Disability examiner vs claim investigator

The differences between disability examiners and claim investigators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a disability examiner and a claim investigator. Additionally, a claim investigator has an average salary of $49,415, which is higher than the $40,180 average annual salary of a disability examiner.

The top three skills for a disability examiner include social security disability, supplemental security income and social security administration. The most important skills for a claim investigator are scene investigations, insurance claims, and property damage.

Disability examiner vs claim investigator overview

	Disability Examiner	Claim Investigator
Yearly salary	$40,180	$49,415
Hourly rate	$19.32	$23.76
Growth rate	-6%	-6%
Number of jobs	2,241	8,738
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

What does a disability examiner do?

A disability examiner is primarily in charge of conducting assessments and examinations to determine an applicant's eligibility for disability benefits and programs. Their duties usually include reviewing medical and health records, conducting interviews, and evaluating applications. There are also times when a disability examiner must directly coordinate with healthcare providers to obtain and assess records. Moreover, as a disability examiner, it is essential to assist clients by answering inquiries, providing instructions and advice, and helping them understand the extent of procedures.

What does a claim investigator do?

Claim Investigators are professionals who are responsible for examining facts of insurance claims to determine their extent and validity to prevent any cases of fraud. These investigators must use a combination of tools such as cutting-edge software to help insurance companies to settle claims quickly by evaluating them. They are required to manage multiple cases by investigating defective products or events such as an oil spill. Claim Investigators must also prepare reports while keeping track of evidence trails.

Disability examiner vs claim investigator salary

Disability examiners and claim investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Disability Examiner	Claim Investigator
Average salary	$40,180	$49,415
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $57,000	Between $37,000 And $65,000
Highest paying City	Sacramento, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Alaska
Best paying company	Minnesota State Fair	Health Alliance
Best paying industry	Government	Finance

Differences between disability examiner and claim investigator education

There are a few differences between a disability examiner and a claim investigator in terms of educational background:

	Disability Examiner	Claim Investigator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common major	Psychology	Criminal Justice
Most common college	SUNY at Binghamton	California State University - Bakersfield

Disability examiner vs claim investigator demographics

Here are the differences between disability examiners' and claim investigators' demographics:

	Disability Examiner	Claim Investigator
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 30.0% Female, 70.0%	Male, 52.5% Female, 47.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 14.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 5.0% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 5.2% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between disability examiner and claim investigator duties and responsibilities

Disability examiner example responsibilities.

Manage a number of cases dealing with veterans' requests for claims and education benefits.
Provide comprehensive written and verbal reports to broker-dealer executives and FINRA management.
Interact extensively with senior management of securities firms to discuss their procedures and any weaknesses and/or findings regarding their processes.
Collaborate with FINRA enforcement on taking official on-the-record testimonies of register principals and register representatives.
Blood collection by venipuncture and capillary technique ensure all specimens are collect accurately, on time and according to establish procedures.
Work with the client and claimants to discuss the evaluation process and future action of short term disability and FMLA claims.

Claim investigator example responsibilities.

Manage and dispose of claims in litigation by preparing and developing strategy with defense counsel and consensus relative to litigation handling.
Coordinate with SIU investigators in their investigations of the same claimant or insure.
Collaborate with SIU, fire, and police personnel in an effort to resolve investigations.
Conduct extensive field investigations and interact with staff attorneys on litigation matters.
Prepare and/or review property and content estimates for settlement using Xactimate and XactContents software programs.
Conduct complete assessment of interior and exterior damage to create a detail repair estimate within Xactimate software.

Disability examiner vs claim investigator skills

Common disability examiner skills

Social Security Disability, 24%
Supplemental Security Income, 9%
Social Security Administration, 8%
Disability Determinations, 6%
Medical Terminology, 5%
Disability Benefits, 5%

Common claim investigator skills

Scene Investigations, 11%
Insurance Claims, 7%
Property Damage, 5%
Fraud Claims, 5%
Background Checks, 5%
Litigation, 4%

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Disability Examiner vs Claim Investigator

Updated January 8, 2025

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