Earn a six-figure salary. Travel nationwide. Meet new people. Pick your own schedule. Be your own boss. The benefits of working as a CAT adjuster are seemingly endless. But there are still some things you should be on the lookout for as you start looking for independent adjusting jobs, maximizing your profits, and avoiding the dangers of the job. Keep reading to discover what you can expect as a Texas CAT adjuster.
1. If you want to make a lot of money, you’ll need to travel a lot.
Most CAT adjusters average 35,000-40,000 miles per year so you can expect to go through cars quickly and spend a fair amount of money on regular oil changes and maintenance. Still, this isn’t a major deterrent for most independent insurance adjusters who adjust catastrophe claims since they make money hand over fist.
You can expect to spend a lot of time on the road even if you just plan to adjust in Texas. Wildfires can crop up in rural areas, Houston and coastal Texas are very prone to flooding, North Fort Worth and San Antonio get a lot of hail damage, Northern Texas falls into tornado alley too so you can expect to spend quite a bit of time there. Since it takes at least four hours to get from Houston to North Texas, you can expect to spend a lot of time on the open (gridlocked) road.
Hot Tip: Use one of these convenient apps to find the cheapest gas while you’re traveling.
2. You will have to deal with hazards, even after the storm passes.
A lot of CAT adjusters get into the industry thinking they’ll be there to adjust claims after dangerous storms have passed. However, it’s important to realize that sometimes the dangers don’t recede with the storm clouds. Roadways may be flooded, you may run into fallen power lines, you will likely have to navigate around fallen debris, your vehicle or ladder may sink into the mud, or you might step on broken glass. It’s important to stay alert, make safe decisions, and keep your insurance up-to-date.
3. You don’t have to work catastrophes all year
Winter is generally a slow season for Texas CAT adjusters so some choose to just take it off and relax after months of hard work. Most adjusters will close at least 2-3 claims a day during storm season though and make six figures. It’s up to you if you want to work more or less though. You’ll definitely want to work during the spring and summer to make good profits to sustain you for the rest of the year.
4. You’ll want to get licenses in other states.
Florida, California, Oklahoma, Colorado, Louisiana, Alabama, Oregon– what do these states have in common? They’re prone to catastrophic weather events, which means they’re often in need of independent insurance adjusters. Now, you may not want to travel as far as Oregon, but if you’re based in Texas, you may decide to visit some of these Southern states to get the highest-paying jobs. The Texas All-Lines license is reciprocal with most of these states too so all you have to do to start adjusting in those states is apply for a license. Check here to discover which states have a reciprocity agreement with the state of Texas.
5. You need to be on the lookout for insurance scams
Unfortunately, any time there’s a natural disaster, people who weren’t affected use it as an opportunity to get a claim payout. This may come in the form of people damaging their own property or worsening storm damage to get a bigger payout. Of course, there are many home and business owners filing legitimate claims, but it’s your job to look out for the insurance company and ensure that nothing unscrupulous is going on.
2021 Training: Become A Texas CAT Adjuster
Are you ready to start an exciting career in CAT adjusting? Well, 2021 Training is here to prepare new adjusters for the job and teach you how to find and perform amazingly on high-paying claims. Don’t delay, join our Texas All-Lines online licensing course today. Not ready to dive into your new career just yet? Give us a call and request more information about our pre-licensing and continuing education (CE) courses.