We talked last time about being resourceful.  I’m trying to show you more than just how to become an insurance adjuster.  I want you to be a professional among your peers.

Attributes of a Successful Claims Adjuster #4 – Be Logical

Logic plays a key role in most everything you do as an adjuster.  Here are a few things to think about:

•    How do I schedule my appointments?
•    Do I close the claim on site or that night?
•    Where do I look for a place to stay?
•    How many claims should I look at in a day?
•    Was the damage caused by the storm?
•    What is covered damage?

As a new adjuster, these questions are constant and many, but as you become more seasoned, these will become second nature to you.  But you must always apply logic behind your decision so you will remain efficient.

Applying logic to how you schedule your appointments will save you time from driving back and forth across town. Applying logic when looking for a place to stay can make your commute a lot easier.

Be methodical and purposeful in all that you do.  Don’t just shoot from the hip and take the first option that pops into your head.  Think about how this decision will affect your use of time.  The easiest way to give an example of logic is when looking at storm damage.

One of the great talents of every adjuster is sorting out the story.  You’d be amazed at the claims people make to you with a straight face.  It’s your job as an adjuster to match the story and facts to see if what they’re claiming is the truth.

I was adjusting a flood claim for a lady one day.  The water was up to the floor joists in the basement, but cobwebs were all over the floor joists, so I knew that the water hadn’t risen any more.  She claimed that water came up through the floor and ruined her wood floor.  I walked into her living room and noticed a piece of plywood over the window.  As you may have guessed, the wood floors in that room were warped due to water damage.  She was well aware that I was only able to cover “flood” damage.  So her story was that the water came up from under the house to flood the floor.  Using logic, it was easy to tell that the water came through the window.  Upon further questioning about the window, she stated that a tree branch was blown through the window and broke it during the storm.  Rain then came through the window and ruined her floors.  The good news is she was covered, just not through her flood insurance.  There’s always a logical explanation for what you see when investigating a claim.  Take the time to think through what you are looking at and how it may have happened.  We will never get 100% of them right, but you should be pretty darn close.

Are you logical in how you approach things?  If not, this is a skill you should develop.

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