Admin
Have you ever wanted to make high-level decisions and work at a job that never gets boring? Do you like to take responsibility for projects and see them through from start to finish? Do you enjoy research? If you answered yes to any of these questions, becoming an insurance adjuster could be for you! If you are looking to get your adjuster license online, this handy guide will tell you everything that you need to know about the process and what the job requires.
Getting Your Texas Adjuster License
Insurance rules and regulations vary by state, so it is important to be aware of the requirements for each state that you are trying to obtain a license in. Texas offers a complete, user-friendly online learning process to get you prepared and licensed, but you will still need to be aware of the requirements of the job and the items that you must complete in order to get licensed.
Navigate the article
What Does an Adjuster Do?
An insurance adjuster will study the evidence given by both parties of a claim in an auto accident and determine fault and the amount of pay-out that is required to satisfy the needs of everyone involved. An auto adjuster will also determine if the vehicles involved in the accident can be repaired or if they are a total loss. When working with home owner’s insurance or polices which cover theft or loss of valuable items, the adjuster will be looking at the statement of the policyholder to make sure that it meets the requirements of the policy to be able to provide a pay out on the claim. Adjusters are a lot like investigators and they often need to be able to be objective and keep emotions out of the picture to make quality, objective decisions.
Will my License Only Cover Texas?
One of the most exciting parts about an insurance license is that you can obtain your Texas All Lines Adjuster’s license and it will also give you the ability to work in over 30 states. All Lines Licenses cover all types of insurance policies, which is ideal if you are going to be shopping around for jobs or planning to work for yourself eventually. Getting your Texas adjuster license will open up a world of possibilities for you that were not available before you had the license. By obtaining your adjuster license online, you will be able to work on many types of insurance including:
- Fire
- Personal Injury
- Auto, Residential
- Commercial, Inland Marine
- Ocean Marine
- Worker’s Compensation insurance
Check out this great article about what an adjuster does every day.
What Skills do I Need?
You will need to have computer skills and learn to use the estimating software that your employer prefers for handling their claims. You will also need to learn insurance jargon and language so that you can be aware of any and all limitations to the policies that you are working with or any rules that might prevent pay out on a claim. You must also have a degree of people savvy because you will need to learn to tell who is telling the truth and who is perhaps not. You will also need to know general information about cars, homes or worker’s compensation depending on which line of business you end up being assigned to. Doing some basic research will help you to be more prepared when you start working on claims. Lastly, you will need to be comfortable with travel as many adjusters are away from home frequently for the demands of their job.
What Are the Requirements?
To be able to apply for your Texas adjuster license, you will need to meet certain criteria.
- You must be a resident of Texas and or be able to prove that the state that you live in does not provide licensing for insurance adjusters.
- You must be 18 or older.
- You must be a US Citizen or legal alien with work authorization from US Immigration and Naturalization Services.
- Complete the Adjuster Licensing Course or pass the Texas State exam (Pearson VUE exam).
- You will need to take and pass (with a 70% minimum) the Texas All-Lines Pre-Licensing Course.
- You will need to be fingerprinted.
- You will need to submit your online application to the Texas Department of Insurance.
- Be willing to complete 30 hours of continuing education once every two years.
- Pay associated fees to Texas DOI when you submit your completed certification exam and affidavit form.
What Do I Need to Know About the Test?
The test to get your Texas Adjuster License is formatted specifically to test knowledge and critical thinking skills. The questions are multiple choice and are weighted heavily toward terminology and numbers related to time periods and policy limits. Each test taker will have a different set of questions given to them when they sit for the test that are taken from a general pool of test questions. The person testing next to you will have a unique set of questions that does not match yours. The test is divided into 1/3 questions about terminology and definitions, 1/3 number/day/duration numbers questions and 1/3 are questions that ask you to read a story type problem and provide the right answer to solve the problem discussed in the story problem.
As mentioned before, you will need a 70% to pass the test but it is important to remember that the test is two parts: the “national” insurance section of the test is about general insurance rules in the US and the “state rules” section which pertains specifically to Texas insurance policies. These questions will be mixed together throughout the test. The test is weighted towards both parts as unique and you will need a combined score of 70% to pass.
- Texas General Lines Property and Casualty exam is 150 questions, 120 of which are about general content and 30 of which are about Texas specific items. There are 20 pretest questions on average for general content and 5 pretest questions for Texas specific content.
- Texas General Lines Life, Annuities and Health exam has 150 questions as well. 120 are national or general content questions and 30 are Texas specific. 20 of the questions for the general portion are pre-test questions and there are 5 pre-test questions for the Texas specific section.
- Texas Life Only exam has 100 questions, 60 about national content and 40 about Texas policies. There are 10 pretest questions about general content and 5 Texas specific pretest questions.
- Texas Personal Lines exam has 116 questions. 86 are about national content and 30 are about Texas policies. There are 11 pretest questions about nation content and 5 pretest questions about Texas content.
If you still have questions, this great article details the entire process in depth and thoroughly explains the types of questions you might expect to see on the test.
How do I Take the Test?
To test for your Texas Adjuster license, you can call Pearson VUE at 888-754-7667 to sign up for the test. You will need to call at least three days ahead of when you plan to take the test.
How Much are the Texas Insurance Licensing Fees?
It will cost you $50 per each license type or you can pay $150 for a temporary license. You will need to know in advance which types of insurance you want to be licensed for so you can test for them all at once. You are able to go back and test for additional insurance types later, but often it is best to be licensed for as many types of insurance as possible.
Remember as well that you will need to schedule a fingerprint appointment which will cost you about $40.
Can I Learn What I Need to Get my Adjuster License Online?
Texas insurance adjusters are able to gain the necessary knowledge and practical experience needed to sit for their insurance testing online! You can study any time you want and learn at your own pace by preparing to get your adjuster license online. You can practice using estimating software, adjusting claims that are both complicated and simple, and learn all the rules and limitations of each type of policy from the comfort of your own home. Check out our site for more information and to get started taking the necessary classes to prepare you for an exciting new career!
