by brewtaylor » Mon Feb 09, 2009 05:24 pm
I need to know the pros and cons between a Public Adjuster or an Insurance Company Adjuster.
Also having Group Health Insurance is important to me. Does this eliminate the public adjuster and point me to working for an insurance company?
Also having Group Health Insurance is important to me. Does this eliminate the public adjuster and point me to working for an insurance company?
Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 07:14 pm Post Subject:
I wonder if you are thinking Independent Adjuster as apposed to Public Adjuster. I ask this as Public Adjusters are really something different then Company and Independent Adjusters.
Independent Adjusters work for independent adjusting companies. They do work for insurance companies but they don't work for the insurance company directly.
Public Adjusters work for... well, anyone. But not for insurance companies. Now I have to say that I don't hold much regard for Public Adjusters as they really don't have any accountability. But they can help in certain situations.
Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 11:31 pm Post Subject:
I wonder if you are thinking Independent Adjuster as apposed to Public Adjuster.
I sure hope so :roll: Most (real) adjusters don't have much respect for public adjusters, (i'm holding myself back from a righteous rant)...as far as independent adjusting companys and whether or not they have health benefits I don't know...I would guess this is company specific...Todd how about it? A company adjuster most certainly as benefits...as to the pros and cons of an independent vs co adjuster...re: company adjuster all benefits and a set salary...some independents are paid commission by the claim, you are a free lance adjuster and maybe no 'base' pay (the ones I've talked to work this way)....what state are you in and what experience do you have?Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 04:51 am Post Subject:
We had a great debate on this board over public vs company adjusters. Hope reading through its inputs would help you to decide.
http://www.ampminsure.org/misc/parttime-adjuster.html
~Jeremy
Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 05:24 am Post Subject:
Oh, man... I knew someone was going to go there...
:lol: :lol:
Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 05:58 am Post Subject:
Lori pretty much answered the thoughts of most insurance adjusters have on public adjusters by not saying anything at all.
Independent adjuster - You can be an independent or a true independent. A true independent as in you are self employed normally working as a CAT adjuster or scrounging up local daily claims. Being a true independent can be difficult as you need to have an “in” with a vendor to get local or CAT work. Working CATs can be difficult even once you are in with a vendor. You travel all over the country and are away for months on end. In some instances, normally when being new, you may travel hundreds or thousands of miles and end up getting little or no claims. The money you spent to get there could be and most of the time is on you. You need to supply your own laptop, estimating software (required by vendor Simsol, Xactimate…etc), ladder, digital camera, internet connection, cell phone, anything else you may need to adjust a claim. This is on top of “X” amount of money you need to have on hand for daily expenses.
The other type of independent, which was what I was, is you work for an independent company (vendor staff). You usually have an even flow of daily work and may or may not be required to work CATs. I received a salary, benefits, a car and all needed equipment to adjust claims. There are less and less of these types of companies, with many of them going to a commission type business making it difficult to make a living. I know this as it is what happened to me and is one of the reasons that I am no longer there. Carriers are also farming out less claims to these independents due to cost control making it more difficult to make a living.
I would assume that TCope could answer more regarding being a staff adjuster, but I know that my former co-workers that became staff adjusters are happy receive a salary, benefits, and normally a pool car.
You can check out catadjuster.org for more information on adjusting. Ask all the questions you want, except how much money can I make. If you want to get into adjusting to just make money they do not want to talk to you and will run you off the board. They are a territorial bunch, but you can get real insight even by reading old posts.
Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 07:10 am Post Subject:
I worked as a staff adjuster for many years and then a few years ago worked as an independent adjuster for a company for a couple of years. I LOVED working as an independent adjuster! My favorite assignments were to investigate accidents... especially when they were far away! :lol: I'd obtained photos of the location, stop in stores or ring bells in order to find witnesses, etc. But the best part was working all different types of claims. The down side was no assignments, little/no money. You get paid by the hours you bill. You have a slow day, you make little money.
Working as a staff adjuster I get paid the same amount no matter how hard or slow I work. Of course, if I don't work hard I won't keep my job. Most staff adjusters work only certain types of claims. True multi-lines adjusters are few and far between.
So each has their own pros and cons.
Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:17 am Post Subject:
Oh, man... I knew someone was going to go there...
crap, that's not the one with the flordia idiot is it? :roll:Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 03:37 pm Post Subject:
I thought it was but I checked and it's not. :oops:
It's actualy a good thread that Jeremy found.
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 07:50 pm Post Subject: independent adjusting
I am a licensed claims adjuster , all lines. Can I assist a home owner or individual with homeowner claims or personal claims?
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