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The differences between claims managers and desk managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a claims manager and a desk manager. Additionally, a desk manager has an average salary of $75,140, which is higher than the $73,369 average annual salary of a claims manager.
The top three skills for a claims manager include customer service, oversight and litigation. The most important skills for a desk manager are CRM, sales process, and quality customer service.
| Claims Manager | Desk Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $73,369 | $75,140 |
| Hourly rate | $35.27 | $36.12 |
| Growth rate | -6% | - |
| Number of jobs | 30,302 | 45,871 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A claims manager is an individual who works in an insurance-based firm and is responsible for managing the insurance claims department that is composed of examiners and adjusters. Claims managers are required to maintain claim files and reviewing these files as well as communicate with customers to follow up regarding issues they face with insurance claims. They must determine who is liable for the damage if there were other parties involved. Claims managers must also include an expert to assess the amount of damage and avoid insurance fraud.
A desk manager's responsibilities focus on facilitating communication and performing organizational support tasks to maintain the smooth flow of operations at offices. Although the extent of their duties primarily depends on their company or employment industry, it usually includes handling calls and correspondence, answering inquiries, resolving issues and concerns, forwarding calls and messages, arranging appointments and schedules, organizing files, and overseeing various communication materials. In some offices, a desk manager manages different teams, supervising their performance while enforcing company standards and policies.
Claims managers and desk managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Claims Manager | Desk Manager | |
| Average salary | $73,369 | $75,140 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $117,000 | Between $44,000 And $127,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Eureka, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Zurich | ServiceNow |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | - |
There are a few differences between a claims manager and a desk manager in terms of educational background:
| Claims Manager | Desk Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between claims managers' and desk managers' demographics:
| Claims Manager | Desk Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.9% Female, 52.1% | Male, 54.9% Female, 45.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 5.9% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 5.3% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |