Claim investigator vs total loss specialist

The differences between claim investigators and total loss specialists 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 total loss specialist. Additionally, a total loss specialist has an average salary of $51,718, 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 total loss specialist are customer service, HR, and outbound calls.

Claim investigator vs total loss specialist overview

	Claim Investigator	Total Loss Specialist
Yearly salary	$49,415	$51,718
Hourly rate	$23.76	$24.86
Growth rate	-6%	-6%
Number of jobs	8,738	33,617
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

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.

What does a total loss specialist do?

As a Total Loss Specialist, your job will involve appraising the damage and determining the salvage value on the total-loss vehicle. You will be tasked with examining the damaged vehicle to ascertain the extent of damage done to its body and structure and other mechanical, electrical, and internal damage. You'd also have to arrange with another appraiser to resolve any disagreement with the shop on the cost of repair after determining the extent of the damage to the vehicle.

Claim investigator vs total loss specialist salary

Claim investigators and total loss specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Claim Investigator	Total Loss Specialist
Average salary	$49,415	$51,718
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $65,000	Between $32,000 And $81,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	Health Alliance	-
Best paying industry	Finance	-

Differences between claim investigator and total loss specialist education

There are a few differences between a claim investigator and a total loss specialist in terms of educational background:

	Claim Investigator	Total Loss Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Business
Most common college	California State University - Bakersfield	Stanford University

Claim investigator vs total loss specialist demographics

Here are the differences between claim investigators' and total loss specialists' demographics:

	Claim Investigator	Total Loss Specialist
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 52.5% Female, 47.5%	Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3%
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, 14.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 5.4% White, 59.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between claim investigator and total loss specialist 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.

Total loss specialist example responsibilities.

Analyze and support development and execution of underwriting, automation and operational strategies to efficiently and effectively manage the portfolio.
Work with SIU to flag fraud and mitigate fraudulent payouts.
Clean, pack and organize the SIU office and files.
Participate in utilizing inter-company arbitration.
Participate in utilizing inter-company arbitration.

Claim investigator vs total loss specialist skills

Common claim investigator skills

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

Common total loss specialist skills

Customer Service, 22%
HR, 16%
Outbound Calls, 7%
Inbound Calls, 6%
Insurance Claims, 4%
Training Sessions, 4%

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Claim Investigator
Claim Investigator vs Total Loss Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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