How To Become A Claims Associate: What It Is and Career Path

What is a claims associate and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Claims associates work for insurance companies to review reported claims and determine the validity of the claim. They are responsible for determining a client's insurance coverage. Likewise, they oversee the analysis of a claim to ensure the clients receive their entitled financial settlement. They collect all necessary documents and information to file, investigate and resolve claims. Also, they contact carriers, insurance companies, salvage companies, and customers regarding claims made by the client. Furthermore, they work with accounting and collections staff to resolve accounting issues related to claims. Additionally, they manage the documentation and submission process of each claim.

Employers require an associate's degree in a related field with relevant experience in claims, insurance, fraud, or any related role. Candidates must possess decision-making, organization, multitasking, customer service, attention to detail, research, and communication skills. Claims associate earn $15.14 per hour, which is equivalent to an average annual salary of $31,494. This ranges between $24,000 and $40,000.

ScoreClaims AssociateUS Average

Salary

2.9

Avg. Salary $36,558

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.2

Growth rate -3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.48%

Asian 3.89%

Black or African American 13.78%

Hispanic or Latino 14.38%

Unknown 4.28%

White 63.20%

Gender

female 69.68%

male 30.32%

Age - 44

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 - 44

Stress level

6.2

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.4

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

9.5

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a claims associate

Explore claims associate education requirements

Most common claims associate degrees

Bachelor's

47.9 %

Associate

22.3 %

High School Diploma

16.0 %

Start to develop specific claims associate skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	14.25%
Medical Claims	8.26%
Phone Calls	8.24%
Claims Handling	6.81%
Insurance Claims	6.26%

Complete relevant claims associate training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New claims associates 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 claims associate based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real claims associate resumes.

Gain additional claims associate certifications

Claims associate 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 claims associate certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for claims associates include Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) and Associate in General Insurance (AINS).

More About Certifications

Research claims associate duties and responsibilities

Investigate, evaluate, and manage call to complete coverage analysis confirming or denying coverage using Xactimate estimating software.
Obtain vehicle information from the DMV.
Follow HIPAA policy on each and every call.
Abided by the laws and regulations associate under HIPAA and patient confidentiality.

Prepare your claims associate resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your claims associate 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 claims associate resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable claims associate resume templates

Build a professional claims associate 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 claims associate resume.