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What is a Florida Adjuster Designation in insurance industry

If you’ve been researching how to become an adjuster in Florida, you’ve probably come across the phrase “Florida Adjuster Designation” and wondered what it actually means.

That confusion makes sense.

In the insurance world, terms like designation, license, and certification are often used loosely, which can make the process feel more complicated than it really is. The simplest explanation is this: 

In Florida, the 6-20 All-Lines Adjuster License is the license required for residents to work as an all-lines adjuster, whether as an independent or company adjuster. (Other Florida adjuster licenses exist, but they are usually for non-residents or for different roles, like public adjusting.) One of the approved ways to qualify for the 6-20 license is by earning a state-recognized adjuster designation, which exempts applicants from the state adjuster exam.

Note: Approved Florida Designations can also be used by candidates who live in a state that doesn’t license adjusters and who want to get a 70-20 Designated Home State (DHS) adjuster license from Florida. 

At AdjusterPro, we have trained over 100,000 people in the past 2 decades, and we want you to walk away with the answers to your questions, whether you choose to move forward with training or not. This article is here to explain what a Florida adjuster designation is, how it fits into the licensing process, and what it means for someone exploring the adjuster career path.

By the end of this article, you’ll understand:
– What a Florida adjuster designation is
– How a designation helps you qualify for a Florida adjuster license
– Which designations Florida accepts
– What happens after you earn one

Table of Contents:

What is a Designation Path?

With the designation path, you complete a state-approved designation program through an approved provider. Once you earn that designation, it satisfies the qualification requirements for the 6-20 Resident or 70-20 Designated Home State (DHS) All-Lines Adjuster License and allows you to skip the Florida state adjuster exam.

There are other paths that get you to the same license, but in a different way. For example, if you already hold a qualifying Florida license, such as a public adjuster or a General Lines agent, that may exempt you from having to take the Florida exam. If you have a qualifying insurance degree, that may also satisfy the requirement. If you recently moved to Florida and already hold an eligible all-lines adjuster license from another state, you likely qualify to transfer your license to a 6-20. 

So the key difference is not that a designation leads to a different Florida license. It leads to the same adjuster license. The difference is simply how you qualify for that license in the first place.

What Is a Florida Adjuster Designation?

A Florida adjuster designation is a state-recognized professional designation that can be used as one path to qualify for the 6-20 or 70-20 DHS Adjuster License.

In other words, when people talk about a Florida adjuster designation, they are usually referring to an approved designation program that meets Florida’s qualification requirements for an adjuster license. Designation programs usually include pre-licensing education requirements and an exam. Once you’ve completed a designation program, you are qualified to apply for your license; no additional education or testing is required. 

What matters most is this: a designation is not the license itself. It is one of the approved ways to become eligible for the Florida adjuster license.

How a Florida Adjuster Designation Helps You Get Licensed

Florida has more than one way to qualify for their Adjuster License. According to the state’s licensing guide, applicants may qualify through an approved designation, certain degrees, transfer eligibility from another state, or by taking and passing the state examination if they do not already meet an exemption.

That is why designations matter.

If you earn a Florida-approved adjuster designation, the state treats that designation as an exam-exempt prerequisite for all-lines company and independent adjuster applicants. Florida Statute 626.221 explains that these approved designations exempt candidates from having to take the state exam.

In other words, a designation helps you get licensed by allowing you to qualify without sitting for the state adjuster exam. You still have to complete the rest of the licensing process, but the designation can be the piece that gets you through the qualification stage.

Why Many People Choose a Designation to Get Their Florida License

The main reason people prefer the designation route is that, in many cases, it’s simpler, quicker, and everything can be done online. 

Put simply, Florida lets you skip the licensing exam if you obtain an approved designation. This is based on Florida’s exam-exemption rules, not because the state officially ranks it as the “best” option.

Note that obtaining a designation only qualifies you to apply for your license. It does not give you the actual license. Once you complete your designation, you still need to submit your application, pay your state fees, complete a fingerprint background check, and obtain your license to make it official.

So the designation route can simplify how you qualify, but it is only a part of the licensing process.

Florida-Approved Designations for an Adjuster License

Florida currently recognizes multiple approved designations for adjuster applicants. 

On the Florida Department of Financial Services professional designations page, you can find a list of various approved designations: 

  • PIC (Professional in Claims)
  • AIC (Associate in Claims)
  • AICS (Accredited Insurance Claims Specialist)
  • CA (Certified Adjuster)
  • CALA (Certified All-Lines Adjuster)
  • CCA (Certified Claims Adjuster)
  • CPCU (Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter)
  • CACP (Claims Adjuster Certified Professional)
  • RCA (Registered Claims Adjuster)
  • PCA (Professional Claims Adjuster)
  • PPIA (Professional Property Insurance Adjuster)
  • UCC (Universal Claims Certification)
  • ACA (Accredited Claims Adjuster) – must be offered by an approved Florida postsecondary institution

That means there is not just one “Florida adjuster designation.” There are multiple state-approved designations, offered by different organizations, that all serve as a pathway toward the same All-Lines Adjuster License. Florida’s approved list includes the CA (Certified Adjuster) designation, which is offered by AdjusterPro and our sister company, All-Lines Training.

Note: Although an approved designation can exempt you from the state adjuster exam, it is not the license itself. You will still need to apply for the Florida license you want and complete the rest of the licensing process.

At the end of the day, each of these designations will qualify you for the same license (the 6-20 Resident or 70-20 Designated Home State (DHS) All-Lines Adjuster License, depending on which one you are going for). So the question isn’t whether a designation counts, but which approved designation is right for you.

To read more about this, check out the article: 
“Approved Florida Adjuster Designations: Which is Right for You?”

What to Do After You Earn a Florida Adjuster Designation

Once you earn an approved designation, you are not automatically licensed. You still need to complete Florida’s licensing steps. According to FLDFS, you must submit your application, pay the required fees, complete fingerprinting, and provide proof of your prerequisites to the department. 

Since Florida requires proof of designation, applicants must provide a copy of the original letter from the accrediting entity certifying their designation status during the application process. Most approved providers have a process to assist with providing the required documentation.

Final Thoughts: A Designation Is One Path to a Florida Adjuster License

The simplest way to explain a Florida adjuster designation is this:

It is a Florida-approved path to qualifying for a 6-20 Resident or 70-20 DHS All-Lines Adjuster License. 

Florida offers several ways to qualify for adjuster licenses , but approved designations are one of the most popular because they exempt applicants from having to sit and take the state adjuster exam. Once you understand that, the term becomes much less confusing.

If your next question is which Florida-approved designation is right for you, that is where the next article should take over.

There are a few directions to head from here, depending on your goals. Here are some resources you can use depending on what’s next for you:

About Monica Morel

Monica Morel is the Content Manager at Adjuster Pro, where she writes about insurance licensing, adjusting careers, state requirements, and the fine print agents and adjusters need to know. A former workers’ comp staff adjuster, Monica brings real claims experience to her work, making complex insurance topics clearer, more useful, and a little less dry. Outside of writing, she dabbles in charcoal, watercolor, and ink art and is the proud pet parent to two cats and one very diplomatic dog.

Read more articles by Monica Morel »

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