Career profile · 13-1031
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.
What the work can involve
- Examine claims forms and other records to determine insurance coverage.
- Analyze information gathered by investigation and report findings and recommendations.
- Pay and process claims within designated authority level.
- 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.
- Review police reports, medical treatment records, medical bills, or physical property damage to determine the extent of liability.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This O*NET group commonly calls for substantial preparation, often including a bachelor’s degree or considerable relevant experience. An introductory vocational course alone may not provide an entry route.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Writing
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Administrative
- Mathematics
- Computers and Electronics
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Working with Computers
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization
- Getting Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Constant contact with others | 71.5%08/2022 · sample 46 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | Never | 72.0%08/2022 · sample 46 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Never | 94.0%08/2022 · sample 46 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Never | 94.0%08/2022 · sample 46 |
| Spend Time Sitting | Continually or almost continually | 73.7%08/2022 · sample 46 |
| Spend Time Standing | Less than half the time | 53.0%08/2022 · sample 46 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | Continually or almost continually | 42.0%08/2022 · sample 46 |
| Time Pressure | Every day | 61.7%08/2022 · sample 46 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Never | 90.7%08/2022 · sample 46 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 83.4%08/2022 · sample 46 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Access software: CCC EZNet electronic communications network, CSC Automated Work Distributor AWD
- Analytical or scientific software: Injury Sciences EDR InSight, Insurance claims fraud detection software, Magnify Predictive Targeting System
- Billing and invoicing software: Bill review software
- Computer aided design CAD software: 4n6xprt Systems StiffCalcs, ARSoftware WinSMAC, CAD Zone Insurance, MapScenes Evidence Recorder
- Data base reporting software: Corporate Systems ClaimsPro
- Data base user interface and query software: Claims processing administration and management software, Fair Isaac Claims Advisor, Microsoft Access, Tropics Claims Reserve Management
- Desktop publishing software: Microsoft Publisher
- Document management software: Agency Management Systems AMS 360, AutoClaims Direct DirectLink, Automatic Data Processing Autosource, Automatic Data Processing Claims Manager & Dispatch
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: ADP software, CCC Pathways Appraisal Quality Solution
- Expert system software: Axonwave Fraud and Abuse Management System, CCC GuidePost Decision Support, CSC Fault Evaluator, Fair Isaac SmartAdvisor
- Financial analysis software: Automatic Data Processing Estimating, CSC Colossus, Property damage, bodily injury, and liability estimation software, QwikQuote software
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 51 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $79,710 | $38.32 | 4,040 |
| Alaska | $87,670 | $42.15 | 220 |
| Arizona | $65,110 | $31.30 | 13,830 |
| Arkansas | $73,920 | $35.54 | 2,660 |
| California | $91,790 | $44.13 | 24,290 |
| Colorado | $77,620 | $37.32 | 5,680 |
| Connecticut | $88,330 | $42.47 | 3,190 |
| Delaware | $72,370 | $34.79 | Not published |
| District of Columbia | $101,150 | $48.63 | 360 |
| Florida | $76,920 | $36.98 | 28,100 |
| Georgia | $73,320 | $35.25 | Not published |
| Hawaii | $79,080 | $38.02 | 900 |
| Idaho | $77,340 | $37.19 | 1,320 |
| Illinois | $77,010 | $37.02 | 14,210 |
| Indiana | $73,560 | $35.36 | 4,340 |
| Iowa | $72,640 | $34.92 | 3,930 |
| Kansas | $77,290 | $37.16 | 4,570 |
| Kentucky | $73,840 | $35.50 | 3,670 |
| Louisiana | $65,220 | $31.36 | 3,340 |
| Maine | $78,590 | $37.79 | 1,650 |
| Maryland | $95,560 | $45.94 | Not published |
| Massachusetts | $83,740 | $40.26 | 5,070 |
| Michigan | $78,850 | $37.91 | 6,640 |
| Minnesota | $78,350 | $37.67 | 5,530 |
| Mississippi | $77,100 | $37.07 | Not published |
| Missouri | $75,840 | $36.46 | 6,200 |
| Montana | $63,860 | $30.70 | 1,230 |
| Nebraska | $75,830 | $36.46 | 3,160 |
| Nevada | $62,730 | $30.16 | Not published |
| New Hampshire | $83,890 | $40.33 | 880 |
| New Jersey | $95,690 | $46.01 | 9,650 |
| New Mexico | $67,930 | $32.66 | 1,280 |
| New York | $87,130 | $41.89 | 17,330 |
| North Carolina | $75,310 | $36.21 | 9,880 |
| North Dakota | $65,460 | $31.47 | 750 |
| Ohio | $67,990 | $32.69 | 13,650 |
| Oklahoma | $71,260 | $34.26 | 4,140 |
| Oregon | $81,640 | $39.25 | 2,950 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,290 | $37.16 | 13,270 |
| Rhode Island | $86,520 | $41.60 | 1,150 |
| South Carolina | $75,370 | $36.24 | 4,130 |
| South Dakota | $78,900 | $37.93 | 1,030 |
| Tennessee | $78,010 | $37.50 | 6,390 |
| Texas | $78,800 | $37.89 | 29,220 |
| Utah | $69,000 | $33.18 | 2,440 |
| Vermont | $83,970 | $40.37 | 280 |
| Virginia | $74,240 | $35.69 | 7,860 |
| Washington | $80,700 | $38.80 | 6,180 |
| West Virginia | $67,290 | $32.35 | 1,340 |
| Wisconsin | $78,160 | $37.58 | 8,760 |
| Wyoming | $76,400 | $36.73 | 180 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 412 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 13-1031.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.