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The differences between claim specialists and senior 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 specialist, becoming a senior claims adjuster takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a senior claims adjuster has an average salary of $58,688, which is higher than the $43,164 average annual salary of a claim specialist.
The top three skills for a claim specialist include customer service, litigation and patients. The most important skills for a senior claims adjuster are customer service, litigation, and coverage issues.
| Claim Specialist | Senior Claims Adjuster | |
| Yearly salary | $43,164 | $58,688 |
| Hourly rate | $20.75 | $28.22 |
| Growth rate | -6% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 29,505 | 11,495 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A claims specialist is responsible for processing insurance claims, reviewing insurance coverage, and analyzing claims cases. Claims specialists' duties include negotiating claims settlements, validating claims to prevent fraud, creating court testimonies as needed, developing claim review plans, and checking necessary documents and related resolve claims. A claims specialist must have strong analytical and critical-thinking skills to authorize claim payment and investigate complex and unusual claims. Claims specialists should also have extensive knowledge of the insurance processes to handle various cases, following legal policies and regulatory procedures.
A senior claims adjuster is in charge of inspecting and analyzing insurance claims to validate and adjust payments. Among their responsibilities include reviewing and verifying claims documents, visiting sites to investigate property damages and personal injuries, gathering evidence such as photos and videos, and conducting interviews with witnesses and clients. Moreover, as a senior claims adjuster, it is essential to lead and serve as a mentor to fellow claims adjusters while enforcing and promoting the company's policies and regulations.
Claim specialists and senior claims adjusters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Claim Specialist | Senior Claims Adjuster | |
| Average salary | $43,164 | $58,688 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $67,000 | Between $37,000 And $91,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | Roseville, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | W. R. Berkley | EMC Insurance |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a claim specialist and a senior claims adjuster in terms of educational background:
| Claim Specialist | Senior Claims Adjuster | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between claim specialists' and senior claims adjusters' demographics:
| Claim Specialist | Senior Claims Adjuster | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.0% Female, 69.0% | Male, 48.2% Female, 51.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 5.2% White, 61.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |