Service in Insurance

But when an IED (improvised explosive device) during a deployment in Iraq ended my military career, I was suddenly and unexpectedly retired. Thrown into the job market, I tested the waters in a couple different industries and I was right: nothing gave me the same sense of service… until I stumbled onto insurance adjusting.

Only a few careers allow you to provide an amazing living for your family while serving others in their time of need. Adjusting is one of those careers.

Let’s talk about why service members make great adjusters:

Dedication to service
We did not deploy all around the world, fight wars, and train unspeakably hard for that “huge” military paycheck. We did it because we were dedicated to serving. Serving the country and serving others. That sense of selfless service is often lost when transitioning back to the real world. In insurance adjusting, you are doing more than honoring a contract, you are serving that policyholder in their time of need. In some cases, during the worst time of their life. If you want an opportunity to help and make a difference outside of the military, this is it.

Don’t stop, won’t stop
It’s not just a saying in the military, it’s a lifestyle. Service men and women are trained to put in the hours, make it happen, work through the pain, and come through the other side better for it. In the insurance adjusting industry the hours can be long, the work can be tiring, and your emotions can run high, but a military background provides ample training for excelling against those odds.

Adapt and overcome
I remember training for days for just one mission and once it was go-time, five things would change and all that planning went out the window and we would still have to make it happen. Personally, I found life during those moments. I remember the challenge and the reward for overcoming the obstacle in my way. That is what I love about adjusting. There is always a challenge or an obstacle and when you overcome it, your reward is much greater than you would imagine.

Growth mindset
Every service member I have met in the adjusting world has the same mindset: “What’s next?”

This constant growth mindset is engrained during service and is what makes the US military the best defense force in the world and the soldiers unstoppable, even as civilians. In the insurance adjusting industry, education and growth is the name of the game. Once a topic is mastered, most service men and women are hungry for the next step, the bigger project, and the tougher challenge. That is why so many get into large loss commercial early in their career. The great part about adjusting is you will never be a master. There is always something new to learn. I have yet to meet an adjuster who knows everything about anything. There is always room to grow.

You and your family are built for it.
One huge obstacle for most adjusters is how to balance work and family life. Most catastrophe adjusters have to leave home for months at a time, which can put a massive strain on their family. In the military, you and your family have created a workflow that supports extended departures. But now you don’t have to be away from home for a year to earn a $50,000.00 salary. You can deploy on a catastrophe for three months as an independent adjuster and return home with roughly the same amount.

I was truly fortunate to stumble into this industry years ago. I remember my first few claims and how determined I was to ensure they were handled correctly, even though I had no clue what I was doing. The drive, determination and dedication to service took me from that moment to a large loss commercial adjuster in just a few years, and then into upper management. This is the industry for you, my fellow soldier, marine, airman, and seaman. I hope to see more and more military veterans in this industry over the coming years and I hope to serve alongside you all during the next catastrophe.

About Brush Country Claims

Brush Country Claims is an independent adjusting firm that offers a full claims solution for residential, commercial, daily, and catastrophe claim management. Brush Country utilizes an innovative suite of proprietary technology to maximize customer experience while consistently having some of the fastest cycle times in the industry. A human led, tech forward approach embraces the grassroots beginnings of the company as well as their incredible drive to propel into the future.