There is no "master list"
Every insurance co. has there own list of "storm troopers" There then
are additional individuals who contact ins. companies as work claims
for them as independent adjusters. In this case, and like all major
loss events, all companies hire outside adjusters. There would never
be enough inside adjusters to handle the mass numbers. HOWERVER!!!!
The better companies will have relationships with the people they
hire. They will hire people that they have a personal track record
with. This is not so the insurance co. will get the upper hand, this
is because they want the claim handled properly. See: Bad Faith.
People love to use this clause, but seldom do so as it would apply.
It basically is a set of rules the insurance co. must follow for their
policy holder, or their "insured". If these rules are not followed,
the insurance company might have to pay their "insured" ONLY, treble
damages. Texas has the most consumer protection, and one of the few
states to require adjuster to be licenced!
A property adjuster has a more difficult job then one initially
considers. They must know insurance legalities, and basically have
knowledge to tear-down, dispose of, salvage, and re-build a property.
Of course computers, subs, and supervisors help. They then have to
work with the insured, and make repeated contact, visits,
DOCUMENTATION, and all the back and forth it would require between
ins. companies, the insured, lawyers, bids, supporting doc....
Not so easy.
The adjuster, a contractor in this case, only gets paid when the file is closed.
If you are very good, IE: know all of the above, and I mean REALLY
know all of the above, you can drive your RV (many husband wife teams)
to catastrophy and work claims all day, and write them up all night.
This is what qualified storm troopers do. Others falsely assume the
money is easy, don't consider the personal overhead or logistics, and
try their hand.
I know of one individual who left his computer programming job at a
hospital co. and drove down to make the big bucks. He came back a few
weeks later and did not make a dime. He worked, but he could not put
the entire package together and resolve the claims. He began
hundreds. He made contacts, met with insureds, to photos,
measurements, documentation, MADE PromiSES, and then discovered, that
that was all he could do. As all things that have potential to make
money, and alot, IT IS JUST NOT THAT SIMPLE.
After three weeks of work, he did not conclude one claim. He left the
insured high and dry, and an insurance carrier waiting for futher
information. He was thier contact to insured. No one wins. Insured
is further put out and ins. company has some legal problems.
So, minimal coverage is not good, get an insurnace co. with a good
rating, and ask when you get a policy, what would happen in you were
in a CAT storm. Do they have a working and active list of storm
troopers. ARE THE STORM TROOPERS LICENCED?
Also, remember, it is a disaster. There is no quick way to conclude
the enourmous number of claims. The adjuster at the actual "physical"
company is only as good as the reports she recieves, and that it is an
extremely stressful place for everyone. Trust me when I say, an
inside staff adj. will have hundreds of voice mails every day when the
checks were expected so long ago. Yes, that little computer guy
promised they would be there. To threaten retention of legal counsel
will not make any difference. I would only be to happy to open the
yellow pages and tell you the good and bad lawyers. Sometimes ins.
adj. hope you get a lawyer to talk sense into client, and help the
flow of claim.
Best advise if you are an insured who has been left wondering and with
nothing to show for the premiums you paid: 1) document
2) put it in writing, cc: superiors at ins. co., request a written
respone within ten working days, and send it registered.
3) remember also that threats, rage, and long explinations may make
you feel better but won't help. The line of similar is long.
And last but not least, New Orleans is a very unique area. Many
insurance companies will not write policies there. It is well known
and true, that like the Mayor of the town, people in general there
have tendency to have a different understanding of what outsiders know
to be true. The police, judges, and juries always seem to concur.
Ins. co. will not realease individual payouts but life is very
different there. |
