Principles for Insurance Adjusting Success

Insurance Adjusters often feel as though they’ve been thrown under the bus, particularly when they are handling new situations. Here are a few tips and tricks to get you through:

 Maintain a Professional demeanor.
Insureds are often anxious, panicky, and/or angry. Remember that they were not at fault (if they are, that is a whole other topic). Be calm, and slowly deal with the situation if it is new to you. Don’t become frustrated or anxious – your concentration and critical thinking skills will erode.

 Pursue Continuing Education – OFTEN.
Continuing Ed helps – we promise. Courses may be boring, but the questions asked can often provide invaluable info.

Technology Tools for Adjusters

Must-Have: Navigation Device


A good GPS system might be the single best investment an independent adjuster can make. Adjusters might scope four to six properties in a day. These properties may be spread out over a surprisingly wide geographical area. Using a traditional paper map is laughable when compared to the speed and accuracy of a dash mounted GPS system. In fact, I would estimate a GPS system saves an adjuster at least of an hour a day in missed turns and forced stops. Project this over a month and you have a good 30 hours, or over an entire day, of time saved. That's an extra four or five closed claims per month. In some cases I would estimate that a GPS can increase an adjuster's efficiency by as many as 10 claims per month. Cat adjusters are paid per claim, so that's an extra $2,000 to $5,000. And finally, the lack of frustration that a GPS provides is worth the price tag.


A good option is a dash mounted GPS. Most models have more features than you will use. Keep it basic and don’t bother buying anything over $700.

Another option with a much lower price is Microsoft’s Streets & Trips Program. Only $100, you can install it on your laptop – it also comes with a GPS can plug into your computer through a standard USB port. With Streets & Trips, you can take 10 stops, find your current location, and calculate the fastest route. If you have a number of claims you can plan a whole day’s route in under 15 minutes. Print off your directions and you are ready to go!

Must-Have: Laptop


The days when we hand-wrote our claims are over. Electronic preparation and delivery of estimates is standard and a laptop is an essential. Xactimate has minimum system requirements.

You need:

1 GHz processor
512 MB of available RAM
1.5 Gig of free hard drive space
a monitor resolution of 1024X768 or higher.

With that in mind, don't let salesmen push huge graphic packages or upgraded sound cards if you are purchasing a laptop. You are using this to write claim estimates, not playing Call of Duty.

Adjusters have also begun using tablet laptops (laptops with swiveling touch screens that can fold down on themselves). Supposedly adjusters take a tablet laptop on a residential or commercial claim, hold it like a clipboard, and write the majority of the estimate at the property. A great way to keep yourself from forgetting details, especially if you’re handling a number of claims each day!
One adjuster we spoke with recommended the HP Tablet Laptops, which start around $799.99.

Principles for Insurance Adjusting Success

Insurance Adjusters often feel as though they’ve been thrown under the bus, particularly when they are handling new situations. Here are a few tips and tricks to get you through:

􀂃 Maintain a Professional demeanor.

Insureds are often anxious, panicky, and/or angry. Remember that they were not at fault (if they are, that is a whole other topic). Be calm, and slowly deal with the situation if it is new to you. Don’t become frustrated or anxious – your concentration and critical thinking skills will erode.

􀂃 Pursue Continuing Education – OFTEN.

Continuing Ed helps – we promise. Courses may be boring, but the questions asked can often provide invaluable info.

Adjuster 101 : September 14-15, 2009

Adjuster 101 – An Exciting Career in a New Field!

Never before has so much been available for so little. With this combined course, you’ll be ready. 

As a result of overwhelming interest in the field of insurance adjusting, ATEC’s education team created an Adjuster 101 workshop. ATEC’s goal is to help adjusters succeed. The Adjuster 101 course will teach the process of scoping and inspecting properties. This practical training will provide adjusters with the basic skills and knowledge to adjust claims. Adjuster 101 will serve as the perfect lead-in to the Xactimate training - the nation’s leading estimating software.

The Catastrophe Adjuster 101 course offers the following topics:

• Basic Construction

• Equipment Discussion/Demonstration

• Measuring Techniques

• Damage Analysis

• Inside Look at Construction

• Best Practices

• Safety

• Proper Scoping Techniques

• Xactimate Training

In addition to giving you the confidence of being able to scope a claim, ATEC will provide a Certificate of Completion.

Adjuster 101

September 14-15, 2009

8 AM – 5 PM

Northside Hospital –

Cherokee Conference Center

1130 Bluffs Parkway

Canton, GA 30114

Pricing:

Adjuster 101 Class Only: 

$295.00*

$235.00* - REGISTER PRIOR TO 9/4

Split Payment Option* - $100.00 up-front; $195.00 remainder of balance paid by 9/14.

* A $50.00 cancellation fee will be applied for administrative costs.

CONSIDER ONLINE TEXAS LICENSING AND 
ADJUSTER 101

- BE READY FOR WORK - UNDER $600.00 TOTAL

Never before has so much been available for so little. With these combined courses, you’ll be ready to work.

MANY STATES DO NOT OFFER
ONLINE LICENSING COURSES!!!

The Texas License is reciprocal with 32 states that will make their license easily available to you.

Adjuster 101 & ONLINE Texas Licensing Course $599.00