I’m considering a career pivot. I was thinking about getting my certification, and eventually going independent. Possibly in catastrophic property claims.

Any thoughts?

I've worked Insurance Risk Management for 27 years. Our claims department has been decentralized 3-4 times. So less job security if it's with one company.
Meet a lot of unhappy people from claims. You are constantly in adversarial situations with clients who have just experienced something negative in their life. Given our current society, that doesn't generally bring out the best in people.
It's also the most audited function we have. Corporate is always up their arse. Pressure to close a high number of claims is the number 1 priority.
Most of our Corporate claims people are usually looking for an escape.

I have no direct experience as a claims adjuster although I have friends who work in that industry.
The friends I have in the industry spend a lot of time traveling around the country to what ever disaster is just over.
They spend a lot of time away from home. It cost one of my friends marriage of almost 20 years.
I had an offer to go to work in the industry several years ago and turned it down. I did not want to be away from home for weeks at a time living in motels or a motor home.
I am not sure if you can make money just doing it local to where you live.

I did it for a short time. 40 hours a week getting yelled at by insureds & claimants. Hated it.

License is easy to get, a job as a claims adjuster not so much. It's the old you don't have any experience, but how can I get experience if you won't hire me. Lucky if you are able to start in automotive, yuck. Being an independent won't endear you to many of your fellow claims adjusters who are with a specific company. Independents are adversarial to the claims process in that they usually represent the claimant against the Insurance company. Look into it a little more, peal back the onion then decide if you handle rejection well, then decide.

I have been a property claims adjuster for a top 3 carrier for over 10 years now. For the last 5 years, exclusively large property claims, typically 6 figures up to over a million.

I love it! Flexible hours, not all office work, get to travel around a bit. Great job security, I don't see our company ever going with independent adjusters, way to much pride in the quality and wanting control. We don't even want to have to use them for catastrophe events.

I didn't like handling small claims, but I love the large loss side.

As far as upset customers etc. that is far from the norm. A very low percentage and if they are upset at their policy or my level of service then they are probably quite honestly just a greedy jerk.

About 10% of my customers are high maintenance. 10% so low maintenance I forget about their claim until it is at the end and time to send the final check. 80% right in the middle, typical Qs and concerns, not an issue at all.

Bottom line, I pay every dime to repair their home back to the quality it was and replace whatever personal property they had at the quality they had it. Not really any room to be upset unless you are trying to get something extra (fraud) or were under-insured to begin with (which is on the customer, certainly not the claims adjuster's fault).

You can make a real good living as an independent adjuster (IA), but be prepared to have to travel a lot...the last one I met had a motorhome he tooled around in.

Do you have a residential or commercial construction background? That’s going to be the main requirement in doing Cat work. My first storm was Hugo in 1989. I retired after Ike in 08. It’s 16 hours or longer days 7 days a week for the first 3 or 4 months. Depending on who you work for could be very stressful. Good money butFinding work during the lean times is difficult until the insurance companies get to know your work and start asking for you. Hurricanes will be your best bet to start. I’ve worked tornado, hail, ice, freeze and explosion but hurricanes will generate the most work for independents. There is a lot of brother in law to contend with also. Be glad to talk if you want PM me and I will give you my cell.

I'm at 13 years as an auto adjuster/supervisor.

The good outweighs the bad. Yes, it sucks getting yelled at all the time but that is carrier dependent. If you work for a good one, a lot of people are thankful that you are fair. If you work for a budget one like a Geico/Progressive etc, people are just always going to be mad at you never paying for stuff.

Work as an independent is very very tough. You make as much as you're willing to work. Some people have no issues working 16 hours a day every day and making crazy money but I prefer a work/life balance that tilted more towards life.

I'm assuming this career pivot is from some type of contractor type work? You're going to need to have some kind of serious experience to jump in as a large loss property adjuster.

I've been one for nearly 30 years. It's okay.

Thanks for the responses. Very helpful.