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The differences between claim processors and auto claims adjusters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a claim processor, becoming an auto claims adjuster takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an auto claims adjuster has an average salary of $52,621, which is higher than the $41,201 average annual salary of a claim processor.
The top three skills for a claim processor include customer service, data entry and medical terminology. The most important skills for an auto claims adjuster are repair process, body shop, and strong customer service.
| Claim Processor | Auto Claims Adjuster | |
| Yearly salary | $41,201 | $52,621 |
| Hourly rate | $19.81 | $25.30 |
| Growth rate | -6% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 11,542 | 16,187 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A Claims Processor is responsible for processing and verifying insurance claims, in adherence to the policies, laws, and regulations of the company involved. Aside from examining its authenticity, they must also oversee new policies and recommend modifications should it be needed. Moreover, it is also the task of the Claims Processor to prepare the necessary documents and guidelines for the policyholder, process reimbursements upon approval, provide answers to inquiries, and report issues and updates to the management.
A claims adjuster inspects insurance claim liability for property damage or personal injuries and calculates payments. They can either work in-house for insurance companies or as external freelancers. They collect gathered information from different reliable sources to determine insurance obligations based on the degree of damage caused. It is part of their responsibility to interview claimants and witnesses and refer with experts like engineers or policyholders to estimate the damage and if it's covered by insurance policies.
Claim processors and auto claims adjusters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Claim Processor | Auto Claims Adjuster | |
| Average salary | $41,201 | $52,621 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $62,000 | Between $38,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | Columbia, MD | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Alaska |
| Best paying company | NTT Data International L.L.C. | EMC Insurance |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a claim processor and an auto claims adjuster in terms of educational background:
| Claim Processor | Auto Claims Adjuster | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between claim processors' and auto claims adjusters' demographics:
| Claim Processor | Auto Claims Adjuster | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1% | Male, 52.2% Female, 47.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 5.2% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |