What claims adjusters earn in Canada

Desk adjuster using calculator with bills on a desk

In-field adjusters are making slightly more than their desk adjuster and claims representatives counterparts, according to Impact Recruitment’s 2024 Insurance Salary Guide.  

The P&C recruitment agency’s report breaks down annual base pay for P&C claims adjusters and claims representatives, but doesn’t include insights on bonuses, commissions, or other types of compensation.  

The report doesn’t define the role of a “claims representative,” although a recruitment site says they are essentially similar to that of a claims adjuster. “Claims representatives work for insurance companies to settle claims through the evaluation of facts of a customer’s situation surrounding their claim,” according to Glassdoor.  

Also, the report doesn’t differentiate pay between in-house and independent (i.e. contracted) adjusters. Independent adjusters tend to earn a portion of the claims they settle, says Kaplan Financial Education, a Wisconsin-based licensing, continuing education and professional development services firm. 

With these definitions and caveats in mind, field and desk adjusters often work in sync with each other. However, desk adjusters tend to handle minor claims, while field adjusters handle larger claims, where they’re required on-site, hence the difference in salary. 

In Alberta, senior field adjusters (six or more years’ experience) earn in the range of $90,000 to $105,000, while intermediates (three to five years) earn $80,000 to $90,000, and juniors earn around $70,000 to $80,000, according to the report.  

Comparatively, senior desk adjusters in Alberta earn $75,000 to $85,000, intermediates earn $55,000 to $75,000 and juniors earn $45,000 to $55,000. 

In Quebec, senior-level field adjusters earn between $90,000 and $105,000, whereas as intermediate-level field adjusters make from $80,000 to $90,000, and juniors earn $70,000 to $80,000.  

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In contrast, Quebec desk adjusters earn 75,000 to $85,000 at the senior level, $55,000 to $75,000 as intermediates and $45,000 to $55,000 as juniors.  

As for claims representatives, Impact’s report breaks down their earnings in Vancouver and Victoria, B.C., and Toronto, Ontario.  

In Greater Vancouver and Victoria, senior claims reps can expect to earn $65,000 to $85,000 or more in yearly salary, while intermediates can expect $55,000 to $65,000 and juniors can expect $50,000 to $55,000.  

In Toronto, claims reps earn similar to their western counterparts, at 65,000 to $85,000 or more for seniors, $55,000 to $65,000 for intermediates and $50,000 to $55,000 for juniors.  

 

Feature image by iStock.com/AndreyPopov