VETERAN ADJUSTING SCHOOLVETERAN ADJUSTING SCHOOL
23
Jul, 2015

By Guy Grand

WHO DO INDEPENDENT INSURANCE ADJUSTERS WORK FOR?

At first, it can be a little confusing to answer the question, “Who do I work for when I become and Independent Adjuster?”  Here is a little bit of perspective on it that we hope will clear things up for you.

This is an excerpt from our free eBook titled “Catastrophic Insurance Adjusting – Making it Your Career” where I have written about working as an Independent Adjuster.

“Ultimately, we are bound by the rules and regulations of the insurance company that hires our employers. However, we aren’t paid directly by the insurance company nor are we usually supervised directly by the insurance company. As Independant Adjusters we work for separate third party companies called third party administrators (TPAs) or Independent Adjusting firms (IA Firms).
IA Firms are contracted by the insurance companies to hire, supervise, and ultimately administer the rules and regulations of the insurance company. They are therefore our employers.  To understand the role of IA firms it helps to understand why they are necessary to our industry. Insurance companies hire staff adjusters to handle their daily claim volume although some companies have national CAT teams as well. These staff adjusters take care of the day to day claims such as a water heater leaking or a small kitchen fire, etc. Insurance companies hire just enough staff adjusters to cover these types of losses.
However, during a large storm event those staff adjusters simply cannot handle the volume of claims that come in. With the spike in claim volume from a catastrophe, comes the need for independent adjusters to help close those claims. This business model makes sense as the insurance companies keep their day to day operational costs low and during large events they have the support to handle the overflow.
IA’s work the same type of claims as the staff adjusters; however, they are only in one location until the volume is reduced so that the staff adjusters can handle them. It is for this reason that IA firms and independent adjusters are an integral part of the claims handling process, especially during a major storm event. This niche is what makes becoming an independent adjuster such an awesome opportunity for someone who doesn’t have a college degree or someone looking for a second career after the military or anyone looking for a new career.”

If you would like to read more about what it is like working as an Independent Insurance Adjuster, click the link below to download a free copy of our eBook “Catastrophic Insurance Adjusting – Making It Your Career”.

If you are ready to speak with someone who can help you get started on your Independent Insurance Adjuster Training our comprehensive package that includes mentoring, field tools, technology, software and most importantly...the reputation you will need to be successful in the field…is just around the corner.  Simply complete this “Discovery Survey” and someone from our team will be in touch with you right away.
, , , , , , , ,
07
Jul, 2015

By Guy Grand

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BECOME AN ADJUSTER ANYWAY?

So, you are thinking about becoming an adjuster but you are having a hard time figuring out how much it is really going to cost you to get into the industry?  You are not alone.  There are not many places out there that will tell you about ALL of the costs associated with trying to break into the industry.  Licenses, tests, certifications, travel, training, field tools, apprenticing…for many adjusters, it ends up being much more than they first thought when they signed up for that $350 “Adjuster Training” course.  Don’t get frustrated.  If you know what you are getting into it is well worth it, but don’t be fooled into thinking that one simple course is all you are going to need.

Here is a short excerpt from my book “Catastrophic Insurance Adjusting – Making it Your Career” where I write about my experience trying to break into the industry “on my own”.

“There are training facilities and schools all over the country that claim to “make you an adjuster”, most for under $1,000. Don’t buy it! The course might be under a thousand dollars but your travel, lodging, equipment, and continuing education will cost you much more than that no matter what they tell you.
Going to a five-day course to learn about adjusting and getting your state license is only the beginning. Without continually working with the software (Xactimate), practicing writing estimates, learning the proper ways to measure, photograph, and write reports you will forget how to write a claim by the time you get deployed. The repetition needed can only come from experience or by attending a full-service vocational school that will mentor you until you are comfortable with adjusting and on your first storm.
As I mentioned before, the total cost of my education into the insurance adjusting field was over $12,000 and that was back in 2003. My first storm deployment as a trainee was over five weeks and only paid my out-of-pocket expenses.
What if there was a state regulated post-secondary vocational school that bundled all the costs into one tuition price and what if they offered a loan program that was interest-only for the first 18 months. If that opportunity had been available to me back in 2002 would I have taken that deal? – ABSOLUTELY!
If I would have had the mentorship of industry veterans along the way, that would have been priceless. That opportunity wasn’t available to me back then, but it is available, through VAS — our fully licensed and state board certified vocational training center, to you now. As you read further through this book you will learn that there is a way to get into the adjusting business and to know exactly what your cost of entry is to get into this well-paying career.”

 

To read more from the book “Catastrophic Insurance Adjusting – Making it Your Career” just click the link below.

 

 

If you are ready to speak with someone who can help you better understand ALL the costs associated with becoming an Adjuster and where you can find a comprehensive package that includes the training, mentoring, field tools, technology, software and most importantly...the reputation you will need to be successful in the field…just complete this “Discovery Survey” and someone from our team will be in touch with you right away.
, , , , , , ,
29
Apr, 2015

By Guy Grand

BE YOUR OWN BOSS WITH A 6 FIGURE CAREER

 

BE YOUR OWN BOSS WITH A 6 FIGURE CAREER

What if I told you that with only 6 months training you could be your own boss, work 3 to 6 months a year, and make over $100,000 a year? You’d probably think “what’s the scam?” right. Well it’s true. An independent CAT (or catastrophic) adjuster can do all these things with the proper training and education.

What is an Independent CAT Adjuster?

When natural disasters (like a hurricane, tornado, or major storm) strikes, insurance companies need to hire qualified independent CAT adjusters to assess the damage and get their customers their much needed compensation. These adjusters are heavily compensated due to the extreme severity and urgency of the situation.

Click Here to get started on your path to a 6 figure career as a CAT adjuster.
How do I Become an Insurance Adjuster?

VAS or Veteran Adjusting School has a 3 month program that teaches you everything you need to know to be successful in the field. VAS will guide you through all of the registrations and certifications that you need. VAS also gives you the tools, software, and knowledge of the adjuster process to where you will be comfortable in the field.

Veteran Adjusting School also has insurance agency partners that are so confident of the program that they hire VAS students post-graduation. The knowledge and skills developed at VAS will also give you the complete knowledge to be able to work small claims between storms if that is something that you are interested in as well.

Click Here to get started on your path to a 6 figure career as a CAT adjuster.

 

, , , , ,
26
Mar, 2015

By Guy Grand

CAT ADJUSTERS GEAR UP FOR STORM SEASON

Welcome to Tornado Season

As the month of March comes to a close we start to see  shifting weather patterns bring all the ingredients of storm season together.  Catastrophic Adjusters around the country are gearing up to head into the aftermath of this first batch of Tornados.  After the devastation rolls through town, adjusters are some of the first people on the scene to help families and communities move forward.

Rebuilding after a major storm can be a long a difficult process, and it is usually pretty costly!  An adjuster plays a key role in getting things moving in the right direction.  They act as the representative of the insurance company and are on site to ensure that the insured (the homeowner or property owner) is compensated for all of the loss they have sustained and were insured against.

THE FIRST STEPS FORWARD

It is the task of the adjuster to assess the extent of the damage and be the eyes of the insurance company.  Once they have verified the damage (the loss), the adjuster is often authorized to provide the insured with some of their first financial compensation for the loss they have sustained.  Most of our adjusters report that this is one of the most rewarding aspects of their job.

“The look on their faces when I hand them that first check that they can use to start rebuilding…it’s huge!  These people have just lost everything and it seems hopeless to try to move forward.  Most of the time they are still just trying to figure out what is going on.  But that check represents a path forward, and I get to be the one to hand it to them. It feels good to be there representing hope and the ability to step out from the mess.”  
 -Jason
“Everywhere I go, I get to be like Santa Clause!  I get to hand out money and everyone is happy to see me!”
-Matt

With this first bit of financial empowerment, families and communities begin to move forward and move on.  The adjuster represents the turning point between catastrophe and building the future.

Surprisingly, many people have no idea that they can have a great career by becoming a catastrophic insurance adjuster.  On top of feeling good about the work they are doing to help people rebuild their lives, CAT adjusters can gross over $100,000 working as little as 6 months our of the year.  And many of them spend their “off-season” enjoying their Freetime in the company of friends and family.  It is a job that is both rewarding and it pays well, but almost no one knows about it.

HOW CAN I BECOME A CAT ADJUSTER? 

If you think that you would like to explore more about this industry and are considering a new career visit the website www.vas-trained.com.  Veteran Adjusting School offers a full service, accredited 3-month training program for people who are looking to get started as CAT Adjusters. We will take you from the first introduction all the way through your first few storms.  We are committed to training and mentoring the best adjusters and we have the reputation to prove it.

If you are ready for some more information on this exciting career click the link below to let us know you would like to hear from us.

, , , , , ,
09
Mar, 2015

By Guy Grand

WHAT MAKES A GREAT CATASTROPHIC INSURANCE ADJUSTER?

 

What do our Partner Insurance Firms look for in a good adjuster?  What do they love about VAS trained adjusters? How can I become the type of adjuster that firms want to work with?

When you are considering starting a career as a CAT Adjuster, you should know that it is not all as simple as getting a license and getting to work.  Although you will be working independently, you are ultimately hired by a specific Insurance Adjusting Firm.  The firm is looking for the Adjuster that will be able to represent the insurance company in assessing damage and processing claims of damage.  So you have to be thinking about why they would want to pick you over someone else.

Here are a few things that you should be considering.

Personality

You might not realize that one of the important components of being a great adjuster is that you need to be somewhat personable.  Think about it.  You are the person that is on the front line as a representative of the Insurance Company.  The interaction you have with the insured will end up being a direct reflection of the Insurance Company.  They will want to be hiring adjusters that look and act professionally as well as one that can maintain a friendly conversation with the insured while you are interacting with them.

Efficiency

Being an efficient adjuster is going to work in your favor, both to meet your own goals, as well as to maintain a good rapport with the firms that you work with.  The more claims you can effectively handle in a given day, the more money you will be earning for yourself.  In addition, processing more claims per day tells the insurance company that you can help them attend to the needs of those they insure in a timely and efficient manner.

Attention to Detail

They will also want to see that you are attending to the details of the claims as you are working through them.  This isn’t just about how many claims you can push through in a day.  If everything you do is sloppy and needs to be redone or is incomplete, the firm is not going to be interested in working with you in the future.  You are going to end up costing them more money in the long run.

Experience

Most firms are looking for a minimum of 2 years of Field Qualified Experience.  For a lot of adjusters that are new to the industry, this can make for a rough start to finding work.  Many new adjusters start out doing some lighter day claims or work under a master adjuster to learn the ropes for a while before they break out to work on their own.  But there are other options…

Thankfully, due to the quality of the education at Veteran Adjusting School, all of our VAS Trained Graduates are able to find work with our partner firms right away.  Our partner firms often waive the 2-year experience requirement for our graduates because they know they are job-ready from day one. 

If you want to learn more about becoming a VAS Trained adjuster click the link below to see how you can become part of our elite team of adjusters and start earning the income you deserve right away.

 

 

, , , , ,
1 2