Age 56
Where are you based at the moment (who do you work for)?
2000 – 2010: Windhoek, Namibia.
2010 – current: Swakopmund, Namibia - Schmidt Loss Adjusters cc, formed in 2000.
In what year did you complete your honours degree?
Class of 1995 and graduated 20 April 1996.
What path did you follow before ending up with your current company?
After graduation I worked for a construction firm in Port Elizabeth as a junior contracts manager until 1998.
I then joined our family construction business in Sedgefield, Western Cape, until 2000.
In February 2000 I was offered the opportunity to join a loss adjusting practice in the Northern Cape, due to the devastating floods experienced at Mariental, Namibia. I resigned in June of 2000 and emigrated to Namibia to start my own loss adjusting business in Windhoek.
What is your current position and what does the role entail?
I am a Loss Adjuster.
Loss Adjusting is the practice whereby suitably qualified Loss Adjusters conduct insurance investigations, in response to claims submitted by the insured parties, on behalf of insurers. This would entail, although not restrictive, the following:
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Circumstances surrounding the reported loss / damage / harm;
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Obtaining hard and soft evidence;
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Evaluating policy cover in relation to the damage and circumstances;
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Quantum determination subject to the limitation of the policy;
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Policy evaluation and recommendations, and
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Litigation and appearance as an expert witness.
Claims can range from property damage, construction / engineering, mining, legal liability, financial, stated benefits, fraud / fidelity, theft and various other commercial underwriting classes / sections.
Insurers would appoint a loss adjuster, based on his technical and academic skill sets, in order to best attend to a submitted claim. Invariably Loss Adjusters are only used for complex claims, where a normal in-house or external assessor, is not.
What advice would you give a current construction management student?
To consider Loss Adjusting as a career but you first need to gain construction site experience (practical), as invariably you will start off doing construction claims and then branch out as your capabilities increase.
My belief is that the Construction Management degree is ideally suited for graduates to enter the loss adjusting profession.
What was your favourite module?
Construction Management, presented by Professor John Smallwood.
Who was your favourite lecturer?
Professor John Smallwood.
What are your plans for the next 5 to 10 years?
To continue being an independent loss adjuster, in Namibia, and serve my clients to the best of my abilities.
12 September 2025