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The differences between field adjusters 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 field adjuster and a claim investigator. Additionally, a field adjuster has an average salary of $54,120, which is higher than the $49,415 average annual salary of a claim investigator.
The top three skills for a field adjuster include customer service, xactimate and strong negotiation. The most important skills for a claim investigator are scene investigations, insurance claims, and property damage.
| Field Adjuster | Claim Investigator | |
| Yearly salary | $54,120 | $49,415 |
| Hourly rate | $26.02 | $23.76 |
| Growth rate | -6% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 51,071 | 8,738 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A field adjuster is an individual who creates property and contents estimates based on the field inspection using the Xactimate estimating software with photos and diagrams. Field adjusters are required to investigate and evaluate property damage to determine and negotiate a monetary settlement for each claim. They must complete reports and itemize billing to be submitted to insurance companies for services rendered. Field adjusters must provide exceptional customer service to all parties involved to aid in the settlement process and maintain customer satisfaction.
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.
Field adjusters and claim investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field Adjuster | Claim Investigator | |
| Average salary | $54,120 | $49,415 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $75,000 | Between $37,000 And $65,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Zurich | Health Alliance |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a field adjuster and a claim investigator in terms of educational background:
| Field Adjuster | Claim Investigator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Business | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | Stanford University | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between field adjusters' and claim investigators' demographics:
| Field Adjuster | Claim Investigator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.3% Female, 29.7% | Male, 52.5% Female, 47.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 61.7% 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% |