What is the difference between independent and staff adjusters?
Staff adjusters work directly for insurance companies as year-round salaried employees and put in 35 to 50 hours per week. An average entry level salary for a staff adjuster ranges from $26,000 to about $34,000. Staff adjusters typically specialize in one or more of the following claims types: automobile, homeowners, commercial, ocean and inland marine, farm and ranch, and workman’s compensation. Independent adjusters operate as independent contractors, typically contracting with independent adjusting firms. Adjusting firms in turn contract with insurance companies who require claims support beyond the capabilities of their staff adjusters. As independent contractors, IAs work for periods sufficient to complete the job and are not salaried. Instead, IAs are paid on a per claim basis or occasionally on a per diem (day) basis. After a major catastrophic event such as an earthquake or hurricane, independent adjusters may be putting in 70 to 90 hour work weeks. This work is highly lucrativ
