Glossary

Adjuster

The person who investigates a reported loss, decides what the policy covers and how much it will pay, and negotiates the settlement.

Also called: claims adjuster, insurance adjuster, claim adjuster, loss adjuster

An adjuster handles the claim from first notice to payment. The job has three parts: confirming that the policy was in force and the cause of loss is covered, measuring the damage, and calculating a payment after the deductible, limits and depreciation. Most adjusters inspect the property, take photographs, review your documents and write the estimate in software such as xactimate.

Adjusters come in four common types. A staff adjuster is an insurer's employee. An independent adjuster is a contractor the insurer hires, especially after storms. A desk adjuster works the file by phone, email and photos. A public adjuster is different: the policyholder hires and pays that person, who represents the policyholder against the insurer. Most states require adjusters to hold a license, with some exceptions for an insurer's own employees.

The adjuster who comes to your house usually works for the insurer, or for a firm the insurer pays, though adjusters are bound by claim-handling laws and a duty of good faith. Use the visit to show every damaged item, get the estimate in writing, and ask what is not included. You are not required to accept the first number. If you disagree, send your contractor's bid or request a reinspection.

The guide to working with an adjuster and the comparison of adjuster types go further.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026

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Related terms

Staff adjuster A claims adjuster who is a direct employee of an insurance company and handles that insurer's claims under its own guidelines and settlement authority. Independent adjuster A claims adjuster who works for an adjusting firm or on contract, hired and paid by insurers to handle claims, especially surges after storms and wildfires. Public adjuster A licensed claims professional hired by the policyholder, not the insurer, who documents and negotiates the claim for a fee, usually a share of the payout. Desk adjuster A claims adjuster who handles a claim from an office or home by phone, email, photos and estimating software, usually without visiting the property in person. Scope of loss The written list of damaged areas and repairs an adjuster decides are needed and covered, which becomes the basis for the estimate and the payment. Xactimate Estimating software from Verisk that adjusters and contractors use to price repairs line by line from regional unit-cost price lists.

Related guides

Making an additional living expenses claim How to claim living costs while your home is unlivable: the baseline, the receipts, advances, what adjusters question, and how to ask for more time. AI, drones and automation in home claims How insurers use photo estimating, drones, aerial imagery and fast-track payments on home claims, where automation errs, and how to keep a person in the loop. Catastrophe adjusters and storm deployments Why out-of-state adjusters inspect storm-damaged homes, how insurers surge staff, how emergency licenses work in Texas and Florida, and how to prepare. How to check an agent's or adjuster's license How to confirm an agent, broker, adjuster or public adjuster is licensed in your state, what the lookup shows, and what to do if you cannot find a name. Claims staffing, outsourcing and layoffs Why insurers cut and outsource claims staff, what BLS data and recent reports show, how it can slow a claim, and what protects you when your adjuster changes. Disaster aid and insurance fraud schemes Fake FEMA inspectors, grant-fee callers, phony claim helpers and look-alike charities after a disaster, the rules that expose them, and where to report.

Related tools

Home insurance claim checklist Work through the steps of a homeowners claim in order, with extra steps for water, wind, fire or theft, and tick them off as you go.