CALA Catastrophe Adjusting & Disaster Response 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a CAT adjuster is deployed to a hurricane-affected area, what is the FIRST priority upon arrival?
- Begin inspecting the highest-value properties immediately
- Establish a base of operations and check in with the CAT team supervisor (Correct answer)
- Contact all policyholders on the assigned list by phone
- File an initial damage estimate with the home office
Correct answer: Establish a base of operations and check in with the CAT team supervisor
Upon CAT deployment, adjusters must first report to their supervisor and establish logistics before beginning field inspections.
Question 2: A 'storm surge' loss differs from a standard flood loss primarily because:
- Storm surge is always covered under homeowners policies
- Storm surge is caused by ocean water pushed inland by hurricane winds, not rainfall (Correct answer)
- Storm surge damages only commercial properties
- Storm surge losses are excluded from all NFIP policies
Correct answer: Storm surge is caused by ocean water pushed inland by hurricane winds, not rainfall
Storm surge is ocean water driven inland by hurricane-force winds and is a distinct peril from rain-caused flooding.
Question 3: Under the NFIP, which of the following is typically NOT covered by a Standard Flood Insurance Policy?
- Structural damage to the foundation
- Damage to electrical systems caused by floodwater
- Currency, precious metals, and valuable papers (Correct answer)
- Water heaters and furnaces damaged by flooding
Correct answer: Currency, precious metals, and valuable papers
The NFIP SFIP excludes currency, precious metals, and valuable papers from coverage.
Question 4: A 'blue tarp' program following a major hurricane refers to:
- A federal emergency temporary roof protection initiative (Correct answer)
- An insurance industry voluntary repair assistance program
- A state-sponsored contractor licensing program
- A FEMA flood zone re-mapping effort
Correct answer: A federal emergency temporary roof protection initiative
Operation Blue Roof is a USACE/FEMA program that installs temporary plastic sheeting on damaged roofs to prevent further interior damage.
Question 5: When adjusting wildfire losses, the adjuster should document 'ash and char lines' because:
- They indicate where the fire started
- They help establish the extent and direction of fire spread for coverage determination (Correct answer)
- They are required for FEMA reimbursement claims
- They indicate areas where rebuilding is prohibited
Correct answer: They help establish the extent and direction of fire spread for coverage determination
Ash and char lines provide physical evidence of how far the fire extended and help establish covered versus non-covered damage boundaries.
Question 6: In a CAT deployment, 'desk adjusting' refers to:
- Adjusting claims from a remote office using photos and documentation without a field inspection (Correct answer)
- Reviewing desk items and office furniture damaged in a disaster
- Performing administrative tasks at the CAT command center
- Supervising field adjusters from headquarters
Correct answer: Adjusting claims from a remote office using photos and documentation without a field inspection
Desk adjusting involves handling claims remotely using submitted photos, contractor estimates, and documentation rather than in-person inspection.
Question 7: Which document is MOST important for a CAT adjuster to review before entering a post-earthquake structure?
- The policyholder's mortgage statement
- Building department inspection tags or placards indicating structural safety status (Correct answer)
- The original construction blueprints
- The property's prior claims history
Correct answer: Building department inspection tags or placards indicating structural safety status
Post-earthquake placards (green/yellow/red tags) indicate whether a structure is safe to enter, posing safety risks if ignored.
CALA Catastrophe Adjusting & Disaster Response 2
When a CAT adjuster is deployed to a hurricane-affected area, what is the FIRST priority upon arrival?