Adjusting News

There hasn't been a lot going on, so here are some nuggets to chew on:

• There's a really interesting article in the Claims Journal about construction standards and elevation codes on the Gulf Coast. It was published the the institute for Business and Home Safety, which is a non-profit organization that gets its funding from insurers.
• On the weather front, there's not a lot going on out there. We had Fred spin up and die, but that's about it. There's been a little in the news about the anniversary of Hurricane Ike.
• If you don't want to follow the exam path to your Florida license, MindCross has a new PPIA class out. This class results in a PPIA designation, which allows you to skip the adjuster exam.
• How'd you like to get this claim?

Certifications

Many companies require that adjusters be certified for that particular insurance company prior to working for them. Dimechimes/ClaimsMentor has some excellent resources for you to find certifications specific to companies. It's always good for independent adjusters to seek out these certifications each season. The more clients you're certified to work for, the higher the potential you'll get called out as a catastrophe insurance adjuster!

Happy September!

Good news for adjusters- September has seen more major hurricanes than all other months combined!

Adjusting News

KHOU, Houston's CBS affiliate, reports on internal memos at Texas Wind that show TWIA was not paying for unadhered shingles. If you worked for TWIA, you saw this policy in action as the recipient of these "internal memos." Consumer advocates in the article are quoted saying that TWIA "twisted" the wind insurance policy, and that a class action lawsuit is planned. TWIA states the claims are without merit. I'm going to stay neutral, but I'd be interested to hear what independent adjusters out there have to say! The comments thread on the article is definitely consumer-opinion heavy.

As catastrophe adjusters, we see lots of unadhered shingles. In your experience, what's the usual cause- wind or age?

Tropical Storm Erika

Tropical Storm Erika is born! If you haven't already, it's time for catastrophe adjusters to make sure your resumes are up to date and adjusting firms have your information!

It looks like there are 4 more behind her- September appears to be living up to its reputation as a storm bringer.

We'll definitely want to keep an eye on the Atlantic this week.

Licensing Basics

If you want to work as a catastrophe adjuster or independent adjuster, having an adjusting license is a must. You can seek licensing in your home state, or you can seek a license in a state you commonly work in, like Florida or Texas. Once you're licensed in one state, you can begin seeking adjuster licenses in other states that reciprocate with your state. You can usually find this list on your state's department of insurance website. If you want to work flood claims, you'll need your NFIP license.

If you ONLY work as a catastrophe adjuster, you may never need a license, as you can work off temporary licenses as you go from state to state. However, you'll definitely need to make up for the lack of a license with training and experience. Also keep in mind that as a catastrophe adjuster who only has temporary licenses, you may be excluded from smaller events that aren't declared emergencies, like tropical storms.

Helpful links:
Getting your Florida adjuster license
Getting your Texas adjuster license
Getting your NFIP license

Welcome

Welcome to the AdjustAble blog. My goal is to use this blog to get out information on catastrophe adjusting, independent adjusting, training, and licensing. I'll be drawing from my experience in the insurance industry. I WILL NOT be writing about anything specific to the company I work for.