Folks, the window is closing for 2009 NFIP Flood certification courses.  As of today, there are 9 courses remaining with the last course being held April 29th in Baltimore, MD.  Please click here for the full schedule and here for general information and registration.  Once storm season begins it is virtually impossible to find NFIP [...]

Much is made of the Texas adjuster license and the benefits vis-a-vis its reciprocal privileges nationwide.  Much is made but indeed little of the information commonly found in online materials is truly accurate.  This document (see page 2) taken from the Texas Department of Insurance is at once a source of great information and great [...]

Independent field adjusters wear many hats while handling claims and going it alone isn’t always desirable. Many adjusters partner up with family, friends, or even perfect strangers to share the burden of handling claims. In a scenario of satisfying efficiency, one can imagine a husband and wife team dividing their labor to achieve [...]

Determining the correct adjuster license to get is the first step in a prospective adjuster’s career path.  For residents of Texas, Florida, or any of the common states licensing adjusters it is generally recommended you first obtain a resident license in your home state. If, however, your home state’s licensing rules are prohibitively difficult (California, [...]

I’m often asked what it takes to become a good independent claims adjuster.  There is really no short answer because the job requires a number of different skills or “habits” to be successful.  As any habit, these can be developed, so if you don’t have them all dialed in right now don’t worry (unless, perhaps, [...]

Becoming an insurance adjuster is probably not on most third grader’s list of whom they want to be when they grow up. It certainly wasn’t on mine. But when reality sets in, as it has a habit of doing, and you find that age 28 you still haven’t fulfilled your third-grade destiny as zookeeper or [...]

In the absence of a significant catastrophe like a hurricane or earthquake, finding a job as an insurance adjuster can prove challenging. The field for independent adjusters can be particularly tricky and those looking to break into the industry need every competitive advantage available to them. Knowing how to write an industry-focused insurance adjuster resume [...]

How much insurance claims adjusters can make per annum is the subject of considerable interest and speculation to those interested in a career in claims. Some folks have heard from their girlfriend’s brother or an estranged uncle that claims adjusting is a money tree. The money tree sits there blooming Benjamins, apparently just waiting happily [...]

With an extremely high number of hurricanes having made landfall, Florida is historically among the busiest states for catastrophic claims adjusting. Florida residents interested in working as a staff or independent claims adjuster must first obtain the Florida adjuster license. Non-residents of Florida considering a career in catastrophic claims, particularly residents of states not requiring [...]

Making a responsible decision to become an insurance adjuster, particularly an independent insurance adjuster, means knowing what equipment, gear, or “stuff” an adjuster should have in the field. Because independent insurance adjusters operate as independent contractors, they are frequently required to supply their own adjusting equipment. In general, there are 8 things that every independent [...]

Those in the insurance claims adjusting business and those who may be interested in becoming an insurance adjuster will inevitably encounter the concept of reciprocity in their licensing procedures. However, the concept is largely misunderstood or misrepresented and knowing the real ins and outs of state licensing reciprocity can save adjusters significant time, money, and [...]

This is a revised post taken from a popular article originally published last year on Ezine:
Independent catastrophic claims adjusting or “cat” adjusting is an exciting, lucrative, and relatively unknown occupational niche in the insurance industry. When disaster strikes, cat adjusters or “storm troopers” answer the call to assist insurance policyholders in recovering from their losses. [...]

A common area of confusion to new and aspiring adjusters is the method or mechanism by which independent adjusters are paid. Rather than a traditional employee position with a monthly salary, independent adjusters handling both catastrophic and regular daily claims are compensated as independent contractors on an entirely different basis. Occasionally, IAs will work on [...]

We’ll be blogging regularly beginning Monday, March 16th, 2009. See you then!