While most of us have some sort of insurance, the industry itself can seem complicated, and the people involved in the process can be confusing. One of the most asked-about positions is that of an insurance claims adjuster. So what is an insurance adjuster? And what, exactly, do they do?
Insurance adjusters play a vital role in the insurance industry by evaluating, managing, and settling insurance claims. When you file a claim on your insurance policy, it is the job of the insurance adjuster to investigate and determine the validity and value of your claim. Think of them as the mediator between you and your insurance company. Your insurance policy is their guide.
What does an insurance adjuster do?
Let’s say, for example, you have a small kitchen fire, so you file a claim with your insurance company. Yes, your insurance policy covers home damage. But the insurance company isn’t going to take your word on what caused the damage, how much it cost, and what it’s going to take to replace it.
That’s where the insurance adjuster comes in. They’ll investigate the incident, take a look at the damage, and figure out, according to your policy, how much money your insurance company should pay out to cover the costs.
But there is so much more to insurance than the home damage and auto accidents most of us deal with on an individual basis. Insurance adjusters handle all kinds of insurance policies, each with various individual claims. Health, personal injury, commercial, agriculture-related, workers’ comp, excess lines, pet, and cyber insurance are a few of the most common.
It gets even weirder. You can get alien abduction insurance (don’t ask us, we don’t know), insurance to cover a group winning the lottery, and even body part insurance. Julia Roberts insured her famous smile. Bruce Springsteen has an insurance policy on those raspy pipes. And Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham insured their valuable soccer legs for over 100 million dollars each.
And if something has an insurance policy and a claim is filed on that policy, an insurance adjuster will need to investigate the claim. To some, it may sound a little boring, but most adjusters will tell you they have seen their fair share of interesting or outlandish claims, like a man who tried to pass off his pet parrot as a dependant on his insurance policy. Or the woman who wrecked her car because she panicked at the spider on her rearview mirror. True stories!
Insurance adjusting as a career
As an adjuster, it’s possible to work at a desk, but many work outside the office setting. They need to review damage, investigate, inspect, and take pictures of claim damage. Catastrophe adjusters, one of the most lucrative positions in claims, travel to disaster zones to work on claims from hurricanes, tornados, and floods. But there are many options and positions in the claims field.
So what is an insurance adjuster? Think of it as an interesting, albeit not very well-known, profession. One where every day is a little bit different. There’s a dash of Sherlock Holmes mystery, sometimes a little bit of humor, and often a sense of gratification in being able to help someone who’s suffered a loss. If you want to know more, the AdjusterPro Blog is full of articles and information on insurance adjusting.
If you’re interested in becoming an insurance adjuster, check out our online courses to get started or contact us. We’re here to help.
