What Is A Claims Adjuster - And What Do They Do?

Defining A Claims Adjuster

A Claims Adjuster is the individual that handles claims regarding property damage. There are three types of insurance claims adjusters, as follows:

• Staff Adjuster:
  A staff adjuster works full-time for one insurance firm exclusively
• Independent Adjuster:
  Independent adjusters work as contractors for one or more insurance firms or third-party administrators
• Public Adjuster:
  Public insurance adjusters work directly on behalf of policyholders. They help businesses or individuals file insurance claims if a proposed settlement from an insurer seems unfit

What Does A Claims Adjuster Do?

Claims adjusters have a variety of tasks depending on the type of insurance company they work with, but typically investigate, evaluate, and settle insurance claims.

Essentially, the claims adjuster inspects damage done to property such as homes, cars, or businesses, reviews the insurance policy to make sure the damage is covered, then helps to determine the amount the insurance company should pay to the insured. Work could involve interviewing the claimant and witnesses, inspecting property, and other work, such as looking at surveillance tapes, photos, videos, speaking with doctors, and reviewing police reports.

Depending upon the adjuster's findings, the adjuster's final task is to determine whether to pay, deny, or - in the case of suspected criminal activity such as fraud, arson, staged accidents, or unnecessary medical treatments - to refer a claim to an insurance investigator.

Job Requirements

Below is an overview of the typical requirements to be an insurance claims adjuster:

• You must be licensed
• Be able to handle a flexible work schedule
• Have good multi-tasking skills
• Be a good communicator
• You must have a thorough knowledge about what the insurance company insures

Claims adjusters don't just work during office hours. They often work evenings, weekends, and holidays, as most of the work of an insurance claims adjuster is dependent upon when an accident or damage event occurs, therefore you must be able to handle a flexible work schedule. For instance, while you can schedule a claim for roof damage from a hail storm between nine and five, a claims adjuster in Florida after a hurricane will need to put in a lot of hours to support your customers.

Job Pre-Requisites And Outlook

It is recommended that entry-level claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators have at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Separately, auto damage appraisers require either a certificate in the field, or previous work experience estimating the cost of car repairs.

Job-wise, insurance claim adjusting is a stable field with generally a high-demand for qualified adjusters for both normal adjusting areas like cars and homes, but also for medical disputes.

Recommended Insurance Adjuster Training Courses

To become an insurance adjuster, you need to earn a license. Adjuster licensing is state specific, so to find a preferred adjuster licensing course, simply select your state from the table below.

Claims Adjuster Licensing - State Rules And Recommendations -
Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut DC Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas	Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina	North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming