(An edited version of this article appeared in the April 1996 issue of Claims Magazine)

TWENTY TIPS FOR FIELD CLAIM ADJUSTERS

By Ronald J. Zaremba, CPCU, AIC, ARM

After spending more than twenty years in the field as an adjuster, I wish to pass along some ideas that helped me and that you may find helpful. In our profession, the greatest reward is being in a position to help and being able to help most of the time. Some days I am amazed I get paid for doing this and other days I am amazed that I do this for so little pay.

Last month, control of your time, your most valuable asset, was discussed. The following points relate to last month's discussion and expand upon the application. These points are not in any particular order of priority. The numbers has no value except to list the points.

1) Use a weekly, monthly and daily planner. Keep all your appointments in it. Keep track of your important statistics such as openings, closings, hours logged, expenses.

2) Make your daily "to do" list at the same time every day. Get in the habit of making your "to do" list for the next day at the end of the day or the first thing you do in the morning. Always check your weekly and monthly planner for upcoming appointments so you can be prepared for them. Never start Monday morning without a "to do" list; otherwise, Monday morning will fade away and ten per cent of your available time for the week is lost forever.

3) Keep your "to do" list with you and use it. Set priorities. Schedule for tomorrow what doesn't get done today. Do the "worse" first. It sometimes is very difficult to do, but it saves you a lot of stress if you do the worse or most difficult task first. Otherwise the stress of just thinking about it all day will work you into a real lather.

4) Keep on top of your claim diary. Work it with your daily, weekly and monthly planner. Diary your claims for a purpose other than to clean off your desk.

5) Schedule only about half of your available time each day. Keep flexible. Who knows, you may get a new assignment or two today. If you don't, use the time to do tasks that do not require scheduling.

6) Put all your claims information, notes, scopes, phone calls, etc in writing and date them.

7) Write important addresses and phone numbers on the file jacket so you do not have to search through the file for them. This is very helpful while you are in your car.

8) Chop big jobs into small tasks. That way the job does not look insurmountable and you can schedule the smaller tasks more easily. Other than your supervisor, the agent and the insured or claimant, no one expects you to get everything done in one day.

9) Consider yourself self employed. Consider your office as both your support and as your one and only client.

10) Stay out of the office except a) to deliver or pick up work, b) get supplies, c) get guidance or support and d) self-preservation

11) Do not work all of your territory in one day. Divide your work geographically to minimize "windshield" time.

12) Get a cellular phone or set up spots where you can call. Body shops and agents offices are suggestions, but each require a certain amount of "social" time. Phone booths are always lacking in privacy and are usually noisy and dirty. Phone booths are sometimes hard to find although most taverns have pay phones. However, the background noise there may cause your caller to question your credibility and reliability. A cellular phone is inexpensive and increases your productivity, especially while traveling.

13) Call in for messages regularly and especially from the farthest point out each day. Otherwise you will find yourself going back there the next day and wasting the time necessary to travel there again.

14) Learn to do dictation. Hand written reports are time consuming, both to the adjuster doing them and to whoever has to read them. To my knowledge, very few adjusters learned penmanship and even fewer adjusters practice good penmanship. Good penmanship is rarely a job qualification for adjusters.

15) If you are writing property estimates, get a laptop computer and an estimating program. If you can't dictate, use a word processor.

16) Delegate to others to the extent that you can. Do not do your own clerical work unless a) you have no choice or b) you have nothing better to do.

17) Know your limitations. Do not practice law or medicine. Do not appraise property about which you know very little. Either delegate the work to someone who knows what they are doing or be prepared for a potentially expensive learning experience.

18) Keep your tools in good condition and in one place. Carry extra batteries for your camera, your flash, your dictaphone and your flashlight. Have a 12v adapter for both your cellular phone and your laptop.

19) Maintain a positive attitude. I'm sure you have heard the old saw that honey attracts more flies than vinegar. Not that you need more flies. A positive enthusiastic outlook will make your day go easier and will make people more willing to work with you. There are very few rich pessimists, so keep smiling.

20)Shut up and listen. No one (except possibly your mother) is interested in your problems. You are there to help them with their problems.

Do you have a work tip that has made your effort as an adjuster more productive ? Drop me a note and if I get enough of them, I will put them together as a later article.