There is constant speculation going around the kind of life independent adjusters have. Some people are of the opinion that working as a claims adjuster is an extremely rewarding profession with lots of money to make while others claim that adjusters do not have a personal life at all and their profession takes a toll on them both mentally and physically. So what is really the case? And if one strives to become an adjuster, how should one enjoy his/her work.
In today’s article, we will explore the lives of claims adjusters and suggest ways in which they can earn a significant income while making sure that their jobs are enjoyable and challenging.
Life as an independent claims adjuster can be challenging. You are always speaking to a variety of people over the phone and your email is piling up with new assignments and queries from your supervisors and insureds who need constant updates about your work. Besides handling all this, you might get assignments across the country, requiring you to travel almost all the time. Above all this, you need to be a people’s person, someone who can empathize and be logical and calculative at the same time.
All this might sound like a lot but it is worth it when you assess the kind of income one can earn as an independent adjuster. Ultimately it is your attitude towards the challenges that make it or break it for you as an adjuster. Here are some tips to help not just survive but enjoy working as a claims adjuster:
Building a Network of Professionals:
Independent adjusting, and especially CAT adjusting requires one to travel across the country, looking for opportunities to help people and get assignments. Looking at it this way, adjusting is not just a job but a way of life. Being away from your family for days and handling claims of every shape and size can be quite demanding. Having a network of experienced professionals who can assist you during troubling times can really prove to be helpful. Moreover, building a network also allows you to have a sense of comfort in knowing that there are people out there whom you can relate to. It gives you a perspective on how to tackle situations that independent adjusting throws your way.
Knowing Your Limitations:
Before starting your career as a claims adjuster, understand the different kinds of claims one can get and the level of commitment required for the job. While auto and property claims require a certain level of investigation on your part, CAT adjusting claims can put you in scenarios where you are driving into a hurricane zone overnight. Always consider the physical and mental demands of the job.
As a property adjuster, you are supposed to climb roofs and crawl through narrow spaces to inspect damages. Being highly detail-oriented and having an investigative nature is a necessary trait that an adjuster should possess. Therefore, being self-aware when it comes to your skills and your ability to handle tough situations would help you in deciding what kind of claims are for you and what kind should you stay away from.
Become Efficient and Focus on Time Management:
Most new adjusters complain about the constant workload, long hours, no weekends and the burden of claims which makes it impossible for them to find time to do anything else with their lives. If you see a high volume of claims as a challenge and not a threat, you will be able to not just tackle but actually benefit from the situation. Managing your time by closing claims quickly and scheduling your inspections in such a way that they do not clash with each other can help you become more efficient with your workload. In fact, handling claims this way will help you increase the volume of claims you close in a day which will increase your income as well as experience levels significantly.
One way to boost your time management skills in today’s world of adjusting is to use the different kinds of software and applications that are available to lessen your burden of claims management. For instance, using an application like JustEZ for adjusting can improve your experience and make your job more enjoyable than before.
You can use JustEZ to sync all your claims in one place, schedule your inspections and navigate to loss sites. When it comes to inspecting, you can use the application for taking pictures of the damage. JustEZ has smart-titling capability to suggest captions for your pictures. It will then classify all the pictures so that you don’t have to go through the trouble of sorting them yourself. Additionally, all that paperwork can go for a toss since JustEZ automatically creates digital scoping reports using information from the claims you receive.
Having applications like these will not just help you in time management but also in becoming a better adjuster.
Maintaining a Positive Approach and a Can-Do Attitude:
Adjusting requires you to meet all sorts of people across different walks of life. More often than not you will find yourself in situations where people are handling a lot of grief and pain on losing something or someone important. While it is necessary to empathize and understand the perspectives of people suffering loss, being in such environments can affect your mental health. Therefore, it is extremely important to maintain a positive approach when dealing with people. Anything and everything can happen on the field but being able to see the bright side to every opportunity is truly a gift that will make you enjoy your life as an adjuster even more.
In the end, it is crucial to remember that all of us are humans and we are all in this together. Taking breaks if the job gets too taxing and having a close-knit group of people to support you with your career is part of the process. Ultimately, as an adjuster, if you find happiness in what you do and if you take pride in the idea of helping people rebuild their lives, then that is all that matters.