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The differences between total loss specialists and adjusters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a total loss specialist and an adjuster. Additionally, a total loss specialist has an average salary of $51,718, which is higher than the $49,396 average annual salary of an adjuster.
The top three skills for a total loss specialist include customer service, HR and outbound calls. The most important skills for an adjuster are customer service, strong customer service, and litigation.
| Total Loss Specialist | Adjuster | |
| Yearly salary | $51,718 | $49,396 |
| Hourly rate | $24.86 | $23.75 |
| Growth rate | -6% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 33,617 | 7,936 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
As a Total Loss Specialist, your job will involve appraising the damage and determining the salvage value on the total-loss vehicle. You will be tasked with examining the damaged vehicle to ascertain the extent of damage done to its body and structure and other mechanical, electrical, and internal damage. You'd also have to arrange with another appraiser to resolve any disagreement with the shop on the cost of repair after determining the extent of the damage to the vehicle.
An adjuster is responsible for evaluating the extent of loss in the company by calculating the damage costs, determining the settlement payment to the client, and managing the reputation of the company for claims accountability. Adjusters must have extensive knowledge of the insurance principles and processes, following the state and federal regulations to protect clients and the business from insurance fraud. They collect documents from different organizations, perform field research, and interview witnesses to verify the accuracy of claims statement.
Total loss specialists and adjusters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Total Loss Specialist | Adjuster | |
| Average salary | $51,718 | $49,396 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $81,000 | Between $35,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ |
| Highest paying state | - | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | - | FCCI |
| Best paying industry | - | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a total loss specialist and an adjuster in terms of educational background:
| Total Loss Specialist | Adjuster | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between total loss specialists' and adjusters' demographics:
| Total Loss Specialist | Adjuster | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3% | Male, 56.9% Female, 43.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 5.4% White, 59.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |