Total loss specialist vs claims adjuster

The differences between total loss specialists and 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 a claims adjuster. Additionally, a total loss specialist has an average salary of $51,718, which is higher than the $51,116 average annual salary of a claims adjuster.

The top three skills for a total loss specialist include customer service, HR and outbound calls. The most important skills for a claims adjuster are insurance carriers, auto claims, and customer service.

Total loss specialist vs claims adjuster overview

	Total Loss Specialist	Claims Adjuster
Yearly salary	$51,718	$51,116
Hourly rate	$24.86	$24.57
Growth rate	-6%	-6%
Number of jobs	33,617	13,221
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

What does a total loss specialist do?

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.

What does a claims adjuster do?

A claim's adjuster is responsible for the handling of the insurance claims and investigating the extent of property damage and processing the business or a person's liability. Claims adjusters have a broad range of duties such as damage inspection to evaluate incident reports, communicating with property owners and spectators as well as referring to legal documents. They must also have excellent analytical and critical-thinking skills to calculate payments and analyze the complexities of multiple sources. Claims adjusters should also provide timely reports for reference and possible disputes.

Total loss specialist vs claims adjuster salary

Total loss specialists and claims adjusters have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Total Loss Specialist	Claims Adjuster
Average salary	$51,718	$51,116
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $81,000	Between $40,000 And $64,000
Highest paying City	-	Los Angeles, CA
Highest paying state	-	New Jersey
Best paying company	-	Merchants Insurance Group
Best paying industry	-	Insurance

Differences between total loss specialist and claims adjuster education

There are a few differences between a total loss specialist and a claims adjuster in terms of educational background:

	Total Loss Specialist	Claims Adjuster
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Total loss specialist vs claims adjuster demographics

Here are the differences between total loss specialists' and claims adjusters' demographics:

	Total Loss Specialist	Claims Adjuster
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3%	Male, 45.1% Female, 54.9%
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, 11.8% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 5.2% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between total loss specialist and claims adjuster duties and responsibilities

Total loss specialist example responsibilities.

Analyze and support development and execution of underwriting, automation and operational strategies to efficiently and effectively manage the portfolio.
Work with SIU to flag fraud and mitigate fraudulent payouts.
Clean, pack and organize the SIU office and files.
Participate in utilizing inter-company arbitration.
Participate in utilizing inter-company arbitration.

Claims adjuster example responsibilities.

Achieve targeted performance goals to manage costs and support Allstate's industry-leading operational standards.
Maintain a full caseload of WC files for a Louisiana customer, for six months, while managing this team.
Manage California branch operations including supervision of 5 WC adjusting and support staff
Apply strong customer service, organizational and multitasking skills to efficiently manage auto insurance claims.
Manage strict confidentiality of documents and comply with HIPAA regulations stipulate by the facility and government.
Manage file inventory by utilizing CCC pathways diary system documenting claim file activities in accordance with establish procedures

Total loss specialist vs claims adjuster skills

Common total loss specialist skills

Customer Service, 22%
HR, 16%
Outbound Calls, 7%
Inbound Calls, 6%
Insurance Claims, 4%
Training Sessions, 4%

Common claims adjuster skills

Insurance Carriers, 13%
Auto Claims, 8%
Customer Service, 8%
Litigation, 7%
Xactimate, 6%
Claims Handling, 5%

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Total Loss Specialist
Total Loss Specialist vs Claims Adjuster

Updated January 8, 2025

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