Farm Property & Auto, Texas Wind Insurance Association (TWIA), and Allstate Property & Auto through the IA Firms.
In the meantime, I bought the gear I needed and prepped everything so that should an opportunity arise, I’d be ready to go at the drop of a hat. Field ladders, tape measures, camera, clipboard, BullyBag, Cougar Paws…I had it all. Timeliness in claims is everything so you can’t wait to get ready. You need to BE ready when you get the call.
I received an email from an IA Firm informing me of a 5-day Field Adjuster Kickstart training course they were holding in March. They were offering the program with a deal: if I completed a successful deployment within 90 days of completion, they’d refund me the cost of the course. It wasn’t a guarantee of employment or work, but it would be a great opportunity for me to meet trainers, network, and have face time with members of the firm. It was another investment…but I knew I had to go.
Attending that training was more than I hoped it would be. Not only was it a great learning experience, the training led directly to my first job opportunity. Thankfully, all the planning and research I’d done, plus the advice I was given, meant I was ready!
Are you interested in reading more about Abbie and her experience? Check out Part 2 of Abbie’s Adjuster Journey.
