Property claims adjuster vs claim investigator

The differences between property claims 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 property claims adjuster and a claim investigator. Additionally, a property claims adjuster has an average salary of $54,520, which is higher than the $49,415 average annual salary of a claim investigator.

The top three skills for a property claims adjuster include customer service, claims handling and xactimate. The most important skills for a claim investigator are scene investigations, insurance claims, and property damage.

Property claims adjuster vs claim investigator overview

	Property Claims Adjuster	Claim Investigator
Yearly salary	$54,520	$49,415
Hourly rate	$26.21	$23.76
Growth rate	-6%	-6%
Number of jobs	16,957	8,738
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 77%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

What does a property claims adjuster do?

Property Claims Adjusters are individuals who evaluate the insurance claims of their clients. They specialize in the appraisal of property-related insurance claims such as damages or other concerns. They often work outside the office, typically always on fieldwork, since their job entails them to visit the property involved in the insurance claim. Property Claims Adjusters appraise the property, check the damages, evaluate whether the claims are valid, and provide their verdict. Insurance Claims on the property are adjusted based on their recommendations and final verdict. Property claims adjusters should be familiar with building codes, property laws, and insurance guidelines.

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.

Property claims adjuster vs claim investigator salary

Property claims adjusters and claim investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Property Claims Adjuster	Claim Investigator
Average salary	$54,520	$49,415
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $74,000	Between $37,000 And $65,000
Highest paying City	Trenton, NJ	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Alaska
Best paying company	EMC Insurance	Health Alliance
Best paying industry	Insurance	Finance

Differences between property claims adjuster and claim investigator education

There are a few differences between a property claims adjuster and a claim investigator in terms of educational background:

	Property Claims Adjuster	Claim Investigator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 77%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common major	Business	Criminal Justice
Most common college	Stanford University	California State University - Bakersfield

Property claims adjuster vs claim investigator demographics

Here are the differences between property claims adjusters' and claim investigators' demographics:

	Property Claims Adjuster	Claim Investigator
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 59.2% Female, 40.8%	Male, 52.5% Female, 47.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.3% 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 property claims adjuster and claim investigator duties and responsibilities

Property claims adjuster example responsibilities.

Manage file inventory by utilizing CCC pathways diary system documenting claim file activities in accordance with establish procedures
Offer diligent investigations and evaluation of commercial and third party liability claims, investigative and litigation management.
Represent the insurance company in an arbitration settlement in NYC.
Write denial letters, reservations of rights letters, and other complex correspondence.
Recognize potentially fraudulent claims, utilizes SIU and other sources as needed, consults with management.
Negotiate with attorneys, order police reports, assist with the SIU department for possible fraud 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.

Property claims adjuster vs claim investigator skills

Common property claims adjuster skills

Customer Service, 34%
Claims Handling, 11%
Xactimate, 8%
Strong Customer Service, 5%
Damage Estimates, 5%
Policy Coverage, 3%

Common claim investigator skills

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

Property Claims Adjuster vs. similar jobs

Property Claims Adjuster related careers

Property Claims Adjuster related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Business and Financial Industry
Property Claims Adjuster
Property Claims Adjuster vs Claim Investigator

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse business and financial jobs