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What is a claim specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
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Claims specialists work for insurance companies and investigate insurance claims for damaged property, health issues, or business failure. The process and review claims, manage settlements, prove liability, and check insurance coverage. They create the documentation of insurance cases as well.

Claims specialists are responsible for assessing damage and loss, and as a consequence, they contribute to helping people get back on their feet after a crisis. For this reason, many people find working as a claims specialist a rewarding job.

You need to have an up-to-date knowledge of state and federal insurance policies, be organized and disciplined, have great communication skills, and experience in settling negotiations. With all of this in place, successful claims specialists make around $55,000 a year.

ScoreClaim SpecialistUS Average
Salary
3.4

Avg. Salary $43,164

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
9.3

Growth rate -6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.50%

Asian 5.14%

Black or African American 11.40%

Hispanic or Latino 16.49%

Unknown 4.39%

White 62.08%

Gender

female 68.95%

male 31.05%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Stress level
9.3

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
9.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.7

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Claim specialist career paths

Key steps to become a claim specialist

  1. Explore claim specialist education requirements

    Most common claim specialist degrees

    Bachelor's

    54.4 %

    Associate

    19.7 %

    High School Diploma

    11.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific claim specialist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service19.21%
    Litigation7.22%
    Patients5.02%
    Claims Handling4.48%
    Quality Standards4.19%
  3. Complete relevant claim specialist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New claim specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a claim specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real claim specialist resumes.
  4. Gain additional claim specialist certifications

    Claim specialist certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific claim specialist certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for claim specialists include Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) and Associate in Claims (AIC).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research claim specialist duties and responsibilities

    • Assist in the streamlining of EDI process to manage workflow of EDI claims.
    • Manage claims on desk, route/queues, and ECHS within specify turn-around-time parameters.
    • Manage claims, route/queues, and ECHS, within specify turn- around time parameters.
    • Investigate, manage, negotiate and resolve claims arising out of accidents involving automobile and homeowner policies.
  6. Prepare your claim specialist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your claim specialist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a claim specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable claim specialist resume templates

    Build a professional claim specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your claim specialist resume.
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  7. Apply for claim specialist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a claim specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first claim specialist job

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Average claim specialist salary

The average claim specialist salary in the United States is $43,164 per year or $21 per hour. Claim specialist salaries range between $27,000 and $67,000 per year.

Average claim specialist salary
$43,164 Yearly
$20.75 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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