Insurance Adjuster Job Description

Tap to Read ➤ Stephen Rampur

The main duty in an insurance adjuster job description is to find out the exact compensation payable to policy holders...

Insurance has lately developed into a wide field, with many companies, policies, types, and rules being implemented. As a result, there are many kinds of insurance, with each having its own rules, specific policies, and financial aspects. This broad field also demands a lot many types of professionals to carry out the procedures.

One such professional in demand is an insurance adjuster, who is also known as an insurance examiner or insurance investigator. His job consists of tasks that are concerned with determining the claim amount payable to policy holders.

Job Description

Insurance adjusters generally provide their services in big property-liability insurance companies, whereas a small class may be employed in banks, insurance agencies, etc. Tasks in the insurance adjuster job description are related to both on-the-field and desk work.

The primary responsibility of these professionals is to fix and finalize the claim amount to be paid to the policy holder. Some may work in the field of property damage, some in car accidents, while others for those injured in other accidents.

Customers in these cases are those who have lost their goods and property in events of fire, theft, accidents, and so on. The very first duty of an insurance adjuster is to visit the claimant and get all details of the accident. He also has to investigate the matter with witnesses if any. He has to consult with the police to clear any doubts, and examine medical records for ensuring the genuineness of the accident.

An insurance adjuster is supposed to inspect how much property is damaged and how much the company is liable for payment. He has to check claim forms and other policy documents and dealings to check any attempt to fraud by the claimant. He may be required to negotiate claim settlements with claimants and take the matter forward to the court of law. The negotiation administered by the adjuster should be fair to the company as well as claimants.

In order to clear the claim as genuine, the adjuster may even have to obtain financial records of the claimant from banks. The insurance adjuster necessarily has to document all investigations, records, and proceedings for future reference.

Training and Education

There is no formal education to enter the field of insurance investigation. You simply need to possess the understanding of how insurance works. However, a high school diploma is a basic requirement of this career opportunity. Courses and degrees in business law may be a plus point to get into this career.

A majority of states do require a license for practicing the job, but the prerequisites may vary from state to state. Typical licensing requirement includes a written test concerned with insurance adjustments, undergoing an insurance course, residency and good character proof. Freshers in this industry usually have to work on small assignments under the supervision of a licensed and experienced insurance adjuster.

The duties of an insurance adjuster are normally related to acting as a liaison between the claimant and the insurance policy company. The salary range for job as an insurance adjuster comes to an average of $53,000 per annum.

The state of California is reported to be the highest paying for these experts at a range of $45,000 to $65,000 approximately. If you are planning to get into this field, you should have good communication and logical thinking skills and a basic understanding of insurance concepts.