Bodily injury adjuster vs claim investigator

The differences between bodily injury adjusters and claim investigators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a bodily injury adjuster and a claim investigator. Additionally, a bodily injury adjuster has an average salary of $55,281, which is higher than the $49,415 average annual salary of a claim investigator.

The top three skills for a bodily injury adjuster include bodily injury claims, liability claims and claims handling. The most important skills for a claim investigator are scene investigations, insurance claims, and property damage.

Bodily injury adjuster vs claim investigator overview

	Bodily Injury Adjuster	Claim Investigator
Yearly salary	$55,281	$49,415
Hourly rate	$26.58	$23.76
Growth rate	-6%	-6%
Number of jobs	7,720	8,738
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

What does a bodily injury adjuster do?

In insurance companies, a bodily injury adjuster is primarily in charge of handling insurance claims involving physical injuries. They verify the clients' identification and insurance coverage, study insurance policies, travel to meet the clients, conduct interviews with every party involved in the claim, gather statements from witnesses, collect video or photographic evidence, audit medical expenses, and coordinate with medical experts for additional insights. Through their research, they develop detailed reports and conclusions that will help the company in processing their insurance claim. Moreover, there are times when a bodily injury adjuster must attend trials and present information to the judge.

What does a claim investigator do?

Claim Investigators are professionals who are responsible for examining facts of insurance claims to determine their extent and validity to prevent any cases of fraud. These investigators must use a combination of tools such as cutting-edge software to help insurance companies to settle claims quickly by evaluating them. They are required to manage multiple cases by investigating defective products or events such as an oil spill. Claim Investigators must also prepare reports while keeping track of evidence trails.

Bodily injury adjuster vs claim investigator salary

Bodily injury adjusters and claim investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Bodily Injury Adjuster	Claim Investigator
Average salary	$55,281	$49,415
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $76,000	Between $37,000 And $65,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Health Alliance
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between bodily injury adjuster and claim investigator education

There are a few differences between a bodily injury adjuster and a claim investigator in terms of educational background:

	Bodily Injury Adjuster	Claim Investigator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common major	Business	Criminal Justice
Most common college	California State University - Bakersfield	California State University - Bakersfield

Bodily injury adjuster vs claim investigator demographics

Here are the differences between bodily injury adjusters' and claim investigators' demographics:

	Bodily Injury Adjuster	Claim Investigator
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 39.4% Female, 60.6%	Male, 52.5% Female, 47.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 5.2% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between bodily injury adjuster and claim investigator duties and responsibilities

Bodily injury adjuster example responsibilities.

Manage file inventory by utilizing CCC pathways diary system documenting claim file activities in accordance with establish procedures
Develop strategies for handling lawsuits involving personal injury litigation and insurance coverage issues.
Prepare and answer property damage homeowner arbitration contentions.
Resolve complaints and participates in arbitration and/or grievance procedures.
Determine and execute proper disposition plans on all claims and negotiate claims to a conclusion to minimize litigation where appropriate.
Research and review delinquent mortgage cases, financial scenarios and individual homeowner situations to develop solutions compliant with investor policy.

Claim investigator example responsibilities.

Manage and dispose of claims in litigation by preparing and developing strategy with defense counsel and consensus relative to litigation handling.
Coordinate with SIU investigators in their investigations of the same claimant or insure.
Collaborate with SIU, fire, and police personnel in an effort to resolve investigations.
Conduct extensive field investigations and interact with staff attorneys on litigation matters.
Prepare and/or review property and content estimates for settlement using Xactimate and XactContents software programs.
Conduct complete assessment of interior and exterior damage to create a detail repair estimate within Xactimate software.

Bodily injury adjuster vs claim investigator skills

Common bodily injury adjuster skills

Bodily Injury Claims, 13%
Liability Claims, 12%
Claims Handling, 7%
Customer Service, 6%
Litigation, 6%
Auto Accidents, 4%

Common claim investigator skills

Scene Investigations, 11%
Insurance Claims, 7%
Property Damage, 5%
Fraud Claims, 5%
Background Checks, 5%
Litigation, 4%

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Bodily Injury Adjuster vs Claim Investigator

Updated January 8, 2025

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