"I always thought
that being an insurance adjuster was the best job in the
world. For being free of a desk, for the human
interaction... it was great!" Clearly a people person, Russ
Dawson's eyes light up as he sells his belief in the 'best
job in the world', but he gets a little pensive as he admits
that technology has relegated the personal contact to emails
and voice mails. "The computer is a marvelous thing," he
allows, "but it has robbed us of some of the humanity that
was such a big part of doing an exceptional job before all
this technology."
Russ' employers, just three in a long history of employment
in the insurance industry, must have believed he was doing
an exceptional job because he did the leaving of the two
previous carrier jobs for the eighteen year (so far) stint
with the independent adjusting firm, The George Hills
Company.
The George Hills Company is doing well, has recently opened
a Southern California office and Russ feels that they are
well-positioned to weather the current cycle of low
insurance claims volume. When claims volume is down the
first thing the management does is to cut out the
Independent Adjuster assignments according to him, and
allows it is one of the few costs that carriers can control.
Russ has cut his own hours by choice and turned over his
managerial duties to the very capable Randy Rendig.
Russ feels
that there are a few changes he would make that would
improve the world if he ran things: He would change the way
that punitive damages are distributedŠnot to the plaintiff
and attorneys, but to charity. He would eliminate lawsuits
by uninsured motorists and says that Proposition 213 made
some strides in that direction. And last, but not least, he
would have the plaintiff's attorney pay in unsuccessful
lawsuits- not the plaintiff to cut down the number of
frivolous lawsuits. "I think there's a lack of loyalty now,
on the company's part toward the employees and because of
that, no loyalty by the employees for the companies." "Now
it seems that it's about numbers, not ability". He went on
"There doesn't seem to be a reward for the exceptional
adjuster and I think the lack of training has a lot to do
with that. Even with all the enthusiasm in the world, a
person can't do the job well without training." Joan Barrett is owner of the
independent marketing firm, Market Share. She is
also past president of the Sacramento Claims
Association, 2004 President Claims Conference of
Northern, Inc., and a free-lance writer. Contact
Joan at: joanbarrett@yahoo.com.
Our industry has been fortunate to have Russ Dawson as it's
enthusiastic supporter. Even though there aren't the rewards
that there once were, Russ still feels that a field
insurance adjuster has one of the great jobs available among
today's employment possibilities.
