Insurance companies offer insurance adjusting services in the event of an accident, whether it is a vehicle crash or damage to a home. These services are also part of workers’ compensation, medical, life insurance or product liability claims. Insurance adjusters, also known as claims adjusters or examiners, assess the damage, estimate the cost of repairs or recovery and submit those notations to the insurance company that will foot the bill.

There are independent adjusting insurance jobs or you may work directly for an insurance company. Regardless of who you work for, you will need the proper insurance adjusting jobs education and training to make accurate assessments and have a successful career. The following resources will help you to obtain helpful education for insurance adjusting positions:

1. Earn the required state certification and licensing for a career in insurance adjusting.

2. Read articles that will optimize employment in insurance adjusting.

3. Sign up for workshops and other events that will put your insurance adjusting job skills to practice.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Obtain a license for more insurance claims adjuster job opportunities

Each state has different licensing and certification requirements for insurance or claims adjusters. While a degree is not required to become a claims adjuster, a bachelor's degree in business or accounting is very helpful. Also, while insurance adjusting can be an entry level position, insurance companies are more likely to hire someone with experience within the claims field in which he will be working. For example, an adjuster on vehicle accidents should have experience in auto repair, or an adjuster for medical and workers' compensation claims should have experience in the medical field.

I recommend: Read more about necessary training and qualifications to be an insurance adjuster on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website. Insurance Schools can provide licensing that meets requirements in 25 states.

Access articles relevant to your insurance adjuster employment

Many organizations and insurance companies offer articles or blogs that provide advice, tips and techniques for becoming a better claims adjuster. Additionally, websites that are geared toward the consumer's concerns can help you meet adjustment standards more efficiently. Read these articles and posts frequently to maintain a current knowledge of the industry.

I recommend: Peruse articles on AllBusiness about insurance claims adjusting. Read the articles on the Preferred Claims Adjusters website. Frequently visit Well-Adjusted, a blog offered by AdjusterPro with the purpose of advancing your career in insurance adjustment.

Attend events that will expand upon resources for insurance adjusting jobs

Conferences, workshops and seminars on claims adjustment will help you to see what resources are available to assist the adjustment process, as well as finding out what trends and applications work best to assess, calculate, estimate and produce accurate adjustments.

I recommend: Sign up for the Claims Education Conference sponsored by the Internationsl Insurance Institute and held each year in Idaho. Insurance adjusters that deal with property claims should register for the annual Construction Defect Seminar offered by the West Coast Casualty Service.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Before obtaining your license or certification for insurance adjusting employment, make sure that the company offering the course has full accreditation and that your state recognizes certifications received through that program.

Careers in insurance adjusting offer steady work for those that choose them. Many people are attracted to insurance adjusting jobs because they know what to expect. Most insurance adjusters work a 5-day 40-hour week in a regular office environment. The job is usually secure.

Depending on the type of insurance adjusting job you have, you may need to leave the office to investigate a claim. Insurance adjusters help check the validity of a customer's insurance claim, so you need to view the evidence.

If you are interested in insurance adjusting employment:

1. Aim to get at least a four-year degree. People who have college degrees have a better chance of getting insurance adjusting jobs.

2. Know the licensing requirements in your state. Each state has different rules and regulations for the insurance industry. If you have a career in insurance adjusting, it's important that you understand the licensing requirements, particularly if you move to a different state.

3. Network with other insurance agents to learn about the best independent adjusting insurance jobs. It's better to get a job referral from someone you know than to blindly apply for a job.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look for internships in the insurance industry to gain experience for insurance adjusting positions

Even though they may be unpaid, internships can offer you the experience necessary to land a great job after graduation. They look good on your resume and give you connections to help find a good job.

I recommend: Many young candidates hope to work for the big-name insurance companies. If this sounds like you, you may want to apply for an internship at the company that you hope to work for after graduation. Most of the insurance agencies, such as All State and Liberty Mutual, offer their own internship program.

Search job boards for employment in insurance adjusting

Once you're ready to look for a job, it's helpful to turn to the Internet to fine-tune your search. This is convenient because you can search for jobs across the country and apply for jobs online.

I recommend: Seek out job boards that specialize in jobs for insurance professionals. Great Insurance Jobs lists many insurance adjuster jobs. At Claims-Portal.com, you can search for adjuster positions.

Contact insurance adjusting job recruiters to help you find a job

While the Internet makes finding a job easy, hiring an insurance adjusting job recruiter makes things even easier. A good recruiter interviews both employers and job candidates to ensure that they make a good match.

I recommend: CE Insurance Services helps place people into insurance adjusting jobs and conveniently lists available positions on their website. The National Insurance Recruiters Association allows you to search for available insurance recruiters in your area.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don't forget a cover letter when you apply for insurance claims adjuster job opportunities. Many people neglect this important step, so by having a cover letter that's tailored to the specific company you are applying to, you'll stand out.

The insurance industry can be confusing to seasoned executive and entry-level employees alike. If you're looking at becoming an insurance adjuster—the insurance company's foot soldiers on the ground—you should have a basic understanding of the key terms involved.

Before you enter into the insurance industry, make sure you understand the difference between the types of insurance adjusters, the types of property values and the other types of employees you might encounter in an insurance adjusting career.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Insurance adjuster

Insurance adjusters are responsible for planning and organizing the work involved in processing a claim. They may interview claimants, assess damaged property and goods and consult with other professionals.

I recommend: The US Bureau of Labor Statistics offers a detailed explanation of an insurance adjuster's job description and duties.

Independent adjuster

Independent insurance adjusters are adjusters not employed by a specific insurance company. They must operate within specific licensing regulations dictated by the insurance department of any given state.

I recommend: The State of New York Insurance Department gives details about the business requirements for independent insurance adjusters in that state.

Catastrophe adjuster

When a major catastrophe takes place, so many insurance claims may be filed that there aren't enough insurance adjusters to handle them all. In this case a non-resident adjuster, or catastrophe adjuster, from out of state may be called in to help assist the processing and gathering of information for insurance claims.

I recommend: Insurance Schools gives information about when a catastrophe adjuster might be called in and what the scope of his or her services would be.

Public adjuster

A public insurance adjuster is an independent insurance adjuster that is hired by the insurance claimant as opposed to the insurance company. Public insurance adjusters usually work in exchange for a percentage commission of the insurance settlement.

I recommend: MSN Money explains the role of a public adjuster and discusses the possible benefits of hiring a public adjuster.

Insurance appraiser

An insurance or property appraiser's job is to evaluate the value and often the cost of repair for a specific piece of property. Most appraisers are trained in dealing with a specific type of goods, such as auto property damage or real estate property damage.

I recommend: Independent Automotive Damage Appraisers gives history about the automotive damage appraiser's job and role in insurance adjusting.

Actual cash value

The replacement cost of an item involved in an insurance claim is the amount you'd have to pay to replace that item with something similar. The actual cash value, on the other hand, is the replacement cost less depreciation because of age or condition. An insurance appraiser needs to know the difference between the two, and be able to assess them quickly and accurately.

I recommend: The Allen Financial Insurance Group gives an in-depth explanation of the different between actual cash value and replacement cost.