It seemed like The Weather Channel was on wherever you went.
But as we all know, landing a job is easier said than done.
Naturally, Brown was skeptical.
A pitch gauge is an important part of Brown’s tool kit. Jeff Haller for The Penny Hoarder
Probably not as good as youd like.
It always seems like an uphill battle to build (and keep) a decent amount in savings.
But what if your car breaks down, or you have a sudden medical bill?
Ask one of these companies to help…
So Brown loaded up his truck and headed to Florida.
Becoming an Independent Catastrophe Claims Adjuster
Independent adjusters work as a contractor for an adjusting firm.
Daily work consists of routine claims that happen all the time, like water damage from a busted pipe.
He had zero experience and wasnt quite sure what hed had signed up for.
Since the need for adjusters was so high, the training process was streamlined.
He had to learn the industrys standard software for property claims estimation.
And he had to buy it for $150.
Independent claims adjusters cover their expenses lodging, gas, food, the whole nine yards out of pocket.
Fortunately for Brown, he already had a laptop, a ladder and a truck.
Just think about the investment that youre making for yourself in the next month or two.
Several states Florida being one of them make these available during catastrophe situations.
(With CRU, Browns was around 60%.)
In other words,the more difficult and costly the claim, the higher the payout.
With no previous experience in claims adjusting, the learning curve was steep.
His first week was pretty rough.
Brown started with 50 claims.
Once he had some inspections scheduled, the hard, physical work really kicked in.
Brown set his alarm for 6 a.m., with his first inspection starting as early as 7:30.
Although he was based in Tampa, his appointments took him all over central Florida.
Inspections averaged about an hour, depending on the amount of damage.
By his second week, he was logging four or five claims a day.
At his busiest times, Brown handled up to 10 in a single day.
Once he found his groove, he was earning between $600 and $6,000 a day.
He found himself trapped on a particularly steep roof, in danger of sliding off.
Brown avoided his own catastrophe, but invested in some sturdy, non-slip work boots.
But his work was far from over.
for get the claim processed, paperwork for each inspection was required.
Browns insanely long hours are an industry norm during a catastrophe.
They end up making a lot of money… but its tough duty.
That part was challenging and emotionally draining.
In all, though, Brown found the job quite rewarding.
He was, after all, helping people in times of dire need.
He decided to put a little bit away for rainy days and investments.
The rest went toward his student loans, and he was able to pay off the majority.
So was it all worth it?
Oh, absolutely, Brown says.
Brown still plans to pursue a career in horticulture.
After all, hes still got more student loans to pay.
Kaitlyn Blount is a junior staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.
When you log into your bank account, how do your savings look?
Probably not as good as youd like.
It always seems like an uphill battle to build (and keep) a decent amount in savings.
But what if your car breaks down, or you have a sudden medical bill?
