Adjusters are on the road for days or weeks at a time, so you'll have to carry everything you need—ladders, boots, probing and measuring tools, work clothes for every season, and accessories, such as gloves, that work whether it's very hot or very cold. You'll also need a toolbox for storing and transporting everything in your car (below, left), as well as a lightweight toolbelt to hold essential tools while estimating and clambering on roofs. I set up a simple mobile office in my car—with a laptop desk, as well as power inverters to plug in laptops and printers—and a complete office in my hotel room, including a portable scanner and printer, cables, extension cords, and general office supplies. I pack a jump rope too; you spend a lot of time in the car and need to get a little exercise now and then.
Here's my list of "must have" tools for insurance adjustment work, along with the approximate cost of each. Assuming you already have a vehicle but need everything else, this startup kit will cost you about $4,000.
Must-Have Tools
1. A fuel-efficient vehicle, $25,000
It needs a good heater and air conditioner, and room for all the stuff on this list.
2. Navigation device (GPS), $175
When road signs are missing, maps won't work; a GPS can better orient you to your surroundings.
3. Laptop computer, $1,500; portable printer and scanner, $350
You need a lot of memory—Xactimate is a huge program and you'll be taking and storing lots of pictures. At the moment, the software that insurance companies use won't run in Windows 8, and insurance platforms won't work with browsers newer than Internet Explorer 7 (Google Chrome, for instance).
4. A good telescoping ladder, $300
I like the Xtend&Climb Model 780P Pro Series ($280). It holds up to 300 pounds, extends to 12 1/2 feet, weighs just 32 pounds, and is compact when collapsed (19 3/4 by 32 1/4 by 4 1/2 inches).
5. A compact digital camera, $125; smartphone, $600; Bluetooth hands-free device, $85
A smartphone can take pictures, but a camera is easier to set up and has more memory, and spare camera batteries (which I carry with me) are easy to find. Also, if I drop my $120 camera off the roof (and I have, three times), I can pull out the memory card to save a day's worth of photos, and buy another camera at the nearest Wal-Mart. But if I drop my $600 phone, I waste a day finding a Verizon dealer to get the photos out of the old phone and buy a new one.
6. 25-foot tape measure, $15; 100-foot reel measure, $35; digital measuring device, $325
I like the Bosch Digital Distance Measurer ($90), although more expensive models are available.
7. Toolbelt, $100
I use an electrician's pouch, but specialty adjuster belts are available that include a place for a clipboard and tablet, tape measure, and roof tools. One example is the CatManDo, which is designed to hold most of the tools an adjuster needs to carry.
8. Shingle gauge, $45; angle finder, $15; stiff putty knife, $8; chalk (to mark roofs for hail damage)
9. Roofing shoes, $145–$165
I like Cougar Paws, which are designed for walking on roofs. Although any nonslip shoe will work, you'll want to feel safe, and nothing works better than these specialized shoes with Velcro-grip soles.
10. Miscellaneous: gloves for heat or cold, $30; multipurpose knife, $75; slotted and Phillips screwdrivers, $25; flashlight, $25
