Habits of Effective and Successful Insurance Adjusters

Habits of Effective and Successful Insurance Adjusters

Communication

Insurance claims adjusters need to have excellent people skills. An insurance adjuster will deal with all manner of people in every frame of mind. From happy and grateful to angry and suspicious. Claims adjusters are often the only point of contact between the insurer and the insured. Emphasize on cordial, patient, and professional communication should always be the goal. This is the best customer service.

Time Management

Wasted time and stress are twin enemies of an insurance adjuster. Particularly an independent adjuster handling catastrophic claims. Effective time-management will cut stress and maximize profits. It is not uncommon for insurance adjusters to receive stacks of hundreds of claims. And in a catastrophic situation, each claimant wants the adjuster there yesterday. Make sure you are managing expectations, multi-tasking, and using time wisely. Also, these are essential to survive the storm of insurance claims.

Computer Skill

The days of hand-writing estimates are over. Every major insurance carrier now requires that claims estimates be electronically delivered. Being proficient in general computer usage will elevate the ability to close claims quick. Do you struggle with typing, or navigating through a Windows-based program? If so, you should consider taking a basic computer skills course. Do this before taking on insurance claims.

Integrity

An insurance adjuster has significant freedom and power and responsibility. Particularly an independent adjuster. Temptations to abuse the position (i.e. taking bribes, contractor kickbacks, etc.) exist. Also, good insurance adjusters should be vigilant in guarding against any ethical infractions. Also, crime may pay in some professions but not in insurance adjusting. An unethical adjuster is an adjuster soon to be out of work.

Insurance Policy Knowledge and Application

How to read an insurance policy is fundamental to proper insurance claims adjusting. The real skill is applying the policies within the context of specific aspects of an insurance claim. Excellence in adjusting is as much art as science. Formulas and rules can lead you through the black and white. When grey areas arise an adjuster must rely upon intuition, conscience, and experience.

Construction/Engineering Knowledge

Being familiar with the makeup of the property adjusted is essential. If an adjuster doesn’t know what is behind a wall in a house he or she won’t know to account for it in the estimate. The goal of the insurance adjuster is to compensate the homeowner, car owner, or business owner. Compensate to an extent to return their property to its pre-damaged condition. Understand the construction of those properties from foundation to roof. Also, this is indispensable in coming to a fair and accurate claim settlement amount.

Innovation and the Will to Succeed

Sometimes claims adjusters find themselves confronted with impossible situations. Difficulties can make an insurance adjuster long for greener pastures. Difficulties such as language barriers, unresponsive claimants, and software bugs. In catastrophic events, this is particularly true. Some folks take their footballs and go home, and some muddle through an event not to return the next year.  Also, others rise to the challenge, facing problems with innovation and the will to succeed.

All of us here at AAN want to help you succeed at being an insurance claims adjuster.  Contact us today for more information!

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