claims adjuster

sales representative

team leader

underwriter

accountant

Applied Underwriters

Applied is a churn and burn claims mill, working here was like living through a sick joke. The initial process will seek to flatter you and provide the appearance of a decent place- don't let yourself fall for it.

Applied is soul draining. You are pushed to view people's lives and future recoveries as mere sales numbers to meet ridiculous goals. You will be advised to shortchange people out of what they deserve, and strip them of benefits as soon as possible so that your team lead's number of closed claims goes up. You will be mocked foe taking any contrary stance, even when counsel advises you otherwise. 

Applied is replete with falsehoods. They will tell you they have rapid growth - they will fail to mention that the "growth" is due to droves of employees leaving. They will tell you they wish they could place you where they said they would months ago, and then smile when you are mollified with their next promise. They will tell you they promote from within - good luck with that, people have been steady for years in the same low level claim team despite massive attrition and still be making a chump paycheck for this awful place.

Applied has no respect for you. Your team lead will mock you, belittle you, force you to repeat after them, they will mock your attire, and even your experience and background. When you inform a higher-up, you will be told to be understanding of your team lead and be a team player.

Applied will try and make you believe you are only worth what it says you are. They are, of course, quite wrong. Avoid this place, and don't let the planted reviews convince you that only a few "bad eggs" have these problems. I have spoken to others who have jumped ship and are extremely qualified Claims professionals, they had the *same* story I did, beat for beat. 

What is the best part of working at the company?
The benefits are solid. Perks for remaining with the company for a long period of time.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
There is a constant state of overwhelmed, from the top down caused at least in part by almost weekly turnover in staff, lack of preparedness to take on new lines of insurance and abrupt and scant training to get new employees on board to begin workload due to said turnover. Management is overwhelmed by their workload and cannot give the necessary time to guide and train staff on their team.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Antiquated. It is a classic clock-in, clock-out, 8-5 cubicle business. Professional attire required (slacks, button down shirts, skirts, etc.) though most almost all interaction is done over the phone and e-mail. PTO is not front-loaded, it has to be earned, hour by hour. Remote work is an option only in an emergency situation (illness essentially).

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Answering calls from and making calls to insured, field adjusters, lawyers and contractors. Claims adjusters will likely manage up to 100 claims in a caseload. The company does not believe in e-mail so phone is generally the only acceptable way to communicate with insured. You have to keep track of a lot and the targets are constantly moving; get started on one claim and have the phone ring in the middle for another, drawing your attention away from the task at hand. People generally don’t talk to their insurance company because they’re happy and want to, so you have to be prepared for at best, generally unhappy people and at worst, people who are downright disrespectful, rude and raging. Be ready for the full-on customer service rep. experience as an adjuster.

I think where you work within the company will sway your opinion of the job. I think the benefits are pretty decent, at least for a single person. The management has been pretty understanding during difficult times, and the HR department has been pretty wonderful too. I am a bit frustrated that promotions and movement are a little difficult to accomplish, and they will hire people outside the company to manage over you. Hardest part of the job, at least in my department, is that it is not always consistent with hours and overtime requirements and if we're understaffed, it can make work-life balance very unbalanced. There are no merit raises, either, but tend to be fair. Compensation is liveable, especially with their investment in your healthcare. Training was great and managers are great, too. I enjoy my coworkers but in my department there is very little socializing during most of the week; however, there's usually too much work to talk about anything not work related during most of the week. I have learned a lot about my specific field in the company, and have very little to complain about. The jobs are not for every personality, but its a good fit for many.

You're promised thorough and extensive training, they give you only two weeks. You're promised a work/life balance, they guilt you into working past 5pm or weekends because management doesn't know how to delegate tasks properly. They say they care about your wellbeing, they increase your workload without warning and expect you to get it done in addition to what you were already assigned. Managers will talk down to you. They won't be there when you need them yet they expect you to drop everything you're doing in your already busy schedule to help them with a project their own boss assigned to them. You will never get any say on how you think the job would be handled, even in a way that best helps the customer. All they care about is numbers and profits (profits that you will never see on your paycheck). People in my department were leaving faster than they could get replaced because of how poorly this place is run. When others leave, that means you get an additional workload dealing with their claims on top of your own. Even if you are desperate for work or you really love claims adjusting, I promise you there are hundreds of  places worth your time and energy that would love to have you. Applied Underwriters is not one of them. 

People are friendly for the most part. A typical day for me was very uncertain of what the expectation was from my manager, so I basically self-started each day and communicated the best way I knew to my manager, who was very unapproachable and distant with very little constructive feedback. I learned that if faced with that type of leader in the future, to be more assertive in scheduling some sit down time with a list of questions.
Management in the area where I worked was very stuffy, cold, and unpredictable. They clearly didn't "like" me, even though I gave my best. I was blacklisted and they did not even think to give me the proper guidance to be developed into a successful team member. Basically, I felt set up for failure. 
Workplace culture feels like a time-warp into the past. 
The most enjoyable part of the job was talking with some of the warm, friendly people that work under management. I'm not sure how they thrive there, but I was grateful for them when I worked at Applied Underwriters. They warmed the building with outdated and dreary decor and equipment that is the same. Chairs with holes and tape.  Dirty cubicles. Stinky bathrooms. Aside from the friendly people making the best of it, it's not a pleasant place to be for 8 hours a day.

They get you in the door with free Healthcare insurance and prescriptions filled at their in house pharmacy which are very nice, but they also make you feel stuck to the company once you realize the job may not be for you. However the work policies are outdated to the point of being archaic especially the PTO policy. The dress code is also ridiculous for people who just sit in cubicles all day. And if the city shuts down for inclement weather plan on still going to work because they pride themselves in never closing. Oh but you can wear jeans so that makes up for it. No support by management and don't believe what they tell you when you are hired because their is no communication between anyone and it will probably end up not happening. Adjusters are the top of totem pole but most have no idea how to do their job but no one will tell them that or train them, that's not allowed. They just keep messing up. Oh and if employees get fired which they do OFTEN the person just disappears and management packs up their cubicle and leave the boxes at the end of the aisle for all the employees to walk by, it's a real morale booster! 

Be prepared to be overworked and underappreciated for the many MANY tasks they give you on a short notice. These tasks are usually just things your managers are usually required to do but are too lazy to do themselves because they’re busy gossiping with other managers about you and your hard working coworkers. Your managers won’t care about your growth. They won’t be supportive. They see you as a machine and nothing more. The second you begin to crack under pressure, they’ll make sure to do what they can to break you. Like a dementor from a Harry Potter books and films, management will drain you of all your energy until you’re just a soulless husk of your former self. If you’re reading this and contemplating about joining this company, run far away and don’t look back. Don’t fall for their recruitment tricks like I did. They’re paid to make the company seem great when it is anything but. At least the healthcare is decent and you get an hour long lunch (assuming you’re not forced to use that unpaid hour to catch up on the work you’re behind on, which will be often). 

Applied Underwriters is a place where if you want to grow and move up you can, but can also stay in a position in which you can excel at.  We are a company prided on accuracy and attention to detail.  Dealing with clients money is important and having a solid relationship with the clients is crucial in allowing the system to work.  The only downfall is that while each day has different tasks, you are still in a cubical, on your computer for 8 hours a day.  If you like that, it's a benefit, if you don't then it's probably not the place to work.  The most enjoyable part of being at Applied is getting to know my co workers better.  We all essentially work together so I have developed strong relationships with a handful of my colleagues.  We are a smaller company so it allows that closeness, yet I do not know each and every employee working here.  The culture is very independent work, while being on a team and working together when needed.  Overall if you like sitting at a computer, inputting information into the computer, being an independent and team player for a stable company then this place is for you.

This company does not allow for moves from one department to another and often people hit a ceiling where they are no longer challenged and are not paid adequately for their expertise. Payroll employees are treated poorly, despite many overqualified employees with expertise who cannot be adequately replaced keeping clients happy and essential functions running. Pay increases are yearly and very low, with no incentive pay for productivity or performance and often no opportunities for advancement. Top positions are also underpaid, with competitors paying much more and with healthier work environments. But if you can get some experience here and move onto something else, it is a decent entry-level position (because the turnover is high, so you may be able to get started here) to grow and move on elsewhere. Coworkers, if you are ever allowed to interact with them, are overall pleasant. Pretty good benefits, though at the cost of adequate pay. You will be chastised severely for clocking in one minute late.

This company..they are very restrictive. Natural hair colors only, no tattoos, and absolutely no smoking on campus. You can only take a smoke break on your lunch and you MUST leave campus or the other staff will report it. Dress code, and attendance policy is very much whatever the management fleetingly decides it is. You don’t get any sick time. It’s all pto. And it HAS to be at least 4 hours or else you’ll have to make up the time. This company is very much about picking and choosing what rules apply and when. The same mistake could be made between two people and only the one management dislikes will be written up. The same thing could be said of promotion, if you’re not liked, you’re given excuses that get pulled out of thin air as to why you can’t apply to the position. None of it is true, it’s based on whether or not you’re liked. Never the actual work being put forth. My manager kept a folder they didn’t think anyone knew about that kept track of how fireable members of the team were…

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Claims adjuster 3 salaries reported	$66,100 per year
Sales representative 5 salaries reported	$107,500 per year
Team leader 4 salaries reported	$64,688 per year
Underwriter 3 salaries reported	$49,000 per year
Accountant 3 salaries reported	$68,667 per year

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