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The differences between total loss specialists and auto claims 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 auto claims adjuster. Additionally, an auto claims adjuster has an average salary of $52,621, which is higher than the $51,718 average annual salary of a total loss specialist.
The top three skills for a total loss specialist include customer service, HR and outbound calls. The most important skills for an auto claims adjuster are repair process, body shop, and strong customer service.
| Total Loss Specialist | Auto Claims Adjuster | |
| Yearly salary | $51,718 | $52,621 |
| Hourly rate | $24.86 | $25.30 |
| Growth rate | -6% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 33,617 | 16,187 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| 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.
A claims adjuster inspects insurance claim liability for property damage or personal injuries and calculates payments. They can either work in-house for insurance companies or as external freelancers. They collect gathered information from different reliable sources to determine insurance obligations based on the degree of damage caused. It is part of their responsibility to interview claimants and witnesses and refer with experts like engineers or policyholders to estimate the damage and if it's covered by insurance policies.
Total loss specialists and auto claims adjusters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Total Loss Specialist | Auto Claims Adjuster | |
| Average salary | $51,718 | $52,621 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $81,000 | Between $38,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | - | Alaska |
| Best paying company | - | EMC Insurance |
| Best paying industry | - | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a total loss specialist and an auto claims adjuster in terms of educational background:
| Total Loss Specialist | Auto Claims Adjuster | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between total loss specialists' and auto claims adjusters' demographics:
| Total Loss Specialist | Auto Claims Adjuster | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3% | Male, 52.2% Female, 47.8% |
| 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, 12.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |