A claims appraiser’s job is similar to that of a claims adjuster, though there are some subtle differences that set the two apart. A claims appraiser works for an insurance company, and is tasked with determining the value of an insurance claim. What sets this job apart from that of a claims adjuster’s, is that the claims adjuster must determine if the value claimed by the client is correct and justified, while a claims appraiser will, in most cases, determine the value from the ground up, weighing in all of the factors surrounding the incident.
Claims appraisers must be well-acquainted with the laws surrounding insurance policies, as well as be familiar with the local regulations related to the incident they’re looking into. A claims appraiser will usually benefit from a Bachelor’s degree in either finances or law, though it’s not strictly required. A strong character is also of benefit, as it’s not unusual for a client to dispute the evaluation of a claims appraiser – in which case they must be dealt with lightly, and the appraiser must be able to explain the reasoning behind his/her decisions calmly.
Claims appraisers are usually paid about as highly as claims adjusters, though the average salary for a claims appraiser tends to be slightly lower than that of a claims adjuster. Claims appraisers can earn between $36,000 and $58,000 a year, and their salary is directly affected by the number of successful appraisals they perform annually (with the success of an appraisal being determined by the difference between the expected cost of the claim and the final cost produced by the appraiser).