When you get deployed to a storm event, you will be told to attend an orientation before you start working. If you have never been to one of these before, you probably do not know what to expect, what to say and more importantly NOT what to say.
An orientation is a meeting that is held with all of the adjusters that have been assigned to that particular event. Usually the storm manager will be there and the file examiners from the insurance carrier you will be representing. You will be given specific guidelines as to the pertinent storm issues as well as any state issues that exist.
Often your field managers will be present so that you can meet them and obtain all of the office and managers contact numbers. Note: All of the information sheets that are given to you are for you and should NEVER be given out to an insured or a contractor.
It is fine to ask a question about the state or storm issues if you don't fully understand them, but there are things that should not be asked during the meeting such as:
How many claims will I get?
Do you know the location of my claims?
When will I get paid?
Sometimes because new adjusters are a little scared and unsure of what to do next, they will blurt out that they are new and ask what to do next.
It's ok to ask, BUT wait until the orientation meeting is over, find the field manager or the administration manager that you are assigned to and ask them one on one. They will not mind answering your questions...just wait until the appropriate time to ask.
Also make sure you take your lap top computer with you so that the managers can load the estimating programs for you or if you already have the program they can check to make sure its set up properly. Once you go thru several of these orientations it will be old hat.
It's just the first time that's scary.