Today we’re going to touch on two topics. Insurance Claims Adjuster
prerequisites and Adjuster licensing.
Background
Training Prerequisite
The best background, in my
opinion, is to have a basic knowledge of construction. After all you’ll be
writing estimates for repairs. If a tree knocks a hole through the roof, can
you rebuild it on paper?
If you don’t have any idea
about construction that’s an easy fix. Find any storm chasing roofing company
and tell them you want to sell roofs for them. If you have a pulse they’ll hire
you—straight commission of course. Hang out for a storm or two and you’ll be
meeting with adjusters inspecting roofs for hail damage normally. You’ll learn
the basics of roof and siding measuring, installation and repairs. You’ll have
the opportunity to read the finished product of insurance claims from several
different carriers and you’ll meet lots of adjusters and you can pick their
brains and learn insurance adjuster lingo.
And if you work hard you can
make a good income while you learn. Many good adjusters started out as roofing
salesman.
That is just one simple way to
get your feet wet in the world of an adjuster. It’s not necessary but a working
knowledge of construction will assist you a great deal when it comes time to
write an estimate for repairs from a chicken dinner gone wrong that burned half
the kitchen down. But this is about becoming an adjuster, so I’m not going to
delve into construction basics 101.
License
The first solid step toward
actually becoming an adjuster is to become licensed. I’m asked often. How do I
do what you do? Do I have to go to school? The answer is yes and no.
You don’t have to go to school,
but you do have to pass a test to obtain an adjuster’s license for your state.
However, some states do not require an adjuster’s license. In that case if you
live in Missouri for instance, you can adjust claims without an adjuster’s
license.
But, you’ll be hard pressed to
find anyone who will give you a claim to run if you don’t have a license. So
even though it’s not required per se by law—it is required by the folks who’ll
give you the claims. So, by default, you’re going to have to obtain an
adjuster’s license from somewhere.
The common consensus is that
Texas is the easiest place to obtain a license. I’ve been licensed in multiple
states and I didn’t notice one being harder than the other once you figured out
what they wanted. Some states are more
user-friendly. They tell you exactly what to do in easy to follow steps. While other
states like Minnesota, the last time I took a test for them, are not so
user-friendly. They said you need to pass the test, but they didn’t provide any
easy access as to what information was on the test so you could prepare—I think
they call that, Minnesota nice.
Anyway, if you live in a state
that requires a license you’ll need to get licensed as a resident adjuster for
that state if you want to run claims in that state. Click here to find out your state requirements for obtaining a license in your particular state.
You can go to school for a fee
and obtain a license. Fees usually range anywhere from $300 - $700 and last a
few days to a week. You can get a license anywhere even if you don’t live
there. If you live in Minnesota and want to get a license in Texas, you can.
And many folks do this. You will be allowed to get a non-resident license. The
Texas license is recognized or reciprocal in several other states. Thus,
allowing you to work claims in other reciprocal states. So, you can have a
Texas license, and then if a hurricane hits Mississippi, you can work claims
there because you are licensed in Texas.
The individual states many
times require you to purchase a temporary license or they may call it an
emergency license. They’ll charge the adjusters flooding their state a nominal
fee usually $25-$45 for a license that is good for 90 days or so allowing you
to work the storm. After that you can keep up the license simply by renewing it,
which of course requires another fee. It’s a source of revenue for the state
and regulates in a small way who is in their state adjusting.
Remember, I said the answer was
yes and no, regarding whether you had to go to school to be an adjuster. Well,
the reason I said that was because of continuing education requirements.
Typically every two years you must renew your license—pay a fee, of course—and
document that you have completed the required number of hours of continuing
education.
The requirements vary from state
to state. But generally around 20-30 hours. You can choose how you want to do
this. A vacation to Florida to attend a three day training when it’s 20 below
zero in your hometown may be a nice way to fulfill your requirements and take a
tax deductible vacation. Also, you can take online courses. Each state will
advise individually what classes are required and acceptable as CE credits. Click here to see what your state requires.
So, in summary go to the
website for your particular state and read what is required for licensing
procedures. Take the test. If you don’t pass, don’t feel bad—count it as
training. One of the best adjusters I know took the test five times before he
passed. So, take the test as many times as you need to and count all the ones
prior to passing as practice exams. When you pass the test--smile and say, “I’m
a licensed adjuster.”
Yeehaw!
Now what?
Having a license doesn’t make
you any money. It doesn’t give you any claims to run. And it doesn’t teach you
how to handle a claim even if you got one. Actually, getting licensed has
little to do with the actual workings of how to be an adjuster.
But, never fear…that’s why I’m
here. J
Well, thanks for stopping by, that’s all for today.
What questions do you have about adjusting? How can I help?
I read you correspondence and try to answer as quickly as
possible.
Adjust well,
Doug Spurling
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