Insurance adjusters - Do they secure your interests?

Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 08:03 am Post Subject:

Lori,

There really isn't anything that can change the public's perception of an insurance adjuster as a whole. I'm sure you look on line or watch the news…are there loads of stories out there that talk about how everyone is paid the exact amount of their claim and within 2 hours of their loss? NO! Those stories don't sell and those insureds/claimants are not the ones calling the local TV station to do a story. Nobody calls the insurance commissioner to log a “job well done”. If you're lucky you get a thanks at the end of the claim, which is nice enough for the adjuster but really isn't a glowing ray of sunshine for the rest of the industry.

As an independent adjuster, it used to be easier to put an insured/claimant's mind at ease that I did not really have a vested interest on the outcome. With insured's it was easier as I would be upfront that the more damage that was found the more my company made. After Katrina and the media landfall that followed this even stopped working. This coupled with money hungry attorneys, contractors, PAs, and carriers caused me to leave adjusting and get into risk management/underwriting. So I guess I could not handle the stress.

On the bright side, I found that although I could not change the public's perception of an adjuster I could change the insured/claimant's perception of myself as an adjuster when I handled their claim properly and gave them the respect they deserved. This got me additional work from some service orientated carriers and myself a piece of mind. At the end of the day only the adjuster knows how they performed, and it may sound corny but you change one insured's mind at a time. …….I know, at that pace it will only be a couple hundred years to change the world.

Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 11:34 am Post Subject:

I think that good customer service goes a long way in any industry and if you treat people like human beings that will have respect for you as a person. When I have been in accidents, I do realize that the adjuster is the adjuster is the guy or gal, between myself and the insurance company, I have found that most adjuster will be happy to advise me on where to take my vehicle and etc, the little things. I may have been lucky, have only had to deal with adjusters twice in my life time, but both have treated me kindly and I believe honestly. I in no way ever associated the adjuster with the insurance company or the policy though. I have switched companies and don't think about the adjusters name when I remember something about an old claim, I usually remember the company.

Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:50 pm Post Subject:

On the bright side, I found that although I could not change the public's perception of an adjuster I could change the insured/claimant's perception of myself as an adjuster when I handled their claim properly and gave them the respect they deserved. This got me additional work from some service orientated carriers and myself a piece of mind. At the end of the day only the adjuster knows how they performed, and it may sound corny but you change one insured's mind at a time. …….I know, at that pace it will only be a couple hundred years to change the world.

Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 07:24 pm Post Subject:

Does this mean thet some insurance companies have their own adjusters and some hire independant ones? I know there are people out there that get old damage done to their cars or trucks or homes fixed along with new damage.If it is an independant one can the owner of the policy pick the adjuster?

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 04:31 am Post Subject:

Hummingbird:

That's exactly what it means. Most larger carriers, State Farm, Allstate, Nationwide... have enough adjusters on staff that they can usually handle their own claims. Independents come in handy for these companies in areas where they don't have staff or in CAT situations when there are too many claims. Smaller carriers almost always use independents, and no the homeowner does not get to choose their adjuster. The carriers usually have an agreement with one or more adjusting firms or individual adjusters. An adjusting firm is a company that has its own staff of indpendent adjusters or is contracted with those adjusters. An individual adjuster is just that a one or two man team and is a "true" independent.

Also, being an independent doesn't mean that I had the final say... everything had to approved by the insurance company. I think I had authority to write checks for two companies, but that is rare.

Lori, I have some pros and cons. I will have to wait till a later date to post.

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:39 am Post Subject:

Awwww, see Lori, now that is just good customer service, you go above and beyond for your clients, now I would remember your name, for real. But I would associate your name with the company that you work for though.

I know that you probably have a lot of satisified, happy customers out there that probably don't even realize that doing all that is not part of your job that you are doing it because you are Lori, not because you work for the ABC company. :D :D :D

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 12:11 pm Post Subject:

You know the old saying, screw something up and that person will tell about twelve people who in turn tell twelve people etc...do something great...no body hears about it! ha ha...that's life, we have all the time in the world to complain, but none to thank/praise...I personally try and make it a practice, when I get exceptional service no matter where, resturant, grocery store etc...to find a boss and tell them....we all need a pat on the back once in a while, and all jobs are this way, no matter what you do....bitchin' and complainin' come easy for some reason, praise does not! :roll:

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 04:11 pm Post Subject:

Well,If someone did something exceptional for me ,I would tell people. I always have.But thats just me ,but if they screw up I also squeal louder!

Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 06:24 am Post Subject: Do keep in touch & help others!

Hi Johnny Sportcoat,

Welcome to the community!

Your post has been shifted to the following page in order to gather a better user-response:
http://www.ampminsure.org/claims/accident-claimant.html

Regards,
Lakemen

Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 05:27 am Post Subject:

I think there is a way to make the adjuster's image better but it seems like the industry is going the wrong way to make it happen. It's going to take the whole industry to do it.



First, the agents. As an agent, I always informed my clients before filing a claim. I would sit with them, go over the details, make sure it was something that would excede their deductibles and how the claim should play out. I'd educate my customers and let them know what to expect, but never set expectations even a new adjuster couldn't meet. I also let them know that they could contact me during the process if there were any communication problems.

Also, as their agent, I listened to them and made sure each customer knew what coverages they were buying and had a good understanding of the policy they purchased. Too many people came to me for a quote and had no clue what they had or what their coverages meant.



Secondly, the carriers need to quit automating everything. I know people love the idea of buying insurance online and shop on their own time, but are most of the people buying policies online truly understanding what they are buying? I'd have to say a majority do not since many people I talk to don't. When a customer is not properly educated in the coverages they are purchasing, the adjuster is going to be the one who hear the brunt of the customer's frustrations when a claim is denied because they opted out of that coverage.

Carriers are also pushing customers to call the claims offices directly about claims, when many times, the claim should have been filed on the other party's policy. Instead, the insured has a claim opened then closed, possibly losing discounts for having no claims. This comes into play mainly when they shop for insurance later. Carriers are moving more and more towards huge call centers with people thrown into a 1 week crash course training on insurance rules for a state across the country from where they're at.



Third is the adjusters. Some adjusters just do not put themselves in the customers shoes. The customer probably bought their insurance online, thinking they knew what they needed, talked to someone in a call center who had to keep his/her phone calls under 2 minutes to meet quota, and was forwarded to the claims office after waiting on hold for 30 minutes and being transferred 4 times.



And last but not least, it will take the customers changing their views. When adjusters deal with these types of comments before even investigating the claim, it eventually affects them. Adjusters get burned out and begin being short with customers and letting their stress get the best of their judgement.


True personal service is truly losing out to efficiency and cost cutting and while this is happening, those of us still dealing with customers face-to-face are having to cope with the consequences of the industry truly losing touch with it's customers.

Phew, sorry to rant.....but it felt good.