Welcome back to Abbie’s adjuster journey! If you haven’t read Part 1: Abbie’s Journey from the Office to the Field, check it out. We cover how Abbie learned about adjusting, why she found it so appealing, and walk you through her detailed process of getting her license and initial training.
We’re picking up where we left off in Abbie’s journey and letting her tell you the story in her own words.
At this point, I had obtained my adjuster license, applied for reciprocal licenses in my priority states, purchased most of the gear I knew I’d need, and gotten key certifications to boost my resume. So, what was the next step?
Because I was on a lot of rosters, I received an email from a well-known IA Firm informing me of a 5-day Field Adjuster Kickstart training course they were holding in a few months. 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.
Luckily, I had been saving funds for a while because it was going to cost money upfront. It was another investment…but I knew I had to go.
Field Training for Insurance Adjusters
The 5-day Field Adjuster Kickstart program consisted of policy training, learning to do inspection and scoping, and Xactimate training on wind and hail claims. The last day would include a rope and harness course.
I booked my Airbnb and drove down to Texas for the Monday morning start. Before the session started, I met some of the other new adjusters and a few of our trainers. While some may approach this by looking at other adjusters as competition, I enjoyed meeting others in my position and sharing stories.
It was also wonderful to meet and visit with the program trainers. These are experienced adjusters with a wealth of knowledge. They are great teachers who answer questions and observe your work while offering valuable feedback.
On Thursday while we were in the midst of practicing inspections and scoping, a person from the Firm’s HR department called our instructor out of the room. When he returned, he called a few of us out into the hall. (I had flashbacks of getting in trouble at school but thankfully, we were pulled out for a great reason!)
He explained that a huge wind storm had gone through Kentucky over the weekend and they needed adjusters in Lexington ASAP. The group he gathered in the hall were those of us who already had our Kentucky licenses. Then he simply asked us, “Are you ready to go?”
One of the biggest takeaways I had from reading AdjusterPro’s blog articles was to say “YES!”. Say yes to the first opportunity because getting your foot in the door is often the most challenging part of starting a career in insurance adjusting. Without hesitating, I said yes! He said, “Great! This is a two-story steep, wind, and hail deployment. We’re going to get you guys trained on rope and harness now. They need you in Kentucky in two days.”
The next few days were a whirlwind! We got a full crash course in rope and harness training, finished up at the training facility, and then ran back to the Airbnb to gather our things before heading to wherever home was before leaving for Lexington. I drove back home with some other “Okies,” and while en route, we ordered rope and harness equipment to be shipped to the war room in Kentucky so it would be waiting for us upon arrival.
Six of the 14 people in our training program already had our Kentucky licenses, our gear, and the training necessary to take advantage of this opportunity. In my first blog, I mentioned that timeliness is everything in claims. I said, “You can’t wait to get ready. You need to BE ready when you get the call.” This experience exemplifies that perfectly.
My First Deployment as an Adjuster
On a deployment, you are usually given anywhere from 20-40 claims when you arrive onsite. It can be really overwhelming so you learn to take things one step at a time and rely heavily on tracking everything and staying organized.
This is especially important when working catastrophe claims. After a big storm or catastrophe, a massive number of claims get filed. By the time you arrive onsite, some homeowners may have already been waiting days or weeks with broken windows, leaking roofs, or downed trees. They’re frustrated and past ready for an insurance adjuster to contact them. It’s important to approach claimants with patience and empathy.
After arriving and reviewing my claims briefly, my first job was to contact the policyholders and start scheduling inspections. Ideally, you want to schedule at least two a day. It’s good to have an idea of what you are walking into and how long it may take although that’s never an exact science. For example, if you schedule 2 inspections for heavily damaged properties on opposite sides of town where the clients are talkative and some of the issues may be hidden, it can take you all day (and more!) to get your work done. Remember, you will still have paperwork to do on the claim after inspection so scheduling to be as efficient as possible is vital. As with everything, you get better and faster at all parts of the process the more you work. But those first claims are a real testing ground for most new adjusters.
In the beginning, I struggled to close one claim a day. It’s so easy to fall behind, which you never want to do as an insurance adjuster. This is where so many new folks start to struggle and eventually give up, especially if they aren’t trained in Xactimate. The carrier we were working for required two claims closed a day. Those that fell behind began to drown, and fast. After the first couple of weeks, adjusters who couldn’t meet the requirements were released from the deployment, i.e., sent home. If you wanted to stay, you had to learn quickly and keep up.
Tactical Xactimate Training
In our live webinar format, you receive real-time, hands-on Xactimate training from a professional instructor. By the end of this three-night course, you’ll be able to input line items, utilize Sketch, upload photos and documents, write a complete claim, and more.
I closed 87 claims over the following seven weeks. It was incredibly challenging but very rewarding. In the first four weeks, I would work as much as 20 hours a day, 6 or 7 days a week just trying to get the hang of it. When people say being a claims adjuster or a claims adjuster’s lifestyle “isn’t for everybody,” this is what they’re referring to. But if you can make it through the initial bumps in the road and long hours, it’s well worth it!
Personally, I enjoyed the challenge! The intensity and pressure, while stressful, created an environment where I thrived. I loved working hard and at the same time, helping homeowners during a difficult time in their lives. On that deployment, we were given the authority to close claims quickly and pay onsite. Being able to hand the claimants an estimate and a check on the same day they got their inspection made all the hard work worth it.
The camaraderie I developed with other adjusters, both new and seasoned, was a welcome surprise. We became a true team – working hard toward the same goals. I was impressed by the adjusters’ willingness to help one another. Our managers were also fantastic, knowledgeable, and worked every bit as hard as we did. Last, but definitely not least, the trainers on our deployment were amazing! These men and women worked long hours and went far out of their way to help us close our claims. From coming out to help inspect a crazy difficult roof to answering question after question about estimates, they really were there for us every step of the way. Candidly, I don’t know if that is typical for all deployments, but that was my experience working with Eberl.
After that initial deployment, I was able to travel to different states adjusting claims, just like I had wanted. Every deployment was a learning experience, and I got better, faster, and made more money every time I took on work.
I feel strongly that my initial preparation and willingness to take advantage of that first opportunity that led to success. I would encourage you to do the same. Getting your foot in the door can be challenging so I echo AdjusterPro in advising you to say “YES!” when an opportunity presents itself.
The Best Path to Becoming an Insurance Adjuster
AdjusterPro has a ton of great resources and blog articles, like 5 Steps to Become an Adjuster, that walk you through the process. Our team is also available to answer any questions regarding the career, licensing, our courses, or finding work.
In my opinion, there is no one best path to getting into claims. I’ve known adjusters who read an article about how much money you can make on a hurricane deployment and bought a course the very next day. I’ve also talked with people who spent months or more determining whether they wanted to pursue this career. My personal journey landed somewhere in the middle. Once I knew I wanted to become a claims adjuster, I took my time and approached the whole process step by step. With a family to support, I needed to continue earning money, start saving money, and get everything in order so that when my opportunity came, I could take it without hesitation.
Every person’s journey is different, and that’s okay. One of the advantages of online courses through AdjusterPro is that you can do everything at your own pace. If you’re currently not working and looking for a new career, you can speed through training and be licensed and working in a matter of weeks. If you have a job, a family to support, or a crazy hectic life and it takes you a few months, that works great too! YOU get to decide what works best for your life.
And if you need a little help or have questions, we’ll be here. Every step of the way.
