Education · 1 of 5
The path
Short. You can be licensed and working within a few months of leaving school.
- 1
High school diploma
Grade 12
That is the legal minimum in most states. Many carriers prefer a two-year or four-year degree for desk and management roles.
- 2
Check your state's rule
An afternoon
34 states license adjusters who work for insurers. The rest license only public adjusters, or none at all. Where a license exists, you need it before anyone can pay you to adjust a claim, so start here.
- 3
Prelicensing course and exam
2 to 8 weeks
An online course of 40 hours or so, then a proctored multiple-choice exam on policy language, claims handling and state law. Some states waive the exam if you hold a recognized designation.
- 4
Get hired and trained
1 to 3 months
Large carriers run their own claims academies. Expect several weeks of classroom work on coverage, estimating software and negotiation before you handle a claim alone.
- 5
Add lines and states
Ongoing
Auto, then property, then commercial or liability. Add non-resident licenses in other states through the National Insurance Producer Registry as you go.