In order to become an independent claims adjuster, you will need a state-certified license to administer claims. The license you obtain is specific to working claims in the state of origin. If you do not obtain your license in advance of soliciting claims work, you will be rejected in your application(s) by many adjusting firms until a license is granted. There are exceptions to everything, of course; but this expectation is generally considered to be the norm.

You may obtain insurance licensing for many different lines of insurance. The licensing requirement we are generally referring to on this site is for the Property and Casualty line of business. This will allow claims adjusting work for property damages – both residential and commercial, auto liability, and bodily injury claims.

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The license you obtain from your resident state’s Department of Insurance is considered your “home” state adjusting license. Not every state has a licensing requirement. As of this writing, there are 15 states which do not require a license to administer claims; however, any adjusting firms wishing to temporarily assign claims work to you will likely require you hold at least one valid state license.

The most sought after adjusting license is offered by the state of Texas. The Texas All-Lines adjusting license is highly recommended because the license is the most widely accepted due to its reciprocity to other states when applying for licensure. Reciprocity in this context means you are able to obtain a different state’s license by paying a fee rather than take a pre-qualifying class or examination. With the Texas license in place, many adjusters can purchase additional state’s licenses online and can receive the application response within 24-48 hours.

Learn your state’s requirements for licensing by visiting the NIPR site or by visiting the Sircon site. After you check your requirements for licensure and you have successfully completed all pre-requisites, you may also begin your application process through either one of these sites.

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There are times when taking a state-administered exam is not required to obtain your adjusting license. During extreme catastrophe events, a state or locality could require immediate support assistance and therefore request the President declare the area to be in a “state of emergency.” If the state of emergency application is approved, the area becomes eligible for Federal aid. At that time, independent claims adjusters can also be dispatched by a sponsoring adjusting firm or carrier as an emergency independent adjuster.

Typically, you will not need to have a “home” state license in place in order to obtain an emergency adjusting license during this time. These licenses are granted for a period of up to 180 days upon the discretion of the state’s licensing board. In extreme times of emergency, the emergency license can be renewed to ensure the citizens of the affected area can be properly serviced. Some states have begun to implement additional requirements (such as a successful completion of a state-administered certification exam) before your employing adjusting firm can assign you claims work.

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Several companies offer the Texas All-Lines pre-licensing course and exam online. There are also companies which offer the training and the exam in a classroom setting. Neither option is “better” than the other. Your choice will upon course fees, timing and whether you wish to attend an in-person class.