The Independent Adjuster Podcast (IA Path)

In this episode Chris breaks down how he feels about each software in the different categories that actually affect his day to day work. 

We all have to use an estimating system to write our estimates and it can make or break you as an adjuster. Make a wise decision that will help you in your journey.

Todays episode is an interview with Amanda Hughes of the Doan Group. You'll hear what the Doan Group wants and desires out of their auto damage appraisers. At the end of the episode I give you 5 practical steps you can apply today to become a more valuable auto damage appraiser.

You can check out The Doan Group HERE

Want to learn how to be and become an auto damage appraiser? I created an online course for you to learn how. You can check out Crash Course HERE

5 Easy Tasks to Make You More Valuable as an Auto Damage Appraiser

When I interviewed Amanda Hughes of the Doan Group, (Listen to the podcast interview HERE) she repeatedly said that communication was the number one thing that makes an appraiser good and that will set them apart from other appraisers.

She didn’t leave it at this theory of “communication,” she also gave practical examples of how Doan (and I assume other IA firms) would like appraisers to communicate with them.

I thought I’d make a list and give you 5 practical tasks you could start doing today to make you a more valuable auto damage appraiser.

1. Status “File Received”

As a previous dispatcher, I can tell you it drives a dispatcher crazy wondering if the appraiser you just assigned the claim will actually check their email and take action on the file. We’d rather not wait two days to find out you are not available to complete the claim, but we also don’t want to have to call you every time we assign a claim.

Make the dispatchers job easier by simply adding the status to the file, “File Received” upon receiving a new assignment. If the dispatcher sees that you are consistent with this, they will relax, love you for it and probably assign you more files.

1. Status Your Files Everyday

Part of being an auto damage appraiser is managing your open claims. I challenge you to start your morning off dedicated to adding a status to all your files across the different IA firms.

I did this consistently in my local claim days and I always was glad I did. Even if you copy and paste your previous status, it will reassure the company that you are aware of the file and that the situation has not changed.

This will help you by eliminating a lot of phone calls and help you not forget about a claim. It really doesn’t take that long, you just need to do it. Trust me it will help!

1. Answer Your Phone

As a national operations manager, I counted that I received over a hundred phone calls a day on a regular basis. As an auto damage appraiser, it wasn’t much better and it can physically make you sick when you hear your phone rings.

(side note, try changing your ring tone. I change mine if I start to feel sick when I hear my phone ring. I’ve ruined some great songs by making them a ring tone, but I’ve given better customer service)

I challenge you to pick up your phone and answer it as much as humanly possible during the work day. People want to talk to a person. I’ve received more compliments about me answering my phone, than anything else I’ve done. People know you are busy and respect when you value them enough to answer the call.

1. Document What the Owner Says

Many times we are in such a hurry that what the owner of a vehicle says to us goes in one ear and out the other. Make sure you write down and document what the owner says.

The owner of a vehicle will feel very frustrated if their concerns go unheard. The inside adjuster will be frustrated when they get a call from the owner who is stating they already explained this to the appraiser. Questions, concerns, or explanations of the accident, write it down.

1. Respond to Emails

We’ve all done it, ignored the supplem

This episode answers the common questions behind the pay of an auto damage appraiser or independent auto claims adjuster.

Today's episode is brought to you by Badger Mapping. Check it out HERE

The Independent Truth Behind an Independent Appraiser or Claims Adjuster Salary

Earning a living, making the cash, bringing home the bacon, and making it rain are all different ways to say, "making money." It's why we do what we do or why we are interested in doing something different.

People want to know before they get involved in a new career, job, or even helping out a buddy, "what will I get paid?"

 In this post I'm going to walk you through the “independent truth about the pay of an auto damage appraiser and independent auto claims adjuster.”

AVG per year of a Claims Adjuster $63,000

The average per year is in the ballpark of sixty-three thousand dollars a year, which is a good income for most adjusters, but this is the average and not where you will start out.

Also. the big thing to realize about being an independent adjuster or auto damage appraiser is that you own your own business. To many adjusters this may be a realization, but it is an essential realization to have. You, as an IA, are a freelancer, and you are payed in the same manner as a freelancer, per piece. There is no salary and no guarantees.

Pay Type – Per File (or per piece)

There are exceptions, such as catastrophic per day pay, but for the most part we are paid on a per file basis. Just like a graphic designer is paid on a per piece or per project basis, independent adjusters and appraisers are paid the same way.

Pay Amount - $20-$80 per file

Currently, the per file basis is on a scale and starts at $20, for photo’s only working for companies like WeGoLook, and goes to $80 working for high end independent auto damage appraiser companies like, IA Net. The responsibilities and expectation raise with the pay. Starting out you can expect to make $20-$60 per file, depending on whether you are completing the industry standard estimate, or just taking photos.

What You Are Getting Paid For

The major tasks you must complete to get paid on a file are,

• Setting an Appointment with an Owner of a Vehicle
• Inspecting the Damage Vehicle
  • Driving to the Owners Chosen Location
  • Documenting Damage with Photos (get the Guidelines for Required Photos HERE)
  • Documenting Damage with Notes
• Create an Industry Standard Estimate using Audatex, CCC One, or Mitchell Software
• Upload Estimate, Photos, Notes, and Estimate Data to Company Portal
• Complete Any Revisions or Supplements that May Arise

Supplements are a request from a repair facility for supplemental or additional repair operations and parts that were not included on the first estimate. As an auto damage appraiser you must reconcile these supplement requests and complete a second upload.

Under most circumstances you are not paid for supplements and there are times you must re-inspect a vehicle a second time once it goes to a repair facility due to questionable damages without getting paid.

Delay in Pay

One of the least likeable things about being an IA, is the delay in pay. What you complete in a month, is then typically paid to you on the 15th of the next month. I’ve had worse pay schedules, but that now seems to be the normal pay cycle.

That’s 45 days from first claim to getting paid. If you are working full time during those 45 days it can be a lot of expenses

We all know you should learn from your mistakes... right? Well sometimes the mistakes we make are not as obvious in the claims adjusting world and the feedback loop leaves something strong to be desired, but the answer of how to improve your claims may be right under your nose.

Chris covers the best way he believes you can improve your writing and confidence as a writer in episode 41 of the Independent Adjuster Podcast.

Interested in becoming an Auto Damage Appraiser? Check out Crash Course and learn how to be an independent auto damage appraiser or adjuster in 30 days or less at AutoCrashCourse.com

Want to become a catastrophic adjuster? Get our free guide, "5 Steps to Becoming a Catastrophic Adjuster," by visiting IAPath.com

Today's Show is sponsored by Livegenic. Find out more about Livegenic by visiting IAPath.com/Livegenic

You want to make headway in your career, you are working hard, but how can you get momentum? How can you get further..... faster? Networking is the best way to make progress in the insurance industry.

You must know how to do networking properly and on this episode, Chris gives 5 things he believes you need to be while networking.

Today's episode is brought to you by Livegenic - check out Livegenic HERE

Interested in becoming a Catastrophic Adjuster? Visit IAPath.com to get the

"5 Steps to Becoming a Cat Adjuster" guide.

This is one of the first episodes from the IA Path Podcast. I included 2 episodes that were back to back.

In this episode, I cover the 4 essential elements to an inspection and conversation and demonstrate it in a hilarious conversation with an insured who tells their story about The Diabetes, The Deer, and Jesus

The number one tool is often overlooked and forgotten about, but it's the foundation of being a good auto hail adjuster.

Chris breaks down the 3 steps to using the PDR and Hail Matrix properly.

Using a PDR Matrix is as easy as 1,2,3

1. Determine the Panel

2. Determine the Count

3. Determine the Size

Today's episode is brought to you by Badger Mapping - Get 2 free months by visiting IAPath.com/badgermapping

Get a copy of the hail matrix and other resources mentioned (including the audio verion of Chris' Amazon #1 Best Selling book the Hail Adjusters Playbook) by visiting HailAdjustersPlaybook.com

Chris gets excited and lays it out there telling you to quit waiting around for work to come to you... go get it!

 What does it really mean to "own your business."?

New short quick format in between full length episodes. Thoughts and quick episodes from Chris Stanley.

Chris gives his takeaways from the new groundbreaking book in the insurance industry, Insuring Tomorrow by Tony Canas and Carly Burnham.

Get the book by visiting INSNerds.com or searching on Amazon.

Learn how to be a catastrophic auto adjuster with Hail Score

Todays Episode is brought to you by Livegenic. 

Check out Livegenic's full suite of real-time collaboration tools to help you streamline your loss documentation at IAPath.com/Livegenic

5 Takeaways from Insuring Tomorrow

1. There is a need for talent in the insurance industry

2. The insurance industry is stuck in it's old ways (surprise)

3. The insurance industry is HUGE!

4. I'm not crazy, I'm a millennial

5. There is hope, and I need to do more

Insuring Tomorrow Book Description from Amazon

For several years, the Property Casualty Insurance Industry has been talking about a "looming talent crisis". Today, crisis is no longer looming, it's very much here. The average age of an insurance professional is around 60 years old and the number of insurance pros over 55 has increased by 74% in the decade before 2012. Making things worse insurance has a bad reputation in society and only 4% of Millennials report having an interest in working in the industry. In the last few years we have been hiring thousands of Millennials, but we haven't done a good job of engaging then and retaining them in the industry. This is your guidebook to not only keep your Millennials but grow them and help them fall in love with the insurance industry.