The three kinds of adjusters

Kind Who they work for License
Staff adjuster An insurance company In some states they work under the company’s license
Independent adjuster An adjusting firm the insurer hires, often for storms Their own license, and non-resident licenses for other states
Public adjuster The policyholder May have separate or extra requirements

The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that in some states, adjusters employed by insurance companies don’t need a license of their own, and that public adjusters may have separate or additional requirements. The public adjuster guide covers what they do and what they charge.

Step by step

  1. Check your state’s rules. Licensing varies by state: some have few requirements, others want a prelicensing course, a passing exam score, or both (BLS). The state’s department of insurance publishes them.
  2. Take the course or the exam. Depending on the state, that’s a prelicensing course, the licensing exam, or both (BLS). Texas accepts a state-approved course in place of the exam.
  3. Get fingerprinted for the background check, where the state asks for it.
  4. Apply to the state’s department of insurance and pay the fee.
  5. Add other states. Independent adjusters who travel for storms hold non-resident licenses. Texas, for one, wants an active license in your home state first.
  6. Keep it current. Some states require continuing education credits to renew (BLS).

Texas, for example

The Texas Department of Insurance’s all lines adjuster license:

Step What Texas asks
Exam Taken through Pearson VUE
No exam needed A TDI-approved adjusting course in the last 12 months, the CPCU or AIC designation, or a license in good standing in a reciprocal state (for non-residents)
Fingerprints A background check through IdentoGO, started on TDI’s application portal
Application Online through Sircon, within a year of passing the exam
Fee $50
Storms A 90-day emergency (catastrophe) license exists for all lines adjusters

A non-resident Texas license needs an active all lines adjuster license in your home state.

Pay and outlook

  • Pay: the median annual wage for claims adjusters, examiners and investigators was $78,000 in May 2025 (BLS).
  • Jobs: employment is projected to decline 6% from 2025 to 2035, but about 21,600 openings a year are still expected as people retire or change jobs (BLS).
  • Education: a high school diploma or equivalent is typical for entry-level adjusters; some employers prefer a bachelor’s degree or insurance work experience (BLS).

What the work is

Property adjusters spend much of the day out of the office, inspecting damaged buildings (BLS). On each claim that means measuring the rooms and the roof, taking the photos, and writing the estimate the claim is paid on. New adjusters start on small claims under an experienced one and take on larger ones as they learn.

That’s the part BluMatrix is built for: the rooms measured with the phone on the visit, the roof from the address, a photo report written as you talk, and the estimate written line by line at current prices for the ZIP code, sent as a PDF or as an ESX file that opens in Xactimate. The guide to ESX files covers the file.

Common questions

Do you need a degree to be a claims adjuster?

No. A high school diploma or equivalent is typical for entry-level adjusters, though some employers prefer a bachelor’s degree or insurance experience (BLS).

How much do insurance adjusters make?

The median annual wage for claims adjusters, examiners and investigators was $78,000 in May 2025 (BLS).

Is claims adjusting a dying field?

Employment is projected to fall 6% from 2025 to 2035, but about 21,600 openings a year are still projected, all from replacing people who leave (BLS).

Do staff adjusters need a license?

It depends on the state. In some states, adjusters employed by insurers work under the company’s license (BLS).

What is a catastrophe adjuster license?

A short-term license for the claims after a disaster. Texas offers a 90-day emergency (catastrophe) license for all lines adjusters.