The next step you will need to complete to be fully prepared to be an insurance adjuster is familiarizing yourself with Xactimate and Practical Adjusting. We offer a combination training package for this called the Smart Start Pack.
What Is Xactimate?
Xactimate is a program designed to help insurance adjusters complete an estimate of a project. This program helps them determine how much a project will cost. Xactimate is the primary program any insurance adjuster will need to know, so we recommend you are familiar with it before you apply for your license, or study it while you wait to hear about the status of your license application.
Xactimate is the program you will use on a daily basis. This is how insurance adjusters estimate and adjust claims.
Years ago, insurance adjusters used calculators and pricing books to write estimates and claims by hand. Technology has made it possible to streamline the process for maximum efficiency.
To put this into perspective, about 3.5 million home insurance claims have been filed on a yearly basis based on a rough estimate from the past few years. That is a lot of claims to have once filed by hand, and that is only a rough estimate for houses, this doesn’t factor in any car or other claims each year.
Xactimate makes it possible to file these claims quickly so you can keep on to the next claim. Xactimate is available on both mobile and desktop so you can be the most efficient claims adjuster possible.
While there are a few other programs similar to Xactimate on the market, we recommend studying Xactimate because it is the industry standard. Here are a few reasons why it is the leading claims estimating software.
Xactimate is designed for property adjusting specifically, so it has all the necessary features an adjuster needs. You can make accurate estimates since xactimate updates its prices often. You can make sketches and determine cost estimates for repairs.
What Is CAT Adjusting?
CAT adjusting stands for catastrophe adjusting. This is a very specific type of claims adjuster. As a CAT adjuster, you respond to catastrophes such as hurricanes, hailstorms, and more. An insurance agency often will have CAT adjusters as independent contractors and deploy them to respond to weather emergencies.
Because this type of insurance adjusting requires you to be an independent contractor, you only get paid when you close a claim, which typically only happens in storm seasons. Some adjusters say this is how you make 6 figures in 6 months, but that is essentially your entire income for the year, so it takes excellent money management.
Not to mention, yes you get great vacation time, but in the 6-9 months that you do work during storm season, the days are long and demanding.
While 6-9 months working and 3-6 months off sounds like a great schedule, consider your lifestyle and needs first. Often the catastrophe doesn’t happen in the same city or state where you live, so it requires you to be away for weeks at a time.
Learn To Use Xactimate With 2021 Training
We have a comprehensive training program for Xactimate that will help you in your insurance adjusting career. This training is comprehensive and will give you a good foundation to use in the beginning stages of your career. If you want to get your licensing process started, study with our Smart Start Pack. Call us with any questions you may have at (972) 767-7699. Don’t wait to get started, it takes time to build up your business and there is no time like the present.