During a trip just northeast of Birmingham, AL Gene Williams takes to the railroad to share an important thought on accountability.

As an independent adjuster, over the years I’ve seen some absolutely crazy examples of the brutality of Mother Nature. Hurricanes, tornadoes, fire, flood…they’re all disasters in their own right. Searching for the right materials to BEAT Mother Nature at her own game has been the goal of manufacturers for years. I think one of the biggest turning points came in 1992 following the destruction that was called Hurricane Andrew. To be honest, in the state of Florida the building codes weren’t terrible, but it was painfully obvious they weren’t being enforced; nonetheless, there was a LOT of room for improvement.…

When I was a much younger man, I had a fascination with foreign languages. I imagined being able to converse fluently in Spanish or French within a matter of a few months. Of course, in order to do that, I would have to commit to learning and apply myself to a strict study regimen. Easy to do for a young man….. Let me demonstrate how far that got me. I can tell you Mi nombre es Allen y tengo un gato, and I can sing “Be Our Guest” with the same stereotypical French accent as Lumiere in Disney’s Beauty and…

One of my continuing goals through these articles is from time-to-time discuss both existing and newly-developed tech designed to aid the independent adjuster. Frankly, if something exists that can make my life (or in this case, my job) easier and less stressful, then I’m all in. It blows my mind for an adjuster to turn their nose up at new technology just because, “I’ve ALWAYS done it this way.” Well, here you go, Gronk….knock yourself out.                                                …

Recently, I was speaking with a field adjuster who was bemoaning the fact that he was dealing with several claims that had a wind exclusion endorsement written into the policy. It seems a large percentage of the homes he inspected had homeowners who claimed to be unaware their losses were not covered. He asked how do you approach the subject gracefully? Responses have, thus far, been catapulting across an emotional gamut. First of all, the most important factor to consider is whether or not you, as an independent adjuster, have been cleared by the carrier to deny coverage. While it’s…