Tom Vogel certified with IA Path in June 2020, right in the middle of Covid, when everyone else was shutting down. Five years later he's still in the field, still working six firms, and still answering direct messages from community members with questions.

He joined our Monday night office hours to share what five years of building an independent appraiser business actually looks like. The boundaries that protect your sanity. The time blocking that keeps you from working until 2am, even when you still sometimes do. The week he landed 14 heavy equipment claims at one location and walked away with $3,700. The routing app he uses for free because he refuses to pay $10 a month for the pro version.

And yes, he did all of this with five grandkids running up and down the hallway.

This is what a real career in this industry looks like. Not the highlight reel. The whole thing.

Strategic licensing is the key to landing auto desk deployments, with firms prioritizing adjusters who hold multiple state licenses for maximum claim-handling flexibility. While most experienced desk adjusters eventually acquire 20+ licenses, you can gain an advantage by strategically selecting which licenses to obtain first.

• Firms filter deployment candidates by looking for adjusters with licenses in all affected states
• Weather patterns should guide your licensing strategy (Midwest states for hail season, Gulf states for hurricane season)
• Hard-to-obtain licenses like South Carolina appraiser's or New York adjuster license make you more valuable
• States requiring special appraiser's licenses create barriers that can help you make the "short list"
• Having licenses in frequently hit states increases your chances of being selected for deployments
• Knowledge and competence remain essential—licenses alone won't help if you can't do the job

Keep walking your path and claiming your life!

Wondering how to land that dream work-from-home auto adjusting position? This episode unveils the pathways to remote work in the independent adjusting world that many aspiring adjusters don't fully understand.

I break down the crucial distinction between desk deployments (working at a call center or office) and genuine remote work (from your home or location of choice). For auto total loss adjusters, the typical journey begins with proving yourself in a controlled environment for 2-3 weeks before earning the trust to take your laptop home. The financial upside is significant - maintaining that $400/day rate while eliminating all travel expenses makes these positions incredibly valuable.

While competition exists for these roles, they're more accessible than most realize. Success hinges on two key factors: appropriate licensing in states with active claims and demonstrating competence that instills confidence in your ability to work independently. I also explore the alternative path through auto damage remote work, where adjusters write estimates from photos submitted from the field. This option typically pays per claim ($10-$20 each) rather than daily rates, creating different opportunities and challenges.

The choice between these paths involves important tradeoffs. Auto total loss remote work provides steady, predictable income but requires strict adherence to schedules with little flexibility during working hours. Auto damage remote opportunities offer more freedom but potentially inconsistent claim volume. Whether you're seeking a primary income source or supplemental earnings alongside field adjusting, understanding these distinctions will help you navigate toward the remote opportunity that best fits your goals and lifestyle. Ready to explore these options further? Contact us at 844-4-IAPATH or check out our certifications at iapath.com to build the experience requirements necessary for these positions.