As a field claims adjuster, your salary can vary depending on factors such as location, employer, and level of experience.
The median annual salary for a field claims adjuster in the United States is around $65,000.
Field claims adjusters with more experience can earn upwards of $90,000 per year.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top-paying industries for field claims adjusters are insurance carriers, insurance agencies, and brokerages.
Field Claims Adjuster Salary
A field claims adjuster salary can vary widely depending on the company, location, and job description. The national average for staff adjusters is between $35,000 to $70,000, with benefits like healthcare in addition to their salary.
You can expect to earn more as an independent claims adjuster, with salaries ranging from $40,000 to over $100,000 per year, depending on the number of claims you inspect. Payment is generally arranged using an independent adjuster fee schedule.
Here are some examples of field claims adjuster salaries:
Keep in mind that as an independent adjuster, you control how much you earn, and your pay is not capped at a certain amount. However, the type of claims you handle may affect your earnings, with property claims paying more than auto claims.
Catastrophe and Emergency Adjusting
Catastrophe and emergency adjusting is a high-paying field with a unique set of challenges and rewards. Catastrophic or cat adjusting involves traveling to disaster zones to handle large numbers of insurance claims.
Independent adjusters are often hired by insurance companies to work on these claims, and they can earn up to $500 per day. Catastrophe adjusters are deployed to areas affected by major disasters, such as natural disasters or oil spills.
As a catastrophe adjuster, you'll be responsible for scheduling inspections, inspecting damaged property, and documenting damage with photos and notes. You'll also compile professional estimates and settle claims with the insured.
The pay for catastrophe adjusters can be substantial, with some independent adjusters earning over $300,000 in a single year. However, the job requires a lot of travel and time away from home, which can be challenging.
To become a catastrophe adjuster, you'll need to find a company that will hire you, as most companies look for people with experience. Once you're hired, you can expect to earn a high income and work on a variety of exciting and challenging claims.
Here are some of the tasks you'll be responsible for as a catastrophe adjuster:
- Schedule inspections with the vehicle or homeowner
- Inspect the damaged home or vehicle
- Document the damage with photos and notes
- Compile a professional estimate in industry-leading software
- Upload documents, photos, and reports to the IA Firm or insurance company
- Settle the claim with the insured
- Re-inspect claims for additional damages or missed items, if requested by repairers
The income of a catastrophic adjuster can exceed $100,000, depending on how many days of the year they are deployed to disaster areas.
Independent Insurance Adjuster
As an independent insurance adjuster, you'll have the opportunity to work on a fee basis, earning a percentage of each claim. This can be a lucrative option, especially for those who are willing to put in the time to work on a large number of claims.
Independent adjusters typically work for IA firms, which are hired by insurance companies to handle property, personal injury, and auto insurance claims after a natural disaster or catastrophe. Historically, independent adjusting has been where the big bucks are made, with catastrophe adjusters often exceeding staff adjuster salaries in a single month.
Independent property adjuster salaries can easily exceed $100,000 a year, but earnings can vary greatly from year to year. As an independent adjuster, you'll be responsible for your own expenses, including income tax, health insurance, equipment, and operating expenses.
If you're considering a career as an independent insurance adjuster, be prepared to work long hours - 70-80 hours a week is not uncommon. And with an hourly rate of $37.25-$42.50, you'll need to be motivated and organized to succeed.
Here's a breakdown of the hourly rates for independent insurance adjusters:
Keep in mind that these rates are just a starting point, and your earnings will depend on your experience, location, and the number of claims you work on. As an independent insurance adjuster, you'll have the freedom to choose your own schedule and workload, but you'll also be responsible for your own expenses and benefits.
Insurance Career and Salary
Insurance careers offer a wide range of opportunities, and salaries can vary depending on factors like location, job description, experience, and type of employment.
The average salary for insurance adjusters is around $46,954, based on job postings on Glassdoor. However, salaries can range from $45,000 to $65,000 or more, depending on the location and type of employment.
In the United States, the national average salary for insurance adjusters is 62% higher than the national average, with a salary of around $50,000 after a year of experience.
Insurance Professionals' Salaries
The average salary for insurance adjusters varies based on location, job description, experience, and type of employment. On Glassdoor, the base salary for claims adjuster jobs is $46,954.
Senior Claims Adjusters earn an average of $52,000 a year, while Claims Adjuster Trainees average $45,000 a year. Insurance adjuster average salary jumps to $52,000 in Los Angeles, while closer to $45,000 in North and South Carolina.
According to Indeed, the average salary for claims adjusters is $53,000 per year. Higher-earning levels of insurance claims adjusters can earn salaries close to $65,000, typically reserved for experienced and traveling insurance adjusters.
Established insurance adjusters can expect to earn in the range of $50,000 a year, with salaries varying depending on location. Being an insurance adjuster earns you 62% more than the United States national average salary of $31,099.
The most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that the mean annual wage for all insurance examiners, adjusters, and investigators is $75,770. The salary range is a pretty big one, though, with most making roughly between $47,000 and $105,000.
Staff adjusters, also called company claims adjusters, are full-time employees of insurance companies and can earn an average of $76,950 per year. This is higher than staff examiners at life, health, or medical insurance companies, who make an average of $58,600.
Public adjusters are paid a percentage of the settlement amount after the case is closed, typically between 5 and 15%. Their average salary is roughly like that of a property staff adjuster – between $48k and $100k with a $74k mean.
Insurance Career Paths
If you're considering a career in insurance, you have several options to choose from. There are many different paths you can take, and one of the most common is becoming a property adjuster.
You can work with residential claims, inspecting damaged homes and helping homeowners get back on their feet. Property adjusters play a crucial role in the claims process, ensuring that homeowners receive fair compensation for their losses.
Another option is to work with vehicles, inspecting wrecked cars and helping drivers get back on the road. Vehicle inspectors are responsible for assessing the damage and determining the extent of the repairs needed.
You can also work behind a desk, handling insurance claims from the comfort of your own office. This role involves using your mouse and speed dial to communicate with clients and process claims, often from the perspective of a claims handler.
Public and Claims Payout
Public adjusters are hired by policyholders to secure them the largest possible settlement. They may work as freelancers or join a public adjusting firm.
Public adjusters are a different breed from claims adjusters, who work for insurance companies. Their earning potential is not explicitly stated in the article, but it's mentioned that they work for policyholders, which implies a different compensation structure.
Public adjusters may work on a freelance basis, which means their income can vary greatly from year to year.
Claims Payout
Public adjusters are hired by policyholders to secure them the largest possible settlement.
They may work as freelancers, or they may join a public adjusting firm. This can be a lucrative career path, with some independent adjusters earning over $100,000 a year.
However, it's worth noting that income can vary a lot from year to year, and independent adjusters are also responsible for a lot of things that are normally paid by an employer, like income tax, health insurance, equipment, and operating expenses.
Public adjusters are essentially advocates for policyholders, working to get them the best possible outcome from their insurance claims. This can be a highly rewarding career for those who enjoy working with people and navigating complex insurance systems.
It's unclear how changes in the industry, such as insurance companies outsourcing more claims to IA firms, will affect the earnings potential of independent adjusters in the future.
Public Salaries
Public salaries can vary depending on experience and location. The average salary for public adjusters is between $48k and $100k, with a mean of $74k, according to Ziprecruiter.
Most public adjusters deal with property claims, and their average salary is between $39k and $72k with a $50k mean. This salary range is also consistent with that of a staff adjuster.
Public adjusters can earn a higher percentage of the settlement amount with time and experience, typically between 5 and 15%. They can also earn a higher percentage in some states, such as Texas, which has a large claims volume and reciprocal agreements with 28 states.
In some areas, insurance adjusters can earn up to $65,000, especially those with experience and who travel for work. However, the average salary for claims adjusters is around $46,954, based on 9,739 job postings on Glassdoor.
Insurance adjusters can earn 62% more than the national average salary, which is $31,099. This is a significant increase, especially considering the valuable benefits that most insurance adjusters are offered when working at an insurance company.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which claims adjusters make the most money?
Claims adjusters with the highest earning potential are typically those with specialized roles, such as Damage Inside Adjusters, who can earn up to $100,000 per year. These high-paying roles often require advanced skills and experience in the field of insurance claims adjusting.
What is a field adjuster?
A field adjuster is an insurance professional who inspects damage claims in person. They travel to the location of the loss to conduct an on-site evaluation.
Is being a claims adjuster a good career?
Being a claims adjuster can be a stable and rewarding career, offering decent salaries and opportunities for bonuses and overtime. With a relatively stable industry and high demand for adjusters, this career path is worth considering for those interested in a challenging and lucrative field.
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