'Insurance Adjuster Salary | How Catastrophe Adjusters Get Paid'

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Wondering how much you can make as an independent insurance adjuster? I break down exactly HOW catastrophe adjusters get paid and what sort of income you can expect to earn as a new and experienced property adjuster handling claims.

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TRAIN WITH MATT:

[crunchyhippo]

Here's what I'm NOT hearing much of on Youtube regarding claims adjusting. First, you should enter this field with eyes wide open and know what it's going to take to succeed starting out. Too many people hype the great money and the advantages of being an IA, but either rarely or never bring up what it's going to take to actually start getting calls from the agencies. I think some excellent points to make to someone considering a career in CAT claims adjusting would be:

1. You aren't going to immediately start making all those big bucks for a long time (unless a Cat 4 or 5 hurricane just hit the U.S.); it's going to take a while to build up experience to the degree that you'll be called on a regular basis (the 5, 10, 15, and 20+ year veterans are going to be called first, every time).
2. You're going to need 5-7 licenses, minimum, to even be considered for a call (your home state license, then the other five "big state" licenses that are in so much demand - like Texas, Florida, Indiana, etc.); add in a must-have State Farm license, a preferred flood license, then Xactimate training ($) and subsequent certification ($), and so on. You'll be looking at close to a thousand dollars (or more) in certs, classes, and fees before you're "ready" to be marketed. Many people just starting out have these in hand and are *still* waiting to get called for work. *Experience* is king - not certs and licenses.
3. You'll have spent a LOT of money getting these licenses, certifications, and training before you ever begin making money as an IA.
4. Before your first deployment, you're going to FIRST need to save up at least three months of living expenses, along with shelling out a significant amount for tools, shoes, equipment, lodging, gas, etc, etc.
5. Even after getting licensed, with zero experience you may not get a call for a deployment for weeks or even months, until someone decides to take a chance on you. You'll need your regular job in the meantime.
6. You may have to get a lowly job (i.e. low-paying) as a photo-taker, staff claims adjuster, ride-along volunteer, etc, just to know what to do when you actually get called to a site. Let's face it, a claims adjuster license doesn't tell you how to mark a roof for hail damage or how to evaluate drywall for water damage.
7. Getting into the IA field is a lot like starting college; the tuition and fees will be breathtaking. But ultimately, if you can hold out long enough financially and wait long enough until you get enough calls to change careers, it will pay off.
8. Unless you personally know a claims adjuster, it's going to be difficult getting specific answers to a lot of questions you have. You can't just call up an insurance company and get a claims adjuster on the phone to talk to you. Realize this and know that it's going to take a while and a lot of online research to figure out everything you need to do and obtain to get started, so don't get frustrated.

[GetLostAF]

Good! I was starting to re-watch old videos lol. Thanks Mat, you are great.

[nicolesdiy]

Great information! My husband and I are looking into doing this together! Thanks for sharing

[DoctaHobo]

If someone gets an insurance license in Georgia. How can they travel state to state as an independent adjustor?

[simplybeingshipley]

How frequently, or on what time basis, can a deployed CAT IA expect to be paid while in the field?

[aavalos]

Hey! Just wanted to leave a comment to thank you for these videos. My company has me on a three LOB rotation in Prop/WC/GL as a desk adjuster. I finished my prop rotation back in Dec but always wanted to see perspective of a field adjuster.

[earvincerda]

Your videos are so helpful! Im new to all this and I've already reached out to the major 4 AI firms and many more! Im in south Florida so hurricane season it's technically over but now im just applying for local jobs to gain experience and be able to pay for additional certifications. Also thanks for the podcast info :)

[cptmcquacken]

Lemme tell ya brother. OneCall claims was DUMPING claims on me during Harvey. It was my first deployment, my supervisor didn't know what to think of me at first, after a while I just couldn't keep going. If you do your job well and (during Harvey) adjusters were dropping like flies) they will give you the work. I started with 2 claims a day, after a couple weeks clocking around four. But after MONTHS of being on deployment you start to get tired, I was handed a lot of "Re-inspections" after a while and I just couldn't do it anymore. It was a great experience, I loved it, but being (the guy) has some serious downsides.

[bloodytomato]

What license do you need to do cat claims?

[alandavis]

Just run across your vid by accident. I spent 34 years adjusting claims. I worked Hurricanes Andrew, Katrina and many more wirh names that are forgotten. I have worked as an independent and staff. First there are 2 kinds of adjusters. You have Santa Claus adjusters and you have Grinch adjusters. I retired 12 years ago. I loved the job but management became to much to tolerate.

[rougeleader]

Howdy! What would happen if there’s no damages to the property as far as getting paid? If the amount you get is based off of the amount of damages and there’s no damages or damages below the deductible amount ( let’s say under $1000 ) is your pay still based off that?

Edit: never mind I re watched and you answered that question lol. Great video!

[katherinecatesmorales]

Hello! Where can i get my insurance adjuster license? Thank you

[CodysCharm]

can you get your license and get a job as an insurance adjuster if you have a petit theft misdemeanor that happened in 2018 when I was 19 years old? Im 23 now and I have not had any offense since and I have a college degree from University of Florida

[randylfernandez]

anyone can train me to become a adjuster? thanks
I'm from the phillippines

[AndrewM]

Hi Matt! For people just starting out in this industry, how much money would you say they need to have saved in order to survive the “newbie” stage of this career ?

[carterlarson]

Any tips for someone graduating high school and looking to get into this?

[darryldickson]

Can we see some videos of you on the job or did you just read about adjusters and decide to try to make videos to get paid by YouTube

[AdjustToLive]

7 claims a day is a joke maby once a week if your lucky.
You need an A rating to get check writing privilege, even that it stops at 25k.
A new adjuster might get 5k check authority. This pushes everything back.
Your new adjuster will not make 100k+ a year without a rating.

[bintanglazuardi]

Hi matt. where did you get that estimate from? I might think the price is only for your area.. your estimate doesn't apply in my country at all. So maybe you should review the loss adjuster salary in other areas as well, such like in South Asia..

Btw, I really like watching your channel, because it's very motivating..

[cptmcquacken]

You know what kills me? How little we are trusted. I have tried to explain on some youtube videos "We aren't trying to cheat you, the more YOU get paid the more I get paid" and I just get a tsunami of contractors and homeowners belaying the insurance industry at large because they saw a video of some garbage adjuster on a roof arguing with a knowledgeable contractor. It's a matter of education, the average person, the insured, just doesnt understand how insurance works, or that they are protected by the law and they can ABSOLUTELY trust the adjuster or else the adjuster could face serous penalty.
I hate that the average American distrusts adjusters. I love this industry and it kills me that "we" try to be the best we can in the aftermath of the insureds loss but are painted as crooks.