UPDATE 1-12-21. A message has been posted on OnSource's Facebook Page that the company has permanently closed. We have provided some alternative suggestions for Notaries interested in starting with photo inspections or field inspections below)
One option for mobile Notaries seeking to branch out to other business services is performing photo inspection assignments for extra income.
Insurance companies often need photographic evidence to help process claims, said John Cass, Director of Marketing for OnSource. For example, photos of an automobile’s condition might be needed to verify the details of a car accident.
What Photo Inspectors do
Photo inspectors make an appointment to meet the involved parties, take any photos requested by the insurance company and then forward the photos using a smartphone app provided by the company. The company then verifies and time-stamps the photos and provides them to the insurance company for their records.
How much Photo Inspectors are paid
Photo inspection assignments typically take around 10 minutes plus travel time, and usually pay $18-25 per assignment, Cass said. Assignments usually require five to 10 miles round-trip travel.
What is required to be a Photo Inspector
While actual notarization isn’t required for a photo inspection, Cass said OnSource statistics indicate that many of the best inspectors working for them are also Notaries.
“They are professional and reliable,” he said. “Because of their training, they are used to the kind of precision needed for this type of work.”
Notaries interested in becoming photo inspectors should have a current Android or Apple smartphone (a model produced within the past two or three years) and an automobile.
UPDATE 1-12-21: According to an announcement on Facebook, OnSource has permanently closed and is no longer offering photo inspection assignments. However, there are other companies online such as Photoinspection.com that advertise photo inspection assignments. Notaries may also wish to search for other businesses offering photo inspection assignments in their area by searching under "Photo Inspection Services." Notaries interested in field inspection work may also wish to contact the Society of Field Inspectors for additional information about possible field inspection assignments in their area. Thee NNA does not endorse any specific business offering photo inspection or field inspection work.
David Thun is the Assistant Managing Editor with the National Notary Association.
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