How do I get an entry level claims position?

I can't seem to find companies in my area (Akron, OH)

Any suggestions?

Did you try Progressive. There headquarters is in Ohio.

You will often have greater results when you increase the radius distance of your job search. Here is a search I did for Claims Adjuster w/in a 50 mile radius of Akron, Ohio:
www.indeed.com/jobs?q=claims+adjuster&l=Akron%2C+OH&radius=50

You can change the distance of your search by clicking on the distance drop down menu on the gray bar directly above the job search results. Or you can click on the "Advanced Search" link located by the Find Jobs button.

You should also consider signing up for an Email Job Alert or RSS feed so that you can be notified of when new job listings have been added.

Try Allstate Insurance. I started there about ten years ago in their Great Lakes office, located in Hudson. At that time, they also had an office of adjusters in Hudson.

Rhonda,

Thanks for the feedback. I have just recently applied with Allstate and am awaiting a response.

Kelly

Anything in Melbourne Florida?

I should be taking my 620 all lines license next month.

I worked for Pilot Catastophes Inc. after Hurricane Katrina and Rita and fell in love with adjusting. I got my Texas adjuster license during this time. Since then I have been unable to find a company who will hire me because I only have a year of experience in adjusting. My question is how do you get experience when companies won't hire you unless you have a couple of years experience and they aren't willing to give you the opportunity to prove yourself. Please help! Adjusting is what I want to do however I have been running into road blocks ever since I worked with Pilot.

I second that..!!

Try progressive

I applied for a trainee position by me, but no response. And I have my claims license.

Alonzo in Kansas City in Kansas City, Missouri said: Did you try Progressive. There headquarters is in Ohio.

I am looking for a company that trains and hires entry-level claims adjusters in Kansas city, mo area or Kansas. Any companies in mind? I have BBA and MBA in computer science looking to change careers.

Tania. You are in a jackpot area for insurance. I used to live in Olathe and am mad that I moved because now I want to get into claims and all the listings I see are for Farmers. I checked today and they had 14 listings fo claims related jobs in Olathe. Keep applying, calling and checking. good luck!!!

Anything in Melbourne Florida now after all these storms? (Adjusting)

Erin, thanks for this information. I will look online today for the Olathe area.

Good luck with your search as well!!!

I just receive my 520 licence from florida took a course in Texas at US staffing. im trying to get an intership job or entry level job since I dont have experience.

I have just completed training and certification for my FL All Lines License with Central Insurance Schools in Clearwater, FL. I was with Liberty Mutual for 4 years in Claims Screening and Creation(Commercial Lines). Just started looking for an Adjuster position here in Florida.
Do you know of any firms that are hiring new adjusters? I have applied to Travellers, Progressive, Allstate, Geico, and Esurance.
Thanks, Todd

I'm looking to get into the claims adjusting field in a state that does not require licensing. I plan to get the Texas license in time, but would like to get some experience with a company first. I used to be an insurance agent, with A&H and Life licenses. Does anyone know a place that will hire a beginner that doesn't know Xactimate yet and train them?

Looking to volunteer assistance or apprentice/internship to working adjusters in my area. I have 12 months inside experience, with Pilot, and am currently licensed in FL (home state - allines), TX (allines), OK, MI, MN, LA, MS, AL, GA, SC, NC, DL, and UT. I need to get additional outside experience and would make a good "roof monkey". I need to learn more! bcgolf2@yahoo.com

helen in Ocala, Florida said: I just receive my 520 licence from florida took a course in Texas at US staffing. im trying to get an intership job or entry level job since I dont have experience.

Hi i was thinking of taking the claim adjusters course with U.S. staffing

How did you like the classes? would you recommend it?

I would stay away from Farmers. Thier JD powers rating are in the tank. No use on picking up bad habits. Take a moment and think why do they advertize for claims reps and agents all the time.

I would try E-insurance,Integon,Traverlers,Allstate,Safeco or Geico.

It seems as if adjuster jobs have dried up in Michigan and/or some of the independent companies have been exhibiting some favoritism.....which is rather unfortunate... I have seriously been contemplating on finding work in other states like Florida, Ohio, IN or IL even.. I am licensed in Michigan and have 8 yrs exp under my belt. Does anyone have any suggestions?

I would like to become a Claims Adjuster and would like to become an adjuster who travels across the USA to handle property damage catastrophe claims related to the weather such as tornadoes, flooding, etc.

I have several college degrees. I have a bachelors degree and masters degree. I am a licensed realtor. I have significant experience in the field of construction and remodeling.

What do I need to do?

About once a year I will apply for a few claims adjustor positions with no success.

I have have done this for probably 4-5 years with no success.

They seem to have no interest whatsoever in an individual with a college degree and related experience.

What's going on?

Look here for some great insight and "mentoring" from those at all skill levels in adjusting; www.claimsmentor.com/

I have 19 years of experience in the investigative field, which includes extensive work in claims investigations for insurance companies and attorney firms. Along with my investigator's license, I recently acquired the TX. All-Lines Adjuster's license in the hopes of getting a position as an adjuster. However, I have sent out numerous resumes and applied for numerous positions, with no response at all. I am not interested in CAT adjusting as I do not want to be gone from home for over a week at a time, etc., but hope to acquire a position as a daily adjuster. How do you get started in Texas without a degree or at least one year experience? Do you know of any companies that will take a chance on an experience investigator, but entry level adjuster?

did anyone looking for claims position have any luck in Florida?
i spent all this money on an adjusting class so i could forgo the exam and i am not having any luck in the orlando area. it really sucks!

Nope, I studied and passed my exam and that was over a year ago.
And still nothing.

I have not had any luck either...its been a year since I got my license and nothing

If you need any licensing or training i found a good site. ae21online.com

I'm researching and starting to lean towards US Staffing for training. I realized that if you select any of training locations in Florida, they're more of crash courses. Agencies looking to hire adjusters need to have more hands on training/experience instead of just online or in classroom. If you find one that provides hands on training for basic adjusting, xactimate, auto adjusting then take those credentials to any agency and apply to be added to their roster. That's my opinion. I'm still researching.

CNA Insurance is hiring for WC Claims Trainee's for the Orlando FL area. Go to Monster.com and search for 'Claims' 'Orlando, FL' or go to CNA's website.

You do have to go to Chicago for training. CNA is a very good stable company with excellent benefits. Best Wishes!!

CFLAjuster in Apopka, Florida said: CNA Insurance is hiring for WC Claims Trainee's for the Orlando FL area. Go to Monster.com and search for 'Claims' 'Orlando, FL' or go to CNA's website.

You do have to go to Chicago for training. CNA is a very good stable company with excellent benefits. Best Wishes!!

Do you know if they are still hiring? I looked on there website and have not been able to locate anything in Florida.

Kelly Edwards in Akron, Ohio said: I can't seem to find companies in my area (Akron, OH)

Any suggestions?

Nationwide Insurance is in Columbus, Ohio.

preyna in Conroe, Texas said: I have 19 years of experience in the investigative field, which includes extensive work in claims investigations for insurance companies and attorney firms. Along with my investigator's license, I recently acquired the TX. All-Lines Adjuster's license in the hopes of getting a position as an adjuster. However, I have sent out numerous resumes and applied for numerous positions, with no response at all. I am not interested in CAT adjusting as I do not want to be gone from home for over a week at a time, etc., but hope to acquire a position as a daily adjuster. How do you get started in Texas without a degree or at least one year experience? Do you know of any companies that will take a chance on an experience investigator, but entry level adjuster?

I am having same problem have you had any responses.

I took my All-lines Certifications & Xactimate tranning in October and have tried to apply for as many jobs as possible. Found one job advertising for a tranee. When calling the company they said they were hiring a personal friend for the job.

When taking the tranning they tell you It's easy to find work. Yea! Where are the jobs?

Arkansas will not allow you to work independily and they won't let you take the state exam unless you work for some one for a year.

Sharon in Odessa, Texas said: I am having same problem have you had any responses.

Absolutely not. I am still sending resumes after one year with no results. I learned the hard way that training means little in the way of getting an actual position in adjusting, without the experience, but no one wants to give you an opportunity to get the experience. Meantime, I continue to search for a position in the field. (Interesting enough, the instructor giving the adjuster classes never tells youhow hard it is to actually break into the business, does he?)

I co-own an independent adjusting company in MN. I have recently hired two former CAT adjusters who used to chase storms across the south. Of course things went dead for them and they came back home to MN and now do daily claims for us. I have never done CAT claims anywhere but MN but these two guys both had 10+ yrs as CAT adjusters. It took one 20 months to get his first job and the other one 27 months. They both state it is not any easier today than it was when they started. With all that being said. If you have an adjusters license AND experience as a contractor/roofer etc you can get hired by independent adjuster companies. It requires patience, persistence and stubbornness. In 2008 I hired a person who had graduated from the 10 month adjusters program at a MN community college. He had a MN adjusters license but no hands on adjusting experience. He had worked for his fathers home-building company so he had some experience that we could use as a base to train him into an adjuster. His home-building experience gave him the experience to know how to put a house back together. He has been pretty easy to train (yes, his training continues almost 2 yrs later. This is not an easy job)

In 2009 I hired a person who had a MN adjusters license but no experience in ANYthing related to claims. I got a gut feeling that they would work out based on their interview and the fact that kept hounding me for a job. We have done a lot of training and brought them along slowly but they have proven to be a good hire.

Bottom line whether you want to be a CAT adjuster, independent adjuster who does daily claims or a staff adjuster don't give up hope. It is felt that the need for adjusters will grow in 2010 as many adjusters will reach retirement age or get tired of waiting for the next hurricane. Good Luck

Hello im Alex, I have many years experience in construction, remodel,repair, materials application.unemployed I thought about doing this because my last jobs of 18 years dealt with warranty claims.close to a dead ringer? took the course,Im state licensed and planned on property adjusting with a company that would maybe train for a few days and I would be grateful and give 110% and be good to go. Well go ahead and slap me in the face and call me a dreamer.It would be helpful if a lot of schools would advertise the xactimate over the License as it appears that many ocupations use xactimate and insurance company's want you to know it before they hire you.The next hurdle is the experience, most want 3 years experience.So it appears that if you have a good friend or relative in the business,perhaps that would be the way in. After sending 75 resumes in two months it ain't happening.Just thought I would give a report from Orlando. My question is, after spending all my savings on the adjuster course and being broke from being unemployed are there any xactimate schools that accept student aid?

Sorry to hear of your problem Alex, because mine is identical, except that I do have the Xactimate training and I still haven't found anyone willing to take a chance on me. So, maybe investing in the Xactimate class may still not get you where you want to be. It would be nice if the training schools would be up front and tell you that you are going to have a difficult time finding a position, but then they wouldn't make the money on people who believe in them, would they. I have over 19 years of claims investigation experience as a self employed licensed investigator in Texas and my took a hit because of the economy. When I took the adjuster courses I truly believed this would be something I could fall back on until the economy changed, or would possibly be my next dream job. I think that due to the massive unemployment, there is now just too great of a job pool to choose for employers and those of us who don't have degrees or actual adjusting experience are going to be overlooked for those who do have the education, even though education does not necessarily mean they have the skills, ambition, or life experience that would actually make a better adjuster. All we can do is keep trying and keep our fingers crossed that we will find that spot that we deserve. I just keep looking and thinking that there will be someone who wants my skills and ambition over a college degree.

PReyna in Conroe, Texas said: Sorry to hear of your problem Alex, because mine is identical, except that I do have the Xactimate training and I still haven't found anyone willing to take a chance on me. So, maybe investing in the Xactimate class may still not get you where you want to be. It would be nice if the training schools would be up front and tell you that you are going to have a difficult time finding a position, but then they wouldn't make the money on people who believe in them, would they. I have over 19 years of claims investigation experience as a self employed licensed investigator in Texas and my took a hit because of the economy. When I took the adjuster courses I truly believed this would be something I could fall back on until the economy changed, or would possibly be my next dream job. I think that due to the massive unemployment, there is now just too great of a job pool to choose for employers and those of us who don't have degrees or actual adjusting experience are going to be overlooked for those who do have the education, even though education does not necessarily mean they have the skills, ambition, or life experience that would actually make a better adjuster. All we can do is keep trying and keep our fingers crossed that we will find that spot that we deserve. I just keep looking and thinking that there will be someone who wants my skills and ambition over a college degree.

Your correct about the xactimate and employment,however there are other job postings in other various estimating installation jobs that are also obtainable,and I will stand by my statement that that between the two courses xactimate is more important than the adjusting course and my hats off to those schools that combine the two.I didn't really think that adjusting was recession proof even though accidents happen every day,I'm just now thinking perhaps there might be more adjusters than accidents until a disaster hits.

JEL can you also find us a 6-20 adjusting job when the course is completed? I was thinking in the long run a steady paycheck as an employee at the end of the year might beat the wages you came up with, especially the expenses that are incured when your away from home.

How many adjusters has JEL placed with the 20 plus vendor companies that work the dailies for Citizens in FL and TWIA in the lsat 90 days?

Define "add"......please be honest! JEL sells training only...

To make the statement that “you will be the first one called” really is misleading and gives a false hope of a job for a fee unless there is another Katrina or MAJOR CAT event all the carriers will need staff and “newbies” with some training will be preferred over someone with no training.
If I were looking for training from a firm that has experience and a well respected name it would be Vale Solutions and Crawford; the number 1 and 2 for TPA services to the claims industry.
Where is the ethics in this advertising? Ethics is so much a part of the business of claims adjusting, yet when I see these posts in forums where people are looking for help in making such important decisions about a career change… you can’t buy experience and the truth is in the job postings from the carriers and IA firms “Minimum 5 years “is the standard now being posted in all immediate hire positions.

Buyer BEWARE!!!

BC in Vero Beach, Florida said: To make the statement that “you will be the first one called” really is misleading and gives a false hope of a job for a fee unless there is another Katrina or MAJOR CAT event all the carriers will need staff and “newbies” with some training will be preferred over someone with no training.
If I were looking for training from a firm that has experience and a well respected name it would be Vale Solutions and Crawford; the number 1 and 2 for TPA services to the claims industry.
Where is the ethics in this advertising? Ethics is so much a part of the business of claims adjusting, yet when I see these posts in forums where people are looking for help in making such important decisions about a career change… you can’t buy experience and the truth is in the job postings from the carriers and IA firms “Minimum 5 years “is the standard now being posted in all immediate hire positions.

Buyer BEWARE!!!

Thank you for blatantly stating it as it is. The training companies are simply in the business of making money and that is understandable.
However, when you speak to a recruiter/marketer, etc. for these schools and training companies they do lead you to believe that there will be no problem in getting hired as an entry level adjuster. What they forget to tell you is that without experience you will be the last called. Once you have invested your time and money, you have a license, but nothing more. The only people who will be called to work claims will be those with experience. Those of us who invested in the courses are still waiting and hoping we might get a chance to get a return on our investment. Sadly, it seems to depend on the next big disaster before anyone will take a chance on us. There should be some type of regulation as the terminology the training companies use in recruiting new students.

Would you recommend taking the trainning with JEL?

Why or why not?

PReyna in Conroe, Texas said: Thank you for blatantly stating it as it is. The training companies are simply in the business of making money and that is understandable.
However, when you speak to a recruiter/marketer, etc. for these schools and training companies they do lead you to believe that there will be no problem in getting hired as an entry level adjuster. What they forget to tell you is that without experience you will be the last called. Once you have invested your time and money, you have a license, but nothing more. The only people who will be called to work claims will be those with experience. Those of us who invested in the courses are still waiting and hoping we might get a chance to get a return on our investment. Sadly, it seems to depend on the next big disaster before anyone will take a chance on us. There should be some type of regulation as the terminology the training companies use in recruiting new students.

I think I'm beginning to understand how this adjuster job thing works and would like to be corrected if i'm wrong. I don't understand what took me so long to figure it out.It just seems strange and it sounds like a dead end.

After you get your license, its a 5-20 independent license(crickets churping).Which means your basically self employed ready to work cat or single jobs here and there. If I take a contractors test, the state is gonna give me some estimating questions on that test to be sure i can function as a building contractor. What is the Difference between the two occupations in that respect. When you get a license in adjusting business which deals with ethics you would think the state would require that you pass ethics and estimating before turning you loose on your own.So there must be someone down the road with an orange flag waiting for you. my question ,is cat work the only way to get started in this business after obtaining a license? How do you persuade companys to give you local work.

And there's the 6-20 license which has been my thought behind getting a license in the first place.I've worked my own business before and found, working for a company works better for me. So what I found in this area is of course the lack of experience Few training jobs available. Do you get your years of experience being a 5-20 independent cat and ten years later you can apply for a 6-20 job,of course depending on how many years experience they want? I would not want to rely solely on disasters to pay the bills.So it sounds like a buisness you start in your spare time and build it up over the years and do cat jobs when they come along If anyone can enlighten me more on this subject I would appreciate it.

JEL , Vale Solutions, Crawford … and anyone of hundreds of other training schools are really for profit businesses within an industry that still is basically a referral business. I will likely be drawn to JEL at some point for classes that will benefit me.
It is where you are in your understanding of residential construction – remodel /rebuild, materials, and methods. Then it is building code and then the software used in estimating- Xactimate, MSB, Simsol, are the most popular with the carriers. Then there is policy and where to apply coverage’s – then can you deal with people in a claims environment (managers and customers)….. The same groups of variables apply in commercial claims…….see where I am going? It is a long path to do claims for a steady income.
I have a problem with the training companies that make this PROFRESSION sound like a passing or easy job and can be had “with our training” ads. It takes more than any one class and it bothers me that many are looking for work and the reality is that it will take the average Jane or Joe (that is not related to a carrier employee) years and thousands of dollars to get started. I have been after an adjusting position for 4 years, have 14 licenses and hundreds of hours of CE(continuing education – yes it is not a onetime thing for those who want to make a living at adjusting) and travelled thousands of miles.
continued ..

Sure the call to a CAT is an “all hands on deck” call and that is when carriers need people immediately and are most forgiving of the lack of experience of those responding. IA firms get (charge) a commission (as much as 65% of the $800-$1200 per day that has been advertised) on the claims that are done by all the adjusters sent to the call of the carrier by that firm. Remember you pay your own way and all you expenses in a CAT and your first pay may not get to you for 4 weeks or more after you turn in your first work.
The organizational ability of those making that level of daily money is either from experience as an adjuster or as a result of a friend who is an experienced adjuster. It is VERY rare that that average person changing careers from one that is not residential construction related will make that level of income on a sustained level throughout any CAT.
CAT is the “cattle call” of insurance companies to Independent Adjusting firms that there is a need for people to get claims from the office to the field (the desk approach to climbing roofs) and yes ANY TRAINING IS WORTH more than none in a CAT. In a CAT you will likely only be responsible to report damages and estimate the repairs in the field – coverage are usually decided by the desk adjusters and file reviewers. Your work will be looked at by many and for sometime (even years) after you are done. The call to a CAT is because of a large event and the cause of loss is more readily identifiable. Daily claims are all together different and require a different approach.
continued ...

I have been lucky in the last months to have been activated by Citizens here in Florida to do some daily claims through one of the 20 plus vendors (each having enough people placed logistically to cover the entire state – minimum 12-20 people each – do the math!) that are all lined up to do daily claims. CPIC is in the first year of this project and the recertification process is scheduled to start again for this year (2010), in April. The training material won’t be released to the vendors until then and even then there will be changes and improvements that are rolled out throughout the year. I have been even more blessed to have been asked to handle some daily claims for 2 additional carriers here. Even with 3 carriers the work is slow and there is no salary or benefits, I work as an Independent. Would I like to work for a carrier, YOU BET !! In the meantime I will continue to study more courses, take more tests and try to pay the bills.
For a REAL close look at what is involved in claims adjusting visit
www.ClaimsMentor.com
Talk to others there that have taken a mentoring approach to teaching others about claims and adjusting. Read the stories of people who have considered the change and those that have been in the claims PROFESSION.
PS -
520 is licensing for independent adjusters
620 is generally for company (carrier) adjusters