If you’re considering a career as an insurance claims adjuster, you’ve probably encountered a long list of job titles: staff adjuster, independent adjuster, public adjuster, field adjuster, desk adjuster, CAT adjuster, daily adjuster, and more.
It can sound like there are dozens of completely different adjuster careers. In reality, many of these terms describe different aspects of the same job.
The three main types of insurance claims adjusters are staff adjusters, independent adjusters, and public adjusters. Staff and independent adjusters handle claims directly for or on behalf of insurance companies, while public adjusters represent policyholders. Adjusters can also be classified by where they work, such as field or desk adjusters, and by the types of assignments they handle, such as catastrophe (CAT) or daily claims.
That means someone could be an independent field CAT adjuster. Another person might be a staff desk adjuster handling daily claims.
Understanding how these categories fit together can make it much easier to decide which adjusting career interests you.
What Does an Insurance Claims Adjuster Do?
An insurance claims adjuster investigates an insurance claim and helps determine what the insurance policy covers and how much may be owed for the loss.
Depending on the type of claim and position, an adjuster may:
- Inspect damaged property
- Interview policyholders, witnesses, or other parties
- Review photos, reports, estimates, and documentation
- Interpret insurance policy provisions
- Estimate repair or replacement costs
- Document the loss
- Negotiate settlements
- Help move a claim toward resolution
The exact responsibilities depend on the adjuster’s employer, specialization, and the type of claims being handled.
But before looking at specific job duties, it helps to understand the three primary categories of adjusters.
What Are the Three Main Types of Insurance Adjusters?
Insurance adjusters are generally classified as staff (or company) adjusters, independent adjusters, or public adjusters.
The biggest difference is who the adjuster works for or represents.
| Type of Adjuster | Works For or Represents | Typical Work Arrangement |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Adjuster | Insurance company | Employee of the insurance company |
| Independent Adjuster | Represents an insurance company, sometimes multiple companies, through an independent adjusting firm (IA Firm) | Contractor, seasonal employee, or sometimes W-2 employee |
| Public Adjuster | Policyholder | Self-employed or works with a public adjusting firm |
Let’s look at each.
1. Staff Insurance Adjusters
A staff adjuster, sometimes called a company adjuster, works directly for an insurance carrier.
Staff adjusters generally receive a regular salary and may receive traditional employee benefits such as health insurance, paid time off, retirement benefits, and employer-provided training.
Depending on the company and position, staff adjusters may work in an office, remotely, in the field, or in a combination of these environments.
What does a staff adjuster do?
Staff adjusters investigate and settle claims for the insurance company that employs them.
For example, a staff property adjuster might inspect a policyholder’s home after a storm, document the damage, review the insurance policy, prepare or review an estimate, and help determine what the insurer owes under the policy.
Other staff adjusters may handle claims almost entirely from a computer or phone.
Advantages of staff adjusting
A staff position may appeal to someone looking for:
- A more predictable paycheck
- Employee benefits
- Employer-provided training
- A consistent workload
- A traditional employer-employee relationship
The tradeoff is typically less control over your schedule and assignments than you might have as an independent adjuster.
Learn more: What Is a Staff Insurance Adjuster? Pros, Cons, and Is It Right for You?
2. Independent Insurance Adjusters
An independent adjuster (IA) handles claims on behalf of insurance companies but is not a regular staff adjuster employed directly by that carrier.
Independent adjusters commonly obtain assignments through Independent Adjusting Firms, or I.A. Firms, that contract with insurance companies to help handle claims.
Independent adjusters have traditionally worked as contractors, although some I.A. Firms also use seasonal or W-2 employees depending on their needs. They can work on behalf of a single insurance carrier, or represent multiple insurance carriers at the same time.
Why do insurance companies use independent adjusters?
Claim volume isn’t always predictable.
An insurance company may be adequately staffed during normal conditions and then suddenly receive thousands of additional claims after a hurricane, hailstorm, wildfire, freeze, or other major event.
Independent adjusting firms allow insurers to expand their claims workforce when additional help is needed.
IAs can also handle regular day-to-day claims when insurers need additional capacity.
What does an independent adjuster do?
Depending on the assignment, an independent adjuster may:
- Inspect property damage
- Photograph and document losses
- Interview policyholders
- Review coverage
- Prepare estimates
- Write reports
- Communicate with policyholders and carriers
- Help move claims toward settlement
Some independent adjusters travel extensively. Others work locally or handle claims from a desk.
Advantages of independent adjusting
Independent adjusting may appeal to people who want:
- More flexibility
- Opportunities to travel
- The ability to take different types of assignments
- Potential for periods of high earnings
- A less traditional work structure
However, independent adjusting also comes with uncertainty. Work can fluctuate, especially for newer adjusters who have not yet built relationships and experience.
A license and training can help prepare you for the job, but they don’t guarantee assignments.
Learn more: The Independent Adjusting Career: Pros, Cons & Is It Right for You?
3. Public Insurance Adjusters
A public adjuster is different from both staff and independent adjusters because a public adjuster represents the policyholder, not the insurance company.
A property owner might hire a public adjuster to assist with preparing, documenting, presenting, and negotiating a property insurance claim.
Public adjusters are compensated by the policyholder according to the terms of their contract and applicable state laws.
What does a public adjuster do?
A public adjuster may:
- Inspect and document property damage
- Review the policyholder’s insurance coverage
- Prepare estimates
- Help organize claim documentation
- Communicate with the insurance company
- Assist the policyholder during the claims process
- Negotiate a claim settlement on behalf of the policyholder
Public adjusting can also involve business development because public adjusters or their firms generally need to find and contract with clients.
Do public adjusters need a different license?
Public adjuster licensing is separate from independent/staff adjuster licensing in many states.
Public adjuster regulations vary significantly by state and may include different education requirements, a separate or specific examination, a surety bond, background checks, or other requirements.
If you’re interested in public adjusting, make sure you’re researching your state’s requirements specifically for public adjusters, rather than assuming a regular adjuster license will qualify you.
Staff vs. Independent vs. Public Adjusters
The simplest way to remember the difference is to ask:
Who does the adjuster work for or represent?
Staff adjuster: Works directly for an insurance company.
Independent adjuster: Handles claims for insurance companies, generally through an independent adjusting firm.
Public adjuster: Represents the policyholder.
But these aren’t the only terms you’ll hear when researching adjusting careers.
Terms such as field, desk, CAT, and daily adjuster describe how or what an adjuster handles rather than necessarily identifying who employs them.
Field Adjusters vs. Desk Adjusters
Another common way to classify insurance adjusters is by where and how they perform their work.
What is a field adjuster?
A field adjuster physically visits the location of a loss.
For a property claim, that might mean traveling to a home or business to inspect damage caused by hail, wind, water, fire, or another covered event.
Field adjusters may spend their days:
- Driving to claim locations
- Meeting policyholders
- Inspecting roofs and structures
- Taking photographs and measurements
- Documenting damage
- Writing estimates and reports
Field adjusting is generally a better fit for people who enjoy being out of the office and are comfortable traveling, interacting with customers, and working in changing environments.
What is a desk adjuster?
A desk adjuster handles claims primarily from an office or remote workspace.
Instead of personally visiting the loss location, a desk adjuster may use photographs, inspection reports, contractor estimates, video, policy documents, and information gathered by other claims professionals, or sometimes from the policyholder directly.
Desk adjusters also spend significant time communicating with policyholders, contractors, field adjusters, and insurance company representatives by phone, email, or online claims systems.
Some adjusters prefer desk work because it involves less travel and provides a more consistent, predictable work environment.
Can staff and independent adjusters work in the field or at a desk?
Yes.
This is where adjuster terminology can get confusing.
Field and desk describe how you work. Staff and independent describe your employment relationship.
You could be:
- A staff field adjuster
- A staff desk adjuster
- An independent field adjuster
- An independent desk adjuster
And an adjuster’s role may change throughout their career.
CAT Adjusters vs. Daily Adjusters
You’ll also hear adjusters describe their work as CAT or daily claims.
These terms generally describe the type of assignments an adjuster handles.
What Is a CAT Adjuster?
CAT is short for catastrophe.
CAT adjusters handle claims resulting from large-scale events that cause a significant number of losses in a relatively short period.
Examples can include:
- Hurricanes
- Tornadoes
- Major hailstorms
- Wildfires
- Floods
- Severe winter storms
After a major disaster, insurance companies can receive enormous numbers of claims at once. Independent adjusting firms and insurers may deploy additional adjusters to affected areas to help handle the surge.
CAT deployments can involve long hours, extensive travel, stressful working conditions, and large claim volumes.
They can also create opportunities for adjusters who are willing and prepared to travel. When large scale events occur, it often creates large demand and a great chance for new adjusters to enter the workforce.
CAT deployments are often where adjusters can earn the most money, as payments are based on a “fee schedule” where the adjuster gets paid a portion of the claim amount.
Both independent and staff adjusters may work catastrophe claims, although independent adjusters are commonly associated with CAT deployments.
Learn more: What Is an Insurance Adjusting Deployment and How Does It Work?
What Is a Daily Adjuster?
Daily claims are the normal insurance losses that occur throughout the year rather than claims generated by one major catastrophe.
For example:
- A pipe bursts in a home
- A kitchen fire causes damage
- A tree falls on a roof
- A driver has an accident
- A business suffers property damage
Independent adjusters can handle daily claims for I.A. Firms, while staff adjusters routinely handle these claims for their employers.
Daily claims are particularly important for independent adjusters because they can provide work outside major catastrophe events.
An independent adjuster’s career does not necessarily begin and end with hurricane season.
Can You Be More Than One Type of Adjuster?
Absolutely.
This is one of the most important things to understand about adjuster job titles.
Consider someone described as an:
Independent Field CAT Adjuster
Each word tells you something different.
- Independent describes the work relationship.
- Field tells you where the adjuster performs much of the work.
- CAT describes the type of claims or assignments.
Likewise, someone could be a staff desk adjuster handling daily property claims. These categories overlap rather than compete with one another. As you gain experience and industry reputation, you may choose to focus on something different. Our co-founder, Adam Gardiner, spent his early years as a CAT field adjuster. As his family grew, he spent more time in daily claims to stay close to home, and then moved on to mediation and examiner roles.
Other Insurance Adjuster Specialties
Adjusters may also specialize according to the types of insurance claims they handle.
Depending on licensing, training, experience, and employer needs, an adjuster might specialize in:
Property Adjusting
Property adjusters handle claims involving homes, commercial buildings, and other property.
Claims can result from wind, hail, fire, water, theft, and many other causes of loss.
Auto Adjusting & Auto Appraiser
Auto adjusters handle claims involving automobiles and other vehicles.
Some positions focus primarily on vehicle damage estimates, while others may involve more complex claims responsibilities.
Workers’ Compensation Adjusting
Workers’ compensation adjusters handle claims involving employees who are injured or become ill in connection with their jobs.
Workers’ compensation is a specialized area with its own rules, procedures, and coverage requirements.
Crop & Agricultural Adjusting
Crop adjusters work with agricultural insurance claims involving crops and farming operations.
This can be a particularly specialized area of adjusting and may require additional knowledge, training, or licensing.
Learn more: Crop vs Farm Insurance: What’s the Difference?
Commercial Claims Adjusting
Commercial adjusters handle claims involving businesses and commercial property.
These losses can be significantly more complex than residential claims because of the size of the property, type of business, coverage involved, and potential financial impact of the loss.
There are many additional specialties within the claims industry. Most adjusters don’t need to decide on a lifelong specialty before they begin. Experience can lead you toward different opportunities over time.
What Type of Insurance Adjuster Should You Become?
There isn’t one type of adjusting career that’s right for everyone.
Your preferred work environment, income goals, tolerance for uncertainty, willingness to travel, and desire for flexibility can all influence which path makes the most sense for you. That may also evolve as your life changes.
Staff adjusting may appeal to you if…
You prefer a traditional job with a more predictable paycheck, employee benefits, employer-provided training, and a relatively consistent schedule.
Independent adjusting may appeal to you if…
You value flexibility, don’t mind some uncertainty, are willing to pursue opportunities through I.A. Firms, and potentially want to travel for catastrophe assignments.
Public adjusting may appeal to you if…
You want to work on behalf of policyholders rather than insurance carriers and are comfortable with the client-facing and business-development aspects of building a public adjusting career.
Field adjusting may appeal to you if…
You prefer being active, traveling to different locations, meeting people face-to-face, and inspecting physical damage.
Desk adjusting may appeal to you if…
You prefer working from an office or home environment and are comfortable spending significant time on the phone, computer, and claims management systems.
You also don’t have to get this decision perfect on day one.
Adjusters often gain experience in one area and move into another as their careers progress.
Not sure which adjusting career might fit you? The AdjusterPro Career Path Builder can help you explore your options based on your state, goals, preferred work style, and career priorities.
Do Different Types of Adjusters Need Different Licenses?
They can.
Insurance adjuster licensing is regulated at the state level, which means requirements depend on where you live and the type of adjusting work you plan to perform.
Some states license independent adjusters. Some distinguish between different lines of authority. Some states do not license adjusters at all.
Public adjuster licensing is generally treated separately from licensing for adjusters who handle claims on behalf of insurance companies.
Your first step should be determining the requirements for your resident state and the type of adjusting work you want to pursue.
AdjusterPro offers state-specific licensing information and training to help aspiring adjusters understand the process. You can search for your state our Learning Center to see step-by-step guides. NIPR is also a great resource for finding the basic rules for adjuster licensing in your state.
Frequently Asked Questions About Types of Insurance Adjusters
What are the three main types of insurance adjusters?
The three primary types are staff adjusters, independent adjusters, and public adjusters. Staff adjusters work directly for insurance companies. Independent adjusters handle claims on behalf of insurance companies, often through independent adjusting firms. Public adjusters represent policyholders during the claims process.
What is the difference between a staff adjuster and an independent adjuster?
A staff adjuster is generally an employee of an insurance company. An independent adjuster isn’t a regular staff employee of the insurance carrier and commonly receives assignments through an independent adjusting firm. Both handle claims on behalf of insurers.
Is a CAT adjuster the same as an independent adjuster?
No. Independent adjuster describes a work relationship, while CAT adjuster describes the type of claims being handled. Many CAT adjusters are independent adjusters, but staff adjusters can handle catastrophe claims too.
What is the difference between a field adjuster and a desk adjuster?
Field adjusters travel to loss locations to inspect and document damage in person. Desk adjusters primarily handle claims from an office or remote workspace using reports, photographs, estimates, phone calls, video, and other documentation.
Do public adjusters work for insurance companies?
No. Public adjusters represent policyholders rather than insurance companies. They are generally hired and compensated by the insured according to a contract and applicable state law. Some public adjusters work for public adjusting firms or start their own companies.
Can an adjuster be both a field adjuster and a CAT adjuster?
Yes. Adjuster classifications overlap. For example, an independent adjuster could travel to a hurricane-affected area and inspect property damage in person. That person could accurately be described as an independent field CAT adjuster.
Do insurance adjusters only work during catastrophe season?
No. Staff adjusters generally work year-round, and independent adjusters can handle daily claims throughout the year in addition to catastrophe assignments. Work volume for independent adjusters can fluctuate based on experience, location, relationships with I.A. Firms, and claim activity.
Which type of insurance adjuster makes the most money?
There isn’t one type of adjuster that always earns the most. Income can vary considerably based on experience, claim volume, employer or contract arrangement, specialty, location, catastrophe activity, willingness to travel, and the types of assignments an adjuster accepts.
Independent CAT adjusting can offer periods of high earning potential during busy catastrophe seasons, but that income may be less predictable. Staff positions generally offer more consistent compensation and benefits. Public adjuster earnings can vary based on clients, claim values, compensation structure, and state regulations.
When comparing adjusting careers, consider both earning potential and income consistency rather than focusing on a single salary number.
Start Exploring Your Adjusting Career
Insurance adjusting isn’t a single career path.
You can work for an insurance carrier, handle claims independently through an I.A. Firm, represent policyholders as a public adjuster, work in the field, handle claims from a desk, specialize in catastrophe work, or build experience across several different roles.
You don’t need to know exactly where your adjusting career will take you before you begin.
But understanding your options can help you make better decisions about licensing, training, and your first steps into the industry.
If you’re still figuring out which path fits you, start with the AdjusterPro Career Path Builder or contact us. Our award-winning support team is well-educated in all things claims and would be happy to answer any questions you have about the different jobs or licensing paths.
