Xactimate Training vs. Adjuster Licensing

1/29/2026

Embarking on a career as an insurance claims adjuster involves navigating a series of educational and certification milestones. Among the most critical are obtaining a state-issued adjuster license and mastering Xactimate, the industry’s leading claims estimating software. Aspiring professionals often wonder which is more important or where to begin. The truth is, this isn't a matter of "vs." but a matter of "and." An adjuster license grants you the legal authority to work, while Xactimate training gives you the practical ability to perform the job effectively.

A licensed adjuster without Xactimate skills is like a certified surgeon without a scalpel—they have the credentials but lack the essential tool to do the work. Conversely, an Xactimate expert without a license is a skilled technician who cannot legally handle claims. True career success in the claims industry requires both. This guide breaks down the distinction betweenadjuster licensing andXactimate training, explains their complementary roles, and illustrates why together they form the foundation of a thriving career as an insurance adjuster.

What Is an Adjuster License? The Key to the Kingdom

An adjuster license is a legal credential issued by a state's department of insurance. It certifies that an individual has met the state's requirements to investigate, evaluate, and negotiate insurance claims on behalf of an insurer or a policyholder. Without this license, it is illegal to perform the duties of an adjuster in the states that require it.

The Purpose of Adjuster Licensing

Licensing serves several vital functions in the insurance industry:

Consumer Protection: The primary goal of licensing is to protect the public. By ensuring adjusters have a foundational knowledge of insurance principles, ethics, and state laws, regulators help safeguard policyholders from incompetent or fraudulent practices.
Establishing Professional Standards: Licensing sets a minimum bar for entry into the profession. It ensures that all practicing adjusters understand key concepts like policy language, covered perils, and the legal framework governing the claims process.
Ensuring Ethical Conduct: A significant portion of pre-licensing education and the state exam focuses on ethics. This includes topics like acting in good faith, avoiding conflicts of interest, and handling sensitive information. The license is contingent upon upholding these ethical standards.

How to Obtain an Adjuster License

The path to getting anadjuster license varies by state, but it generally involves several key steps:

Meet Basic Requirements: Applicants must typically be at least 18 years old and a resident of the state where they are applying.
Complete Pre-Licensing Education: Many states require candidates to complete a state-approved pre-licensing course. These courses cover insurance fundamentals, state-specific regulations, and ethical guidelines. For example, a candidate might need to complete 40 hours of approved education before they are eligible to sit for the exam.
Pass the State Exam: After completing the coursework, candidates must pass a comprehensive state examination. This exam tests their knowledge of insurance policies (e.g., property, casualty, workers' compensation), claims handling procedures, and relevant laws.
Undergo a Background Check: States conduct background checks to ensure applicants have a clean criminal record, particularly regarding financial crimes or fraud.

Once licensed in their home state, adjusters can often obtain non-resident licenses in other states through reciprocity, allowing them to work across a wider geographic area, which is especially important for catastrophe adjusters.

What Is Xactimate Training? The Tool for the Trade

While the license grants legal authority, Xactimate is the practical tool used to exercise that authority. Xactimate is a sophisticated software program used to calculate the cost of repairing or rebuilding a damaged property. It has become the industry-standard language for property claims, used by nearly every major insurance carrier and restoration contractor.

Xactimate training is a specialized education focused on mastering this software. It teaches adjusters how to efficiently and accurately create detailed, line-item estimates that document the full scope of damages.

The Purpose of Xactimate Training

If licensing is about knowing the rules of the game, Xactimate training is about learning how to play it effectively.

Practical Skill Development: Training provides the hands-on skills needed to perform the core task of an adjuster: estimating damages. It moves beyond the theoretical knowledge of the license exam into the practical application required on a daily basis.
Efficiency and Speed: An adjuster's income, particularly for independent adjusters, is directly tied to their productivity. Formal training teaches workflows, shortcuts, and best practices that enable an adjuster to write an estimate in a fraction of the time it would take an untrained user. This efficiency is critical for managing a large caseload.
Accuracy and Credibility: Xactimate contains vast, localized price lists for labor and materials. Training ensures adjusters know how to find and apply the correct line items, minimizing errors and creating a defensible, professional estimate. This accuracy builds credibility with both policyholders and insurance carriers.

What Xactimate Training Covers

A comprehensive training program goes far beyond basic navigation. It covers:

Sketching Proficiency: Creating accurate 2D and 3D diagrams of damaged properties, which automatically calculate measurements for materials.
Scoping Techniques: Identifying and documenting all necessary repairs using thousands of pre-defined line items.
Price List Application: Understanding how to use Xactimate's localized pricing data to generate a fair market value estimate.
Report Generation: Creating clear, professional reports tailored to different audiences, such as the homeowner, the insurance carrier, or a contractor.

The Complementary Relationship: Why You Need Both

Viewing adjuster licensing and Xactimate training as a choice is a fundamental misunderstanding of the profession. They are two sides of the same coin, each essential for different reasons.

License: The "Why" and "What"

Your adjuster license provides the answer to foundational questions:

Why am I allowed to handle this claim? (Because the state has certified my competency and ethical standing).
What are the rules I must follow? (The laws and regulations covered in my pre-licensing education).
What does the policy cover? (The principles of insurance contracts learned during my studies).

The license is your ticket into the industry. It establishes your credibility and gives you the legal right to participate. Without it, your Xactimate skills are unusable in a professional capacity.

Xactimate: The "How"

Xactimate training provides the answer to the practical question:

How do I quantify this damage and turn it into a dollar amount?

This is the skill that allows you to execute the job. You can understand a policy inside and out, but if you can't accurately translate a fire-damaged kitchen into a detailed, line-item estimate, you cannot effectively settle the claim. Xactimate is the bridge between the theoretical knowledge of your license and the tangible output required by your employer.

A Career-Building Synergy

When combined, licensing and Xactimate proficiency create a powerful synergy that drives career growth.

Getting Hired: In today's market, insurance carriers and adjusting firms view both as non-negotiable prerequisites. Job postings for adjusters almost universally require a valid state license and demonstrable Xactimate skills. Having both makes you a "turnkey" employee, ready to be productive from day one.
Maximizing Earning Potential: For independent adjusters, income is a direct function of the number of claims closed. A license gives you access to the work, but Xactimate efficiency allows you to process claims quickly, maximizing your volume and, therefore, your earnings.
Building a Professional Reputation: An adjuster who is both legally compliant (licensed) and technically proficient (Xactimate expert) builds a reputation for reliability and professionalism. This leads to more work, better assignments (such as large commercial losses), and greater trust from employers. This commitment to both legal and practical excellence is a hallmark of ongoingprofessional development.

The Ideal Path for an Aspiring Adjuster

For someone starting from scratch, the optimal path involves pursuing both qualifications in a strategic order.

Step 1: Get Your Adjuster License

Begin by securing your home state adjuster license. This should be your first priority for several reasons:

It's the Legal Gatekeeper: You cannot legally work as an adjuster without it.
It Provides Foundational Knowledge: The pre-licensing course gives you the essential theoretical framework of the insurance industry. This context will help you better understand the purpose of Xactimate when you begin your training.
It Unlocks Employment: Once licensed, you can begin applying for jobs or getting on the rosters of independent adjusting firms, even while you are still honing your Xactimate skills.

Step 2: Get Formal Xactimate Training

Immediately after or concurrently with getting your license, enroll in a comprehensive Xactimate training course. Do not rely on "learning it on the job." That approach is slow, frustrating, and prone to developing bad habits. Formal training offers:

Structured Learning: A curriculum designed to build skills logically and progressively.
Expert Instruction: Guidance from seasoned professionals who can answer questions and provide real-world insights.
Certification: Many training programs offer a certification that serves as tangible proof of your skills to potential employers.

Step 3: Practice, Practice, Practice

Once you have the training, the key to true mastery is practice. Use the software to write practice estimates for your own home or for hypothetical scenarios. The more you use it, the more fluid and intuitive the process will become.

The Final Verdict

The debate of "Xactimate training vs. adjuster licensing" is a false choice. The question is not which one you need, but rather in what order you should acquire them. The adjuster license is the foundation—it grants you the legal right and theoretical knowledge to enter the profession. Xactimate training is the essential toolset—it gives you the practical, hands-on ability to perform the job efficiently and effectively.

To build a successful and lucrative career in claims adjusting, you must invest in both. Together, they make you a competent, credible, and highly sought-after professional, ready to meet the demands of a challenging and rewarding industry. Start with your license to open the door, and then master Xactimate to thrive once you're inside.