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The differences between field investigators and insurance examiners 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 investigator and an insurance examiner. Additionally, an insurance examiner has an average salary of $50,967, which is higher than the $34,305 average annual salary of a field investigator.
The top three skills for a field investigator include excellent time management, background checks and mental health. The most important skills for an insurance examiner are EKG, financial statements, and blood pressure.
| Field Investigator | Insurance Examiner | |
| Yearly salary | $34,305 | $50,967 |
| Hourly rate | $16.49 | $24.50 |
| Growth rate | -6% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 49,068 | 39,601 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A field investigator is responsible for collecting information and evidence to support ongoing investigations of law enforcement agencies. Field investigators analyze the occurrence and connections of criminal activities by gathering related cases and coordinating with scene witnesses. They also validate the information by conducting surveillance operations and coordinating with law professionals. A field investigator may also work for private clients, updating them regularly for the progress, and informing them of additional actions as needed to solve complicated cases.
A claims examiner is responsible for conducting a claim review of a client against a particular insurance company--usually a health and life insurance company. An examiner must review claims and then approve them, reject them, or develop a possible settlement. They need to communicate with policyholders and insurance agents to assess if all the information under the company's claims guidelines and policies are correct and accurate.
Field investigators and insurance examiners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field Investigator | Insurance Examiner | |
| Average salary | $34,305 | $50,967 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $50,000 | Between $34,000 And $76,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Farmington, CT |
| Highest paying state | California | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | The Travelers Companies | RSM US |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a field investigator and an insurance examiner in terms of educational background:
| Field Investigator | Insurance Examiner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between field investigators' and insurance examiners' demographics:
| Field Investigator | Insurance Examiner | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.5% Female, 27.5% | Male, 24.1% Female, 75.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 6.0% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |