Why Become An Independent Adjuster?

Most people are attracted to the industry because of the money you can make in a short amount of time. While the money can be significant and help you achieve your financial goals, potential adjusters should be aware of other things like the workload, stress, and physical requirements of the job. With the recent uptick in work opportunities created by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, there has been renewed interest in becoming an insurance adjuster.

While the money can be really good for specific assignments, you must also be genuinely interested in helping others, especially in times of need. You will encounter policyholders who have lost everything. This means they may be without a place to live, and their family members could be injured or deceased. Their place of work may be damaged as well, and they can be overwhelmed with their current situation and be under an extreme amount of stress. As an adjuster, you need to be an empath and have a shoulder to cry on if needed. Let the insureds tell you their story, as you are likely the first person in their journey to rebuild their lives and be indemnified for all the possessions they have lost.

If you are not prepared to empathize and offer all the assistance you can as an adjuster, you will quickly become overwhelmed and burn out. The hours you will work during storm activity (cat work) will be unlike any regular 9 – 5 job. It would be best if you were well-equipped to work with various personalities. You need to be detail-oriented and able to work under a lot of pressure. Lastly, to work in the field, you need to be in good physical shape and able to climb and navigate high and steep roofs.

The best adjusters are usually entrepreneurial and have an insatiable appetite for learning and challenging themselves. If this sounds like you, you are in the right place, and this will be a career in which you could excel.

Remember that every state has different requirements for becoming an independent adjuster, and any felony or crime involving dishonesty or assault will usually prevent you from becoming one.

Reasons to be an independent adjuster:

• It is a rewarding opportunity to help fellow Americans in their time of need
• It’s a challenging and rigorous job that many people struggle with
• it can be rewarding financially and provides lots of freedom between assignments

How To Become An Independent Adjuster

Once you have decided to become an adjuster, the first step is to obtain a license in your home state. Next, get additional licenses in hurricane-prone states like Texas, Florida, Louisiana, and the Carolinas. Then, you must familiarize yourself with an industry-standard program like Xactimate, Symbility, or Simsol. Lastly, get on the rosters of as many IA firms as possible so companies know you are available for work. You may have to wait until a significant event before you can work as an independent adjuster.

An overview of the steps to become a catastrophic insurance adjuster:

• Get licensed in your home state
  • California
  • Louisiana
  • Texas
• Familiarize yourself with Xactimate and Symbility
  • Xactimate Training
  • Symbility
• Apply to as many insurance adjusting firms as possible
  • List of Independent Adjusting Firms
• Apply to as many insurance adjusting firms as possible
  • State Farm Certification
  • Allstate Certification
• Be patient and wait for your opportunity
  • Helene
  • Milton

Natural Disasters Are Increasing

Unfortunately, we are starting to see an uptick in catastrophic weather events. This leads to an increase in the number of adjusters needed to handle claims. Also, this forces carriers to select ways to increase the number of claims they can handle by utilizing virtual inspections and drones.

Some of the most common natural disasters include:

• Straightline Wind
• Tornados
• Hailstorms
• Wildfires
• Hurricanes and Tropical Storms
• Flooding
• Derecho
• Earthquakes

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information has tracked all of the major events for 2022 and found that last year tied 2017 and 2011 for the third highest number of billion-dollar disasters. 2022’s tentative total for natural disasters is estimated at over 165 billion dollars, with Hurricane Ian topping the list of the costliest disasters during the year. Last year, 2022, was also the eighth year in a row where ten or more billion-dollar weather events have impacted the U.S. Since 2016, weather events have created more than a trillion dollars in damages. The main driver of this astronomical figure are Category 4 or 5 hurricanes making landfall. In five of the last six years, the U.S. was impacted by Harvey, Irma, Maria, Micheal, Laura, Ida, and Ian.

 

Over the last few decades, the increase in population and material wealth has increased the risk for insurers and driven up costs for the indemnification of affected policyholders. This is especially evident in states like Florida and Louisana, where private carriers leave or become insolvent. According to climate.gov climate change is also driving a significant increase in the number and intensity of extreme weather events. Sea level rise contributes to higher storm surge flooding, droughts lengthen wildfire seasons, and a warmer atmosphere allows for a higher saturation point, creating heavier rainfall events that can cause flash flooding and the need for high water rescues. All of these factors contribute to an increasing need for qualified individuals to handle property losses across the country for many carriers.

We are here to help you get started as an Independent Adjuster.