Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators
Review settled claims to determine that payments and settlements are made in accordance with company practices and procedures. Confer with legal counsel on claims requiring litigation. May also settle insurance claims.
Also called: Claims Adjuster · Claims Analyst · Claims Examiner · Claims Representative · Claims Specialist · Corporate Claims Examiner
Median pay (national)
$76,790
$47,810–$112,150 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
305,020
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-5.1%
~21,100 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $112,150 versus $47,810 at the bottom 10% — 2.3x. The median of $76,790 leaves roughly 46% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change -5.1% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 21,100 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 54 states with released data, Maryland pays the most for this role (median $92,660, +21% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $44,080 — a 110% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Xactware Xactimate as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Writing
- Monitoring
- Active Learning
- Mathematics
- Learning Strategies
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Examine claims forms and other records to determine insurance coverage.
- Analyze information gathered by investigation and report findings and recommendations.
- Review police reports, medical treatment records, medical bills, or physical property damage to determine the extent of liability.
- Interview or correspond with agents and claimants to correct errors or omissions and to investigate questionable claims.
- Investigate and assess damage to property and create or review property damage estimates.
- Refer questionable claims to investigator or claims adjuster for investigation or settlement.
- Interview or correspond with claimants, witnesses, police, physicians, or other relevant parties to determine claim settlement, denial, or review.
- Collect evidence to support contested claims in court.
- Investigate, evaluate, and settle claims, applying technical knowledge and human relations skills to effect fair and prompt disposal of cases and to contribute to a reduced loss ratio.
- Verify and analyze data used in settling claims to ensure that claims are valid and that settlements are made according to company practices and procedures.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Xactware Xactimate
- Apple Safari
- Mozilla Firefox
- Zoom
- 4n6xprt Systems StiffCalcs
- ADP software
- Agency Management Systems AMS 360
- ARSoftware WinSMAC
- AutoClaims Direct DirectLink
- Automatic Data Processing Autosource
- Automatic Data Processing Claims Manager & Dispatch
- Automatic Data Processing Estimating
- Axonwave Fraud and Abuse Management System
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Administrative
- Mathematics
- Computers and Electronics
- Law and Government
- Administration and Management
- Economics and Accounting