There's something to be said about being off work and having a plan to either work or write another book. I'm in the middle somewhere, where I know I need to work, but writing another book is fun and challenging. I don't know that I can give it my full attention now, but there will be a time soon when I can give it more of my time, just not today. I'll explain.
I've been licensed as an insurance agent for way too many years to count. I got my first license in 1983, so yeah, I'm really old. I have been around claims for that long, and I've worked them in that I've assisted people in filing them. I've filed a few of my own. I've been the paralegal on several cases, and I know the "ropes," as it were, but I have never been an actual adjuster. I've written estimates that came in from a contractor. I've gone over estimates to be sure that policy coverages are accurate. I just never put myself in the actual position before. Now, I want to do that year-round.
Hurricane season is from August to November; that's a time when claims adjusters are needed, and they are paid well, I might add. Granted, they are sometimes working upward of 60-70 hours a week, but at $32/hour plus time and a half for any overtime, you're talking pretty good pay. It's not about the money, but about the assignment, about helping everyone, about being a part of a team, about being needed and useful, and yeah, it pays well, so that's an added benefit.
I wanted to be a Claims Adjuster for years but didn't really take the time necessary to find out how to do it. This is my chance! This is my time! I'm doing exactly that. I was on the fence, after being released from an assignment, whether I wanted to try to get back into Securities, which I absolutely love, or if I wanted to try my hand at being a Claims Adjuster. I don't have to be a Catastrophic Claims Adjuster; there are so many other jobs out there, but it would make sense to get my feet wet (no pun intended) and get on a team where I can get my hands dirty and I can dig in fully, using whatever skills and experience I have to offer.
Yesterday I decided to call a few, email a few, post a few things on LinkedIn, and try to reach out to as many IA's or Insurance Adjuster firms as I could. I wrote to about 12, I think. I gave them my resume, explained myself and what I had to offer. I did receive a few nods, and one of them even sent me a dashboard to sign into so that I could take their free lessons, studies, and training modules and keep track of it. When I do finish all the mods, I'll be certified, and even if they don't hire me, I'll have that/those certification(s). It shows I have an interest and am willing to put in the effort. I also have a license in my home state. I'll need to write to other states to get those as well. I'll likely go with Texas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina, and, yes, Alabama. You can't forget them.
Hurricanes are a nasty business, but then again, so are tornadoes! In the Northern states, they have blizzards, ice, water damage, wind, and hail mostly. There are fires and water damage on the west coast all the way up from Baja to Seattle. Here in the Plains, we have tornadoes (we don't call them "twisters" no matter who wrote the movie and said we did.) So there's work to go around. There are downtimes, of course, and with the money, I'll be making, I'm thinking I'll vacation in Edinburgh during those lull times. You know, or maybe you didn't know, there are catastrophic events in Great Britain as well; not as many, but I could lend myself out to them for a year or two. No problem. I'll volunteer.
Let me tell you how I found the company that sent me the modules. I was watching a YouTube video about where to begin as a desk adjuster because there is a difference between a desk adjuster and a field adjuster. I knew I would want to be riding a desk and not climbing all over the war-torn buildings trying to figure things out from the ground. The video had three employees discussing the differences, and they were really fun and informative. I wrote to all three members of the team, and one got back with me. He asked for my resume, and I sent it. He sent it to HR, and that got the ball rolling.
I interviewed THREE times with a company last week about becoming a desk adjuster for them, but apparently, they want someone who already has the experience; well, good luck with that! You see, if a person has the experience, they are already working either for themselves, or they are a staff adjuster somewhere with the income, benefits, and team they love. You (employers) need to take the hint and hire people (like me) who are willing to spend time learning YOUR way of doing it. It only makes sense. One of the people I interviewed with actually cut down the company I am now working through, and I thought to myself, "OK, that's another reason to give the company a chance. I don't believe they're bad. If they'll give me a chance, they have something going for them; insight."
So, that's the plan. For the next several weeks, I'll be working basically 8 hours a day learning what I can do to become a good desk adjuster for not only catastrophic situations but property, auto, boats, and such. I'll continue to apply at places, but if the company that gave me the study materials is able to hire me full-time and with a W2 and benefits, they get my vote. I'm loyal to those who are loyal to me. I guess I'm old-fashioned that way, but you know what, I'm good with it.
Photo Credit: Worldatlas.com
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