Becoming a claims adjuster can be a fun and exciting career, because most of your time will be out on the field talking to clients and doing investigations. A claims adjuster will typically work on behalf of an insurance agency to determine the extent of certain damages – either in the event of a car accident, fire or any other kind of disaster – and will work with the policyholder to devise a settlement plan. After a car accident or disaster, a claims adjuster won’t only review paper work, but will also visit clients to take pictures and take notes. Industry insiders say that positions for claims adjusters will see a steady rise in the next 5 years. Here are some of the qualifications for becoming an insurance claims adjuster.

First, you need to decide what kind of claims adjuster you want to be and what industry you want to practice in. For instance, do you want to work for a life insurance brokerage firm or do you want to work for a natural disaster insurance agency? Both have their benefits and fair share of excitement. In addition, you want to decide whether or not to go freelance or if you want to work for an agency on a fixed annual salary. Again, both have their benefits, but becoming a freelancer will afford you much more flexibility and a possibly higher salary.

After you’ve determined what field or industry you want to go in to, it is important to consider that most positions for claims adjusters require you to have your degree from a four year university. It is recommended to have studied business, statistics, advanced mathematics and any other related field of study that could make you a valuable team player in the insurance industry. You might also want to take a beginner’s photography course too, because you will be taking lots of photographs.

Next, you want to make sure that your computer tech skills up to par, because you will be organizing claims, making adjustments, keeping track of clients and responding to a lot of emails. There are many apps and computer programs that can make the job of an insurance claims adjuster a lot easier. In fact, a lot of companies are looking for candidates that have advanced knowledge of all the newest computer programs, because it can make a claims adjuster much quicker and more efficient, which could mean faster turnaround times and more revenue.

Lastly, one of the biggest qualifications needed to become an insurance claims adjuster is experience. After you get your certification and your license, you might want to tag along with a claims adjuster that has been in the industry for a long time. This can be a great way to get both the experience you need, but also to get a few tips and tricks that will allow you to thrive in the industry. However, with enough savoir-faire and a bit of resourcefulness, you could have a hugely successful career as an insurance claims adjuster with a not only high salary, but also longevity in your specific field.