Introduction
Insurance adjusters are responsible for processing claims of policyholders. Duties include approving payments and investigating claims. Insurance adjusters are not required to have a college degree but must have a minimum of a high school diploma. Many employers prefer for potential adjusters to have a college degree.
If you want to become an insurance adjuster then you will need to finish high school or receive a GED. The next step is to obtain a bachelor’s degree. The degree doesn’t have to be in a particular major but could gain major points with an employer with a specific degree. If you are pursuing an insurance job with liability claims then you could pursue a bachelor degree with a law background.
Insurance adjusters will start out being trainees for experience adjusters. Trainees who demonstrate competence will receive more responsibility and independence. Most insurance adjusters work for property and casualty insurance companies. Some other options are working in disability insurance, commercial insurance, health insurance or property insurance companies.
Certification requirements are different for each state. Some states will have certain educational requirements or completion of a state exam. Most insurance companies have a license, and employees may have the option of working under their company’s license. Certification courses can help with preparing for a job as an insurance adjuster. Some schools offer a certification program and going through the program will not require potential adjusters to take the state exam
If you are a driver, at one time or another you may be involved in an auto accident. If this is the case you may need to work with an insurance claims adjuster in order to collect a claim from the insurance company. Knowing what steps insurance adjusters take to evaluate an auto accident claim can help you to be prepared.
Insurance adjusters work for an insurance company to evaluate claims made by consumers who have been the victims of automobile accidents. If someone is in an automobile accident they will contact the insurance company to start the process. Insurance adjusters will be assigned by the insurance company to work on the case.
The insurance adjusters will start by gathering all of the facts possible regarding the accident. This is usually done by interviewing the accident victim and any witnesses to the accident. They will ask many questions to help them to determine who was at fault. Police reports or hospital records may also be examined by the insurance adjuster if necessary.
The insurance adjuster will inspect the damage to the automobile to determine an estimated cost to repair the damages. An auto body mechanic may be consulted by the adjuster to offer a more expert opinion. As a consumer, it will be helpful to already have an estimate on hand from a mechanic of your choosing.
The insurance adjuster then creates a report outlining all of the information they have investigated and gathered. All results of interviews, photos, estimates and other related information will be contained in this report. The evaluation and results of this report will determine if the consumer has a legitimate claim.
Tips and comments
If the report concludes that the claim is legitimate, the adjusters will negotiate with the consumer on behalf of the insurance company to settle the claim and pay the agreed upon amount.
