Damage appraiser vs insurance adjuster

The differences between damage appraisers and insurance adjusters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a damage appraiser and an insurance adjuster. Additionally, an insurance adjuster has an average salary of $57,315, which is higher than the $48,075 average annual salary of a damage appraiser.

The top three skills for a damage appraiser include vehicle repairs, parts costs and process claims. The most important skills for an insurance adjuster are insurance policies, customer service, and liability claims.

Damage appraiser vs insurance adjuster overview

	Damage Appraiser	Insurance Adjuster
Yearly salary	$48,075	$57,315
Hourly rate	$23.11	$27.56
Growth rate	-6%	-6%
Number of jobs	1,117	44,837
Job satisfaction	-	3
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

Damage appraiser vs insurance adjuster salary

Damage appraisers and insurance adjusters have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Damage Appraiser	Insurance Adjuster
Average salary	$48,075	$57,315
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $68,000	Between $40,000 And $80,000
Highest paying City	-	Hagerstown, MD
Highest paying state	-	New Jersey
Best paying company	-	Cunningham Lindsey
Best paying industry	-	Insurance

Differences between damage appraiser and insurance adjuster education

There are a few differences between a damage appraiser and an insurance adjuster in terms of educational background:

	Damage Appraiser	Insurance Adjuster
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Stanford University

Damage appraiser vs insurance adjuster demographics

Here are the differences between damage appraisers' and insurance adjusters' demographics:

	Damage Appraiser	Insurance Adjuster
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 86.0% Female, 14.0%	Male, 66.6% Female, 33.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 5.0% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 13.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between damage appraiser and insurance adjuster duties and responsibilities

Damage appraiser example responsibilities.

Greet customers and write complete repair estimates on damage vehicles using different computer programs, CCC and ADP.
Coordinate with SIU on fraudulent claims effectively.
Investigate claims and report fraud to SIU.
Work with DRP shops to maintain and follow company guidelines.
Obtain exterior measurements of the home and create a computerize sketch using RapidSketch v2.5.
Measure and sketch all floors of home, porches, patios and any other structures.

Insurance adjuster example responsibilities.

Achieve targeted performance goals in every aspect to manage costs and support Allstate's industry-leading operational standards.
Manage and dispose of claims in litigation by preparing and developing strategy with defense counsel and consensus relative to litigation handling.
Train in Xactimate estimation and sketch programs.
Manage and dispose of claims in litigation by preparing and developing strategy with defense counsel and consensus relative to litigation handling.
Skil in complex arbitration and mediation negotiations.
Recommend files for arbitration or litigation base on evidence available and inability to compromise with adverse party.

Damage appraiser vs insurance adjuster skills

Common damage appraiser skills

Vehicle Repairs, 21%
Parts Costs, 20%
Process Claims, 17%
Customer Service, 8%
Audatex, 6%
Repair Process, 6%

Common insurance adjuster skills

Insurance Policies, 15%
Customer Service, 15%
Liability Claims, 9%
Auto Claims, 7%
Catastrophe Claims, 5%
Public Adjusters, 4%

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Damage Appraiser
Damage Appraiser vs Insurance Adjuster

Updated January 8, 2025

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