"It is ... safer because it means I don't have to get up on the roof," he said.
Fact Of Life
Insurers have been put to the test before. After Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy in 2005 and 2012, it took months for many property owners to receive payouts, partly because there were too few adjusters with the needed expertise.
Novice errors like not pulling off drywall to inspect for hidden damage, or not being familiar with software used for loss estimates, can reduce or delay insurance payments, adding to hardships residents are already facing.
"It's a fact of life after every disaster that there's a shortage of experienced adjusters," said Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, a consumer advocacy group.
The inspector shortage may be worse this time because insurers have not faced hurricanes of this magnitude – certainly not two in a row – in half a century, industry experts said.
Catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide expects $10 billion in insured losses related to Harvey, and perhaps another $50 billion for Irma. Early estimates are likely to change, and do not include claims covered by the government.
Many large insurers use their own adjusters, while smaller and midsize rivals are more likely to hire outside help. For-hire inspectors can charge $1,000-$2,000 per claim in the aftermath of major disasters, industry sources said.
Work on the ground can be punishing.
After Hurricane Harvey, Steve Sherin, executive general adjuster for Zurich's North American unit, spent five days in Houston. He left his hotel at 4:30 a.m. each day to begin long days surveying damage at commercial properties.