Get Licensed
Get Rostered
Get Skills
Hurricane season a make or break time of the year for Independent Insurance Adjusters.
For new adjusters, a hurricane is often your first opportunity to build a relationship with IA firms and get your foot in the door for ongoing claims.
For experienced adjusters, a storm deployment could mean a few months in Florida or Louisiana to bring in $80 – $150k.
This guide is all about becoming a catastrophe insurance adjuster.
New Catastrophe Adjusters
To become a catastrophe adjuster, you’ll follow three steps: get licensed, get rostered, get skills.
Step 1. Get your Adjuster License
The first step to becoming a catastrophe adjuster is to get your independent insurance adjuster license.
This process includes:
- Take a license exam prep course
- Pass the state adjuster exam
- Apply for your license
Select Your State
For state-specific instructions to get your Insurance Adjuster License.
Catastrophe Adjuster License Questions
Which state should I get my first Adjuster License in?
The state where you’ll get your first adjuster license is your home state – the state you live in.
After you’ve gotten your home state license, you can apply for non-resident licenses, which you’ll do for the states where you’re working claims.
Most states offer license reciprocity for non-resident licenses, meaning you can apply for that state’s license without taking their exam. New York, California, Hawaii, and Iowa don’t offer reciprocity, meaning to get non-resident licenses in those states, you’ll need to take their states exam before applying for the license.
What if my home state doesn’t offer an insurance adjuster license?
If you live in a non-licensing state, you’ll need to get a designated home state license (DHS license). This will act as your home state, which allows you to apply for additional non-resident licenses. We recommend the Florida DHS Adjuster License.
Non-licensing state’s include: CO, IL, IA, KS, MD, MS, MO, NE, NJ, ND, OH, PA, SD, TN, NA, DC, WI
How much will it cost to get my adjuster license?
License fees and costs vary widely from state-to-state.
Exam prep course: $139 – $700
Exam (per attempt): $20 – $90
License application: $40 – $400
Total Cost: $200 – 1,300
Which exam prep course should I take?
We recommend AdjusterPro’s exam prep courses. They’re designed to give you the best shot at passing the license exam quickly.
They also offer courses that include both licensing and adjuster skills training.
Step 2. Join Independent Adjuster Firm Rosters
Once you’ve got your first license, the next step is to get on the rosters of independent adjuster firms (IA firms)
The common advice is to join as many rosters as possible, starting with the largest firms.
Once you begin joining rosters, you need to be ready to deploy immediately if requested.
It’s not a guarantee that you’ll get the call, but if you’re requested to join a deployment and turn it down, the chances of getting another call from that firm are slim to none.
IA Firm Roster Questions
Which IA Firms are new-adjuster friendly?
The larger firms like the ones listed above are generally considered to be the most friendly to adjusters with little to no experience. Most of them offer training courses to help you skill up, so be sure to take advantage of any opportunities you’re given once you join the roster.
Is there anything I should do besides joining IA firm rosters?
Once you are rostered, keep in touch with your point of contact with the company. Always be polite and courteous with them as you would with an insured on a claim. Don’t email them every day, as claim managers are usually extremely busy, but don’t allow yourself to fall off their radar.
Adjuster Skills and Training
Now that you’re licensed and rostered, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the language, software, and skills of an independent adjuster.
Hard Skills
- Xactimate
The #1 software used every day by adjusters. New adjusters can set themselves apart from their competition by working to proficiency within Xactimate. - Inspection, Scoping, & Estimating
These are the main actions taken for each claim. Understanding the processes of each of these will help you to move effectively through claims and get them closed quickly. - Home Construction
Having a basic understanding of materials and construction processes gives you a major advantage for working claims and communicating with both insureds and contractors.
Recommended Skills Training
– Tactical Xactimate Training
– Estimating Property Damages
– Construction 101
Soft Skills
- Customer Service
Communicating with insureds, contractors, carriers and IA firm contacts is a major part of an adjuster’s day. IA firm hiring managers take quick note of your ability to communicate well, which is a major factor in the decision to bring on a new adjuster. - Time Management
Your ability to work through multiple claims quickly affects not only your chances of being assigned more claims, but has a direct impact on your income. - File Management
Ensuring you’ve created detailed documentation, followed protocols, and submitted accurate estimates will help you close claims faster, and ensure you see fewer kickbacks.
Recommended Soft Skills Training
– Adjuster Success Method
