1. So You Want to Be an Elite Flood Adjuster?
Being an NFIP Certified Flood Adjuster is a fantastic way to make
a great living. How can you rise to the top in this industry and
become that Go-To Adjuster that is assigned more and better
claims? The formula for doing so is not that complicated, but
many fail to strive for that elite status and hang around in the
pack of average adjusters making an average living.
The following overview steps, if learned and applied,
will help you quickly rise to the top and reach that elite
status:
1. Training
2. Soft Skills
3. Attention to Detail
4. Equipment
5. Efficiency
Crucial Steps You Must Follow to Achieve This Status
National Flood Insurance Program
Adjuster Claims Manual
December 2000
Revised January 2002
Revised January 2004
Revised June 2010
Revised February 2013
Revised September 2013
Elite Continued on Page 2...

2. Flood Claims InSight Vol. 1, Issue 2 www.jacclaims.com
Aside from the annual certification
course flood adjusters must take,
most training for the remainder of
the year comes in the form of field
experience and trial and error. While
it seems simple enough at the
course to comprehend, the major-
ity of that information is forgotten
in a short period of time. Staying
sharp on coverages and best FEMA
practices will be a major factor for
increasing both your efficiency and
accuracy with your reports.
TRAINING
Since reading the Adjuster Claims
Manual routinely is a task most
adjusters would rather pass on,
The first impression you make will
be the lasting impression the in-
sured has of you. You are the face of
your adjustment company and the
NFIP to the policyholder.
It is very important that you repre-
sent yourself and your adjustment
company in a courteous and profes-
sional manner.
SOFT SKILLS
Upon the initial phone call, it is
important to first introduce yourself
in a professional manner and then
allow the insured to tell you their
story. Listening to their concerns
intently is crucial to establishing a
rapport. After giving them proper
time to talk, address their concerns
and reassure them you are there to
represent them and their interests.
Before hanging up, gather all details
you need at that time and set your
appointment time with them in
short windows of time. If you will
be late, even just 15 minutes, make
sure to contact the insured to
alert them of this change.
Upon meeting the insured at their
property, it is important to dress
professionally and allow them a
short period of time to again tell
their story and walk you through
the property. Be sure to gather
all answers to questions on your
preliminary report checklist (it
does not look good to call back for
something you forgot). Before leav-
ing the location, explain the claims
procedure in order to manage their
expectations.
Insureds who have confidence in
their adjuster have far less ques-
tions and are less likely to cause
disruptions in the claims process.
Jackson Adjustment teamed up
with industry experts to create
the Flood Institute. The Flood
Institute is an online certified
training module for anyone in the
flood insurance industry to stay
sharp on all coverages and current
FEMA bulletins. The course can be
taken at each individual’s own time,
and users can review the entire
course, or any section, at any time
to brush up and stay on top of their
craft and write cleaner estimates.
The first impression you make
will be the lasting impression
the insured has of you.
www.floodinstitute.com

3. Flood Claims InSight Vol. 1, Issue 2www.jacclaims.com
Nothing wastes more time and
money for the adjuster, examiner
and adjusting company than sense-
less mistakes in your reports and
estimates. It can be referred to as
the“ugh”factor. In the flood adjust-
ing world, speed is vital, and when
you are working fast it is inevitable
that mistakes will be made. Many
of these mistakes are human error,
rather than coverage interpretation
mistakes. It is glaringly obvious to
examiners when reading reports
and estimates when the adjuster
did not proofread their work.
ATTENTION TO DETAIL
Examiners are there to check your
work for accuracy, not to fill in all
the missing holes. As the mistakes
mount on a closing report, so do
the amount of sighs and“ughs”
from the examiner. When this be-
comes a pattern for an adjuster,
they become less trusted.
The amount of time it takes to
proofread your reports before
sending them is less time than it
takes to make the revisions sent
back and resubmitting. Since you
are going to put the time in either
Having the right equipment as you
head into the field is also an import-
ant factor in your efficiency, accura-
cy, and ability to put together a first
class report.
The camera you use, and how you
use it, is vital to the claim presen-
tation. Poor quality photos do not
accurately illustrate the damages,
water lines, and contents. Blurry
photos not only make the ex-
amination process more
difficult, but they make
EQUIPMENT
the adjuster look bad, giving the
impression that they don’t take the
time to do their claim properly.
Measuring wheels and lasers are
important items to have with you in
addition to the standard measuring
tape. A laser measuring device will
allow you to quickly diagram and
measure a property with greater
accuracy. They also give a better
impression to the insured as your
document their damages. Using a
good quality measuring wheel for
the perimeter of the property also
allows for accurate footprints.
As technology evolves, so does the
possibility for increased efficiency.
New Windows tablets put the pow-
er of a laptop into a tablet, mak-
ing it very easy to use in the field.
Anywhere you can find an edge is
always valuable.
way, why not do it ahead of the first
submission and make your reports
shine to the examiners?

4. When it really comes down to it,
speed is the name of the game,
as long as accuracy is upheld. As
stated earlier, each claim is a learn-
ing experience, and once you have
worked out the kinks in your work-
flow, find a pattern that works for
you and stick to it.
If you are having issues with any
part of the process, whether it be
speed, accuracy or quality, change
your pattern immediately to ad-
dress those issues. The sooner you
make the positive changes the
sooner they become habit and
increase your efficiency.
Every claim you handle can be
viewed as continuing education.
EFFICIENCY
Jackson Adjustment Company
Editor: Steve Van Pelt
svanpelt@jacclaims.com
www.jacclaims.com / 800.601.1198
135 Middle Street
Suite 1021
Lake Mary, FL 32746
Established in 1983, Jackson Adjustment Company is a Leading Flood Insurance Adjusting Company.
Currently located in Lake Mary, Florida.
THE JACKSON PROMISE
They teach you
what is working
well and what isn’t.
When an issue
becomes chronic,
it gives the impres-
sion that the adjust-
er does not care to
improve or correct
the issue and that
adjuster will drop
on the depth chart.
Everyone makes
mistakes, but striv-
ing to not make the
same mistake twice
will set you apart
from the rest and
put you in that elite
status.
“Train adjusters so they can work for anybody. Treat them so they only want
to work for you”
In the tight-knit world of Flood In-
surance, we are all here to serve. As
a service provider, we always strive
to provide the best possible user
experience imaginable!
This applies to everyone we work
with, from carriers, to our adjusters,
to our policyholders. This starts by
providing the best training experi-
ence in the industry to our adjust-
ers, who are the face of our compa-
ny in the field.
The training is followed up with the
best mentorship and continued
guidance for our adjusters through-
out their career. Together we form
a strong team to help make our
product the best in the business.
Contact us anytime and see the dif-
ference Jackson Adjustment Com-
pany can make for you.