7 Tips to Help Adjusters Prepare for Hurricane Season (Hurricane Checklist)
June 1st kicks off hurricane season, which in the claim’s world means “busy season”. With each hurricane season bringing different assumptions and expectations, the one thing adjusters do know is that they need to be reason to move when a CAT assignment comes in.
Adjusters should always be prepared to take the assignments they want when they come in, but CAT season requires a different level of preparation. From “hurry up and wait” to “we need you as soon as possible” you want to be ready to accept those assignments from your IA firm or Insurance Carrier when they come in.
Preparation is key for hurricane season (and really year round). Our success team works with adjusters all year long in addition to having members of the team who are former adjusters. Between witnessing some of the common issue’s adjusters run into during hurricane season or experiencing it themselves, here is a list of tips to help adjusters prepare for hurricane season.
Prepare your vehicle.
Generally vehicle maintenance is a part of daily life. However, sometimes adjusters overlook vehicle checks because they may not be experiencing any problems or warning lights. The last thing you want to find out as you leave for an assignment is that your vehicle has a flat tire. Understandably, some things are unavoidable (we all have accidentally run over than invisible nail). In effort to try to reduce the risk of problems, do a quick vehicle check before hurricane season.
Check your tires
Schedule a service appointment
Check your oil
If you're in a potential CAT zone, get some spare gas in gas cans
Pack some emergency items (gloves, face masks, snacks, etc.)
Make sure your licenses are up to date
One of the many questions you will get when you receive an assignment is “What states are you licensed in?”. You want to make sure your license is active in your home state, surrounding states and (if needed) your Designated Home State (DHS). Give yourself at least 21 days (depending on the state) in case your find out that your license for a certain state is no longer active. That will give you enough time to do what is needed to reactivate it. Additionally, you should extend or apply for an emergency adjuster license, which becomes incredibly important during a CAT event.
If you need additional help understanding which license you need in order to be on the Field Pro roster, you can contact our customer success team
Refresh your CV resume
Outside of hurricane season, many of you take additional CE courses and/or skills. Whether you are already on a roster or not, it’s important to make sure that your CV has the most up-to-date information so that it’s ready to submit. From new skills to CE credits – you want to include as much information about yourself to help showcase your expertise.
Some of you may be wondering "what's the difference between a resume and a cv?" Here's a great article explaining the difference: https://theundercoverrecruiter.com/cv-vs-resume-difference-and-when-use-which/
Update your roster profile(s)
Now that you have updated your resume, you want to make sure that information is given to any IA firms or insurance carriers you are working with. This is especially important for our Field Pros as we match you to claims based on your preferences, location, and expertise.
Make sure your tools are working properly
Some inspections may require a different set of tools. For CAT events you generally want to have as much as possible to ensure you can handle all types of claims. If you don’t already have a dedicated space for your adjuster tools, take the time to locate everything you would need. Do inventory of the tools to see which ones are working and which ones may need to be replaced or even new batteries.
Bonus Tip: If you have a spare storage container, this is a great way to organize your tools in your car so that you aren't rushing to find everything before an assignment.
Prepare your technology (laptop, phones, apps)
While this tip won’t help you if you forget your laptop at home after driving halfway to an assignment (true adjuster story from Matt Cronican), it can help make sure your tech is ready for hurricane season.
First you will want to make sure your phone and laptop are working properly. If you don’t use your laptop often, turn it on to make sure it works. If you find that your phone is overloaded with storage taken up on pet and kid pictures or apps you haven’t used in years, now is the time to back up those files. You also want to make sure that you have all the cords and accessories needed in case of an emergency. Power cords, back-up chargers for your phone, headphones, and any other accessory you may need.
Also, be sure to preload or bookmark common sites or apps you may use during a CAT. These are things like:
Shortcuts to Xactimate, Symbility or other estimating platforms
Apps for your IA firm(s) that you work for
IA firm’s contact information (email and phone numbers)
Technology is a big part of the claims process, so you want to make sure you go into hurricane season with your best foot forward.
Pack your CAT bag
Each adjuster has a very specific set of items they like to include in their CAT bag. The formula should a bag you would take for a weeks’ vacation + road snacks. Depending on how far you may have to drive, include some bottled water as well. If you have any special medications or dietary requirements, include those items as well. It’s better to be overprepared with this bag than underprepared.
Now you have the checklist you need to prepare yourself for a successful CAT season.