reviews

Name: The Perils of A Loss Adjuster
Author: Richard Thurstan
ISBN: 979-8322988946

New York Times Review by Andrew Ross Sorkin

In “The Perils of a Loss Adjuster,” Richard Thurstan delivers a memoir that is nothing short of a revelation. From his start as a Trainee Loss Adjuster in 1979, Thurstan captivates readers with his incredible journey through the insurance industry. His meticulous eye for detail and exceptional storytelling transform what might seem a mundane topic into a thrilling page-turner. From managing catastrophic events to the delightfully quirky case of smoke-damaged lingerie, Thurstan’s wit and wisdom demystify the world of loss adjustment. This book is a treasure trove of insights, offering an insider’s perspective that brilliantly highlights both the immense challenges and the rewarding triumphs of the field. It’s an absolute must-read for anyone looking to understand the fascinating intricacies of the insurance world.”

Literary Titan

Richard Thurstan’s memoir, The Perils of a Loss Adjuster: A Short Memoir, offers an unexpectedly entertaining glimpse into a career that may not typically be associated with hijinks and hilarity. As an insurance loss adjuster, Thurstan encountered a wide array of peculiar and memorable situations, each vividly detailed in his collection of “incidents and amusing tales.” Through his straightforward and droll narrative, he demystifies the complexities of insurance claims while highlighting the bizarre and often humorous moments he experienced on the job.

I didn’t know what to expect from this book, but it was entertaining, funny and educational. Starting as a Trainee Loss Adjuster, Thurstan shares his incredible journey through the insurance industry. His stories are both fascinating and funny, and an absolute must-read for anyone considering going into the industry or just fascinated about the working life of someone who’s experienced so much! Thurstan breaks down complex insurance topics like fraud, auditing, and claims in a way that's easy to understand. His humor and personal reflections make the book not just informative, but also highly entertaining. If you're curious about what goes on behind the scenes in the insurance world or just enjoy a good memoir, this book is for you. It's insightful, engaging, and a great read from start to finish.

Shotguns, sex toys, nudists, and chickens with PTSD, who knew that the perils of a loss adjuster in the 80’s were so wild. Funny and engaging from start to finish, the author keeps a fun and light hearted tone as he recounts the escapades and madness of a bygone era; things that simply would not occur nowadays seem as if they were almost common place back then. I know nothing about loss adjusting, but the book is written in a straightforward and easy to understand tone, no convoluted jargon, just the right amount of primary information that allowed me to understand the context of the stories and have some genuine laugh out loud moment’s. The tales range from funny and absolutely mad to heartfelt, and sincere, and as a bonus, definitely makes you want to check your own home insurance policy.

A very amusing, enlightening and sometimes sad look inside the insurance industry. A lesson to us all to have the right insurance policies in place. Would thoroughly recommend.

Witty and easy to read. Informative for those who know little about insurance.

This was a highly enjoyable and amusing read, full of anecdotes from Thurstan's early career. It also shed light for me onto a poorly understood profession, so was as educational as it was entertaining. Thurstan is a skilled raconteur whose writing is easy to read. Highly recommended.

Richard Thurstan's memoir is a must-read! Starting as a Trainee in 1979, Thurstan shares fascinating and funny stories from his long career in insurance. As someone who doesn’t work in the industry, I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy it (I was recommended it by a friend in re-insurance) but actually, anyone can enjoy this. I loved ‘This is going to hurt’ (even though that’s about the world of a trainee doctor, both sound like hard work and are rather painful at times!) and reading about other people at work, there’s something fascinating about learning of other industries and reading entertaining memoirs. Enjoyed it very much and hope there’ll be a second book out!

the perfect choice for a 15 hour polling clerk shift. I even recognised the 5 flooded cottage location . a smorgasbord of amusing anecdotes and insurance terminology explanations

This book is an interesting read, and I learned a lot about insurance and loss adjusters. The function of loss adjusters was quite an interesting yet risky role.

The author clearly knows his stuff. Even better, he knows how to say it in an interesting way, with humour, wit and intelligence. Who knew that insurance could be so interesting?! I really enjoyed this book, especially how it cringed me out and made me love the industry in equal measure. I found myself groaning as much as laughing, and learning about the industry as much as debating whether I’d ever want to be in it! The writing style is matter of fact and easy to read, but make no mistakes - this is definitely a book for grown ups! Really entertaining and I learnt a lot.

The Perils of a Loss Adjuster by Richard Thurstan is a must-read. All I knew from reading other reviews was that it was going to be a funny memoir, but what I hadn’t expected is that it’s also like a bit of a business bible! The author is like the Wolf of Wall Street in his industry (haha) - the way that he both educates and entertains while making a specific job role sound both exciting and accessible was addictive enough that I read this in one afternoon. I love the way the author writes - his words jump off the page and I could hear him speaking the whole time. He also had an element of Alan Sugar about him (a bit of rags to riches, clueless to finding his feet) but much funnier. Really glad I bought this book!

Very funny, had me laughing out loud at points