Rules for the Claims Adjusters’ Tools
Rules for the Claims Adjusters’ Tools
Plan Ahead
Would a loss of any tool make it impossible to do your job, perform an inspection, or complete a claim? Be sure you have a backup or alternative method at the ready.
If you use a digital camera, you should have a spare SD card. Also, you need a backup device to take photos, like a smartphone, in case your camera picks a mid-inspection time to die its final death. You should also have a vehicle charger as well as a juice pack or mobile way of charging the camera or phone. You never want to ask a policyholder if you can charge your phone or camera while on inspection. Have 2 tape measures, 2 laser measures, and 2 shingle gauges.
To put it simply, never put yourself in a position to have to stop doing your job in order to replace any tool or device.
Have Dedicated Tools
Your adjusting tools will make you hundreds of thousands of dollars. So get good tools and take care of them. Only use your claims adjusting tools FOR claims adjusting.
Do you use your tools for other things? Like personal projects around the house? You exponentially increase the likelihood that you’ll forget to put the thing back. You’ll find yourself on inspection, rifling through your truck. This extends to family and friends as well. Don’t let others borrow your tools because the Law of Neighbors says you only get things back 50% of the time and when you do, there’s a 50% chance it’s broken.
Of course, if you are following the always prepare rule you will have a spare tool, but what if that one breaks or gets lost? Having dedicated tools that are always where they are will make your life much less complicated.
Keep Your Vehicle Clean and Organized
You live your life on the road, sometimes driving over a hundred miles a day. You eat, and sometimes even sleep in the car, rarely stopping except for necessary breaks. But it’s all the more reason to take proper care of your environment – in this case, your car.
Keep your tools organized and in a dedicated location within your vehicle. Everything needs a consistent place. This will reduce the possibility of losing a tool or wasting time trying to find something. Remember: time is money! Make the effort to organize your tools in your vehicle in a way that makes sense to you. And then always return things back to “their place.” Throwing your equipment in your truck bed because you’re in a hurry not only beats it up, you’ll have to spend more time hunting for it later.
Clean your car or throw away trash every time you have the chance: getting gas, using the facilities, grabbing a snack. Don’t let your vehicle become a trash can. In addition to making your job harder, claimants notice and it creates a poor impression about your abilities and professionalism.
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