Adjuster Talk

Adjusters are no stranger to an influx of claims, especially during a natural disaster, but it can be overwhelming, especially if your agency is still starting. This is often the case when it comes to long, cold winters and intense hurricanes. If an agency is ill-equipped to handle the sudden volume of claims, things go downhill fast. This is why it’s critical to be prepared for major disasters, as the next storm of claims can and will be overwhelming to any agency, big or small.

In today’s episode, I share how an insurance adjusting firm can best prepare for an influx of claims, especially those brought about by natural disasters. I explain how the cold months can negatively affect a home’s or apartment building’s pipelines. I discuss the various processes adjusting firms conduct with each claim, especially how tedious they can get. I describe the main parts of an adjusting firm and how agencies should focus on networking when hiring. I also discuss why I would, instead, hire someone with no experience in the field but is well-versed in various types of software.

"Scaling is the part of the business that requires the most amount of tact."

This week on Adjuster Talk:

• The difficulties of scaling an insurance adjusting business.
• How winter can affect a home's stability and safety.
• The four main parts of an insurance adjusting firm.
• Some of the benefits of working for an IA firm.
• The various processes involved when there are a massive number of claims.
• The importance of networking when it comes to recruiting adjusters.
• Why you should hire someone with no experience but an expert in software.
• Understanding what a good start looks like.

Resources Mentioned:

•  Xactimate

Connect. Share. Inspire.

Thanks for tuning in to the Adjuster Talk podcast with your host, Jason Heenan! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please head over to iTunes to subscribe to the show and leave an honest review. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Join the Royal Adjusting Services roster at RoyalAdjustingServices.com

Download the "Steps to Becoming an Adjuster Guide"

Free 7 Day Trial to the IA Path Adjuster Mentorship Community at AdjusterTalk.show

Ideally, your team of adjusters should be the very best of the best, capable of balancing every claim they get and still processing them on time. However, we’re not living in an ideal world, so we’re not always going to hire the best, even if we tried with our best recruiting skills. Regardless, we still have to know who deserves to be praised and rewarded for the impact they have on our company.

How do we determine who the best are?

What criteria should we have when looking for our team’s top adjusters?

In today’s episode, I share the five characteristics of a top adjuster. I discuss the importance of being organized, especially in a time of crisis such as the pandemic or the Big Freeze of Texas. I share how our company adapted to COVID-19 and highlight the importance of always being ready for a new claim. I explain the importance of having quality communication skills - both at work and in life in general. I also discuss why any top adjuster should be passionate about what they do and always have goals aligned with the company.

"All top performers are great communicators."

This week on Adjuster Talk:

• How we measure how organized an adjuster is.
• What to do when a claim takes longer than 168 hours to process.
• What it means for the adjuster to be always prepared for an opportunity.
• How COVID-19 and the Big Freeze in Texas changed the way we did business.
• What it means to have quality communication as an adjuster.
• The information the insurance companies hand over to adjusters for claims processing.
• The importance of being a passionate adjuster.

Connect. Share. Inspire.

Thanks for tuning in to the Adjuster Talk podcast with your host, Jason Heenan! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please head over to iTunes to subscribe to the show and leave an honest review. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Join the Royal Adjusting Services roster at RoyalAdjustingServices.com

Download the "Steps to Becoming an Adjuster Guide"

Free 7 Day Trial to the IA Path Adjuster Mentorship Community at AdjusterTalk.show

John Bachmann is a claims leader in the insurance industry and considers himself as an ‘insurance nerd’ and a “Claims Guy.” He is also the co-author of the Adjuster's Resume Playbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating an Insurance Adjuster Resume, where he wrote about how adjusters can improve their resumes and boost their acceptance rate. John has almost a decade of experience working in the adjusting industry where he also served as a mentor and professional coach for other claims adjusters.

In today’s episode, my friend Chris Stanley interviews John to discuss why adjusters would benefit from having an up-to-date resume. He describes what a resume should be and what information it’s supposed to contain from the viewpoint of an adjuster. He discusses how resumes are handled today and the various automated processes yours go through upon submission. John also explains why some of the most important adjusting skills can be learned in other professions.

"A resume is an advertisement of you: your story, what brought you where you are today, and why you want whatever job you're handing that resume for." - John Bachmann

This week on Adjuster Talk:

• When a good resume is great for all adjusters.
• Why adjusters still need to update their resumes.
• What John believes a resume is supposed to be.
• How you can increase your resume's ability to attract employers.
• The keywords you need to include in your resume.
• The automated systems that your resume goes through upon submission.
• The adjusting skills you learn from non-adjusting jobs.
• Incorporating communication and integrity in your profession.

Connect with John Bachmann

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Adjuster's Resume Playbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating an Insurance Adjuster Resume

Connect With Chris Stanley

• IA Path

Connect. Share. Inspire.

Thanks for tuning in to the Adjuster Talk podcast with your host, Jason Heenan! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please head over to iTunes to subscribe to the show and leave an honest review. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Join the Royal Adjusting Services roster at RoyalAdjustingServices.com

Download the "Steps to Becoming an Adjuster Guide"

Free 7 Day Trial to the IA Path Adjuster Mentorship Community at AdjusterTalk.show

Providing proper customer service in any industry is mandatory, but more so when you’re an insurance adjuster. Adjusters deal with clients who range from being annoyed to being at the lowest point of their lives, so it matters how we handle their claims from start to finish.

How soon should you respond to a claim request? What are some of the metrics you can use to calculate your response time? Should you provide customer service surveys?

In today’s episode, I share some of the steps you can take to make sure you’re providing proper customer service without sacrificing your business schedule. I describe what cycle time is and why it’s an important metric in our industry. I explain some of the factors involved when a claim becomes a bad experience for the customer. I also share how our business has fared during the lockdown and how we successfully implemented virtual adjusting.

"Cycle time is easily measured by an Excel spreadsheet."

This week on Adjuster Talk:

• Why customer service surveys are important
• Why Cycle Time is the key metric for insurance companies.
• Relating customer service to cycle time.
• Why you should get the claim off to a good start, even if it's a bad claim.
• Why a claim can turn into a negative experience.
• How you can perform virtual adjusting.
• Managing our company’s cycle time during the lockdown.

Connect. Share. Inspire.

Thanks for tuning in to the Adjuster Talk podcast with your host, Jason Heenan! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please head over to iTunes to subscribe to the show and leave an honest review. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Join the Royal Adjusting Services roster at RoyalAdjustingServices.com

Download the "Steps to Becoming an Adjuster Guide"

Free 7 Day Trial to the IA Path Adjuster Mentorship Community at AdjusterTalk.show

Insurance adjusting is often a pretty straight-forward job. You receive a claim, verify the authenticity and compute the value. However, our job can also involve playing detective, such as when dealing with subrogation. Subrogation can be a really tricky job and is not for someone who doesn’t like asking questions or someone who doesn’t have an eye for detail.

What are some of the skills you need to have when it comes to subrogation?

In today’s episode, I describe what subrogation is and what our role is as adjusters. I explain some of the important details when dealing with a subrogation case as well as what you should be keeping an eye on. I discuss a few examples pertaining to water and fire damage, even when a car drives through someone else’s house. I also share some of the critical habits to build on before pursuing a subrogation case.

"There is always a reason to subrogate and it is always a good reason."

This week on Adjuster Talk:

• What you need to be aware of when investigating a claim that deals with subrogation.
• Defining subrogation and a few example situations.
• How subrogation is investigated and damages to watch out for.
• Determining whether a situation is a potential liability.

Connect. Share. Inspire.

Thanks for tuning in to the Adjuster Talk podcast with your host, Jason Heenan! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please head over to iTunes to subscribe to the show and leave an honest review. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Join the Royal Adjusting Services roster at RoyalAdjustingServices.com

Download the "Steps to Becoming an Adjuster Guide"

Free 7 Day Trial to the IA Path Adjuster Mentorship Community at AdjusterTalk.show

Charles Alexander is a video content creator and owner of Your Charles Alexander, a company that focuses on video marketing services. They offer explainer videos for those working in finance, insurance, and those in an advisory role. Charles is known as an expert when it comes to social media marketing, email marketing, and business development. He is also appointed Director of the Tennessee Small Business Development Center.

Charles joins me to discuss the impact video has brought to lead generation and marketing. He describes his journey and how he became a full-time video content creator and explains how critical video marketing has become since websites became a mainstay of any brand and company. Charles also shares his thoughts on automation and outsourcing as well as advice on how to make the best videos - especially the first one.

"There's never a perfect way to get started than just to get going."- Charles Alexander

This week on Adjuster Talk:

• Charles' experience as a small business coach and explainer video creator.
• Why many businesses fail and close after the first five years.
• Why hard work alone is no longer viable if you're chasing success.
• Marketing techniques, websites, and the type of video you should publish.
• His thoughts on outsourcing and the automation he's applied in his business.
• Why video is like exercise equipment.
• Charles' advice on getting started with making video.

Resources Mentioned:

• Vyond
• Deep Work by Cal Newport

Connect with Charles Alexander:

• Your Charles Alexander
• LinkedIn

Connect. Share. Inspire.

Thanks for tuning in to the Adjuster Talk podcast with your host, Jason Heenan! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please head over to iTunes to subscribe to the show and leave an honest review. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Join the Royal Adjusting Services roster at RoyalAdjustingServices.com

Download the "Steps to Becoming an Adjuster Guide"

Free 7 Day Trial to the IA Path Adjuster Mentorship Community at AdjusterTalk.show

Garrett Kurtt is a licensed insurance adjuster in Texas and Colorado as well as the Founder and CEO of OneClick Code, an app that provides real-time, accurate roofing codes for adjusters, roofers, and estimators anywhere in the US. He developed the app after realizing how inefficient it was to acquire roofing codes, which ultimately cost businesses time and money. In 2008, Garrett also founded EcoBlast Claims, a company that helped streamline the claims process for those affected by tornadoes, fires, and other catastrophic disasters. Garrett holds several certifications, including an EPA Lead-Safe certification and a HAAG Commercial Roof Inspector certification.

Garrett joins me today to discuss how OneClick Code works and how it can speed up the claims process for insurance adjusters. He discusses the skills he has gained over the last decade and how he utilized his experience in leading his company. He shares his work experience before founding OneClick Code and why he started the company. Garrett also describes the challenges of automating claims estimates as well as the type of data that the OneClick Code app provides to its users.

“You can’t automate an estimate - even if you know the manufacturer’s specs, even if you know the areal measurements, you know all of the components - without the code.” - Garrett Kurtt

This week on Adjuster Talk:

• What OneClick Code is and why Garrett decided to create it.
• The traits that allowed Garrett to be different and become a great leader.
• Garrett's experiences in contracting, roofing, and adjusting.
• Garrett's definition of claims consultant and claims advisor.
• The data that OneClick Code provides to make claims easier to verify.
• Who can benefit the most from their software?

Connect with Garrett Kurtt:

• OneClick Code

Connect. Share. Inspire.

Thanks for tuning in to the Adjuster Talk podcast with your host, Jason Heenan! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please head over to iTunes to subscribe to the show and leave an honest review. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Join the Royal Adjusting Services roster at RoyalAdjustingServices.com

Download the "Steps to Becoming an Adjuster Guide"

Free 7 Day Trial to the IA Path Adjuster Mentorship Community at AdjusterTalk.show

Independent adjusting can be one of the best career choices you will ever make. In a way, it gives you the freedom of most work-from-home occupations, but without the mundane experience of being stuck at home for 40 hours a week. One of the best ways to boost the adjusting experience is by joining or working with an IA firm.

How do you know if an IA firm is good or bad? What should you watch out for?

Today, I discuss some of the best ways to determine if the IA firm you’re scouting is worth your time or worth a pass. I describe why winter is a slow month for all of us and when it starts picking up. I explain some of the risks to consider in being an independent adjuster and how to prepare for slow and fast months. I also share how you can start working with Royal Adjusting Services and the type of adjusters we want on our team.

“Check to see what a company’s rates are only after you’ve decided they’re good or bad to do business for through doing your homework.”

This week on Adjuster Talk:

• Why winter is a tough time for independent adjusters.
• Preparing for the big and small quarters as an independent adjuster.
• Knowing how to find the right IA firm.
• The types of behavior you need to watch out for in IA firms.
• What makes our firm different from other firms.
• The questions you need to ask an IA firm.
• The risks to consider when choosing an IA firm.
• Some of the reasons why you should work for us.

Connect. Share. Inspire.

Thanks for tuning in to the Adjuster Talk podcast with your host, Jason Heenan! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please head over to iTunes to subscribe to the show and leave an honest review. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Join the Royal Adjusting Services roster at RoyalAdjustingServices.com

Download the "Steps to Becoming an Adjuster Guide"

Free 7 Day Trial to the IA Path Adjuster Mentorship Community at AdjusterTalk.show

For over two decades, Mark Hoversten dedicated his professional career to the insurance adjusting industry. After pivoting from running a roofing company in Central Iowan, Mark started his adjusting career in 1992 after the destruction caused by Hurricane Andrew. For the next 28 years, Mark focused his career on crop liability claims, large commercial loss claims, and high-end residential claims.

Today, in honor and memory of the late adjusting great, Mark Hoversten, I share an encore of a previous podcast episode with Mark where he explained why it’s critical for new insurance adjusters to build a solid reputation and the challenges many new adjusters face when beginning their careers. He discussed the impact that turning down deployment opportunities can have on a new adjuster’s future career and why it’s beneficial for new adjusters to learn how to handle a wide variety of claims before narrowing their niche. He also shared the challenges he faced throughout his adjusting career and how he balanced raising a family while being deployed in the field.

“The one thing you have to understand is - your territory is going to be the entire United States. You have to be willing to travel.”

This week on Adjuster Talk:

• Why he decided to start his career after the destruction of Hurricane Andrew
• How he handled long breaks from deployment
• How he balanced raising a family while working claims
• The challenges Mark faced throughout his career and what new adjusters should be prepared for
• The importance of staying open to new deployment opportunities
• Mark’s description of a “dream adjusting firm”
• The importance of building a strong reputation
• His thoughts on the staff adjusting process

Connect. Share. Inspire.

Thanks for tuning in to the Adjuster Talk podcast with your host, Jason Heenan! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please head over to iTunes to subscribe to the show and leave an honest review. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Join the Royal Adjusting Services roster at RoyalAdjustingServices.com

Download the "Steps to Becoming an Adjuster Guide"

Free 7 Day Trial to the IA Path Adjuster Mentorship Community at AdjusterTalk.show

Starting a business is never easy. The same is true for starting an IA firm. There’s a lot of risk and uncertainty and you simply never know what the future will hold. There are many challenges and obstacles to overcome, from building a team to getting your first client. At Royal Adjusting Services, it took us 1,000 days - almost three whole years - to finally get our first client. It took a lot of effort and a lot more patience, but we stay focused and it finally came into fruition.

What did we do between day 1 and day 1000?

What challenged us as a team and how did we solve those challenges?

Today, I share how Royal Adjusting got started, what made us want to launch an adjusting company, and the reason behind its name. I share what it was like in the first 1,000 days of launching our IA firm and bust some of the prevailing myths about starting a business, specifically an independent adjusting firm. I discuss the key moments we encountered as a team that made us take the company to the next level. I also explain what sets an ‘average joe’ apart from an entrepreneur and share some key tips from my daily thought process.

“The business will flow your way eventually. You just have to remain positive and focused.”

This week on Adjuster Talk:

• The humble beginnings of the Royal Adjusting company.
• The pivotal point when we decided to start the company and how we got the idea for the name.
• Why it took us 1,000 days to get our first client.
• The difference between an entrepreneur and a regular person.
• The mistakes we made and what we learned along the way.
• Connecting Kung Fu Panda and the secret of being an adjuster-preneur.
• Why being up to date could make or break your business.

Resources Mentioned:

• Gary Vaynerchuck
• Joe Rogan
• Jocko

Connect. Share. Inspire.

Thanks for tuning in to the Adjuster Talk podcast with your host, Jason Heenan! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please head over to iTunes to subscribe to the show and leave an honest review. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Join the Royal Adjusting Services roster at RoyalAdjustingServices.com

Download the "Steps to Becoming an Adjuster Guide"

Free 7 Day Trial to the IA Path Adjuster Mentorship Community at AdjusterTalk.show