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What is a senior claims adjuster and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
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A senior claims adjuster is a leadership individual who works in the insurance field. These professionals oversee insurance claims on policies in a specific field, whether it be health, housing, or automobile insurance. Senior claims adjusters manage junior adjusters in the processing of final decisions for claims based on the junior adjusters' recommendations. A senior claims adjuster also inspects and analyzes claims to validate and adjust payments.

Most senior claims adjusters have a bachelor's degree in accounting, business, or a related area; however, an advanced degree is not necessarily a requirement provided the candidate has comparable knowledge and skills. A senior claims adjuster should have considerable experience in the insurance industry and possess strong mathematical, analytical, management, and organizational skills.

A senior claims adjuster can make up to $65,000 annually, and the career field is expected to decline slightly by 4% in the next 10 years.

ScoreSenior Claims AdjusterUS Average
Salary
4.6

Avg. Salary $58,688

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.3

Growth rate -6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.50%

Asian 5.23%

Black or African American 11.70%

Hispanic or Latino 16.89%

Unknown 4.40%

White 61.28%

Gender

female 51.80%

male 48.20%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Stress level
8.3

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.3

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Senior claims adjuster career paths

Key steps to become a senior claims adjuster

  1. Explore senior claims adjuster education requirements

    Most common senior claims adjuster degrees

    Bachelor's

    69.6 %

    Associate

    14.0 %

    Master's

    5.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific senior claims adjuster skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service24.93%
    Litigation9.22%
    Coverage Issues6.30%
    Strong Customer Service5.20%
    Settlement Authority4.51%
  3. Complete relevant senior claims adjuster training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior claims adjusters learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a senior claims adjuster based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior claims adjuster resumes.
  4. Gain additional senior claims adjuster certifications

    Senior claims adjuster certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific senior claims adjuster certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for senior claims adjusters include Associate in Claims (AIC) and Associate in General Insurance (AINS).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research senior claims adjuster duties and responsibilities

    • Manage file inventory by utilizing CCC pathways diary system documenting claim file activities in accordance with establish procedures
    • Experience litigation adjuster proactively investigating, evaluating, and negotiating commercial and homeowner general liability casualty and property damage liability claims.
    • Prepare and calculate consumer pensions as well as variable & fix annuities.
    • Develop relationships with other departments such as sales, underwriting, and SIU in order to meet business goals.
  6. Get senior claims adjuster experience

    Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become a senior claims adjuster. The most common roles before becoming a senior claims adjuster include claims adjuster, claims representative team lead and adjuster.
  7. Prepare your senior claims adjuster resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior claims adjuster resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a senior claims adjuster resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable senior claims adjuster resume templates

    Build a professional senior claims adjuster resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your senior claims adjuster resume.
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    Senior Claims Adjuster Resume
  8. Apply for senior claims adjuster jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a senior claims adjuster job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first senior claims adjuster job

Zippi

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Average senior claims adjuster salary

The average senior claims adjuster salary in the United States is $58,688 per year or $28 per hour. Senior claims adjuster salaries range between $37,000 and $91,000 per year.

Average senior claims adjuster salary
$58,688 Yearly
$28.22 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do senior claims adjusters rate their job?

2/5

Based on 1 ratings

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Senior claims adjuster reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2023
Cons

Can be long hours and stressful


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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2021
Cons

When customers are not satisfied even when you know you have delivered the best service you could have and have gone beyond the call of duty in delivering same. They appear to not understand the dynamics of the process even if explained to them


profile
2.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019
Pros

Working from home

Cons

Amount of work expected, duplicative data entry and oversight adjusters. Angry phone calls.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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