Claim investigator vs compensation adjuster

The differences between claim investigators and compensation adjusters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a claim investigator and a compensation adjuster. Additionally, a compensation adjuster has an average salary of $59,246, which is higher than the $49,415 average annual salary of a claim investigator.

The top three skills for a claim investigator include scene investigations, insurance claims and property damage. The most important skills for a compensation adjuster are litigation, workers compensation claims, and medical treatment.

Claim investigator vs compensation adjuster overview

	Claim Investigator	Compensation Adjuster
Yearly salary	$49,415	$59,246
Hourly rate	$23.76	$28.48
Growth rate	-6%	-6%
Number of jobs	8,738	15,062
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

Claim investigator vs compensation adjuster salary

Claim investigators and compensation adjusters have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Claim Investigator	Compensation Adjuster
Average salary	$49,415	$59,246
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $65,000	Between $39,000 And $89,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	Health Alliance	-
Best paying industry	Finance	-

Differences between claim investigator and compensation adjuster education

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

	Claim Investigator	Compensation Adjuster
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Business
Most common college	California State University - Bakersfield	Stanford University

Claim investigator vs compensation adjuster demographics

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

	Claim Investigator	Compensation Adjuster
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 52.5% Female, 47.5%	Male, 23.6% Female, 76.4%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 5.1% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between claim investigator and compensation adjuster duties and responsibilities

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.

Compensation adjuster example responsibilities.

Manage litigation claims including mediation and arbitration from inception to close.
Apply strong customer service, organizational and multitasking skills to efficiently manage auto insurance claims.
Compile and validate information relay to legal department for litigation arising from medical claims.
Research and review delinquent mortgage cases, financial scenarios and individual homeowner situations to develop solutions compliant with investor policy.
Close files once MMI and/or settlement reach
Input new CPT codes into system as changed by HIPPA law regulations.

Claim investigator vs compensation adjuster skills

Common claim investigator skills

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

Common compensation adjuster skills

Litigation, 16%
Workers Compensation Claims, 11%
Medical Treatment, 7%
Medical Terminology, 7%
Disability Claims, 5%
Medical Bills, 5%

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Claim Investigator
Claim Investigator vs Compensation Adjuster

Updated January 8, 2025

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