Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks: Career Overview
Process new insurance policies, modifications to existing policies, and claims forms. Obtain information from policyholders to verify the accuracy and completeness of information on claims forms, applications and related documents, and company records. Update existing policies and company records to reflect changes requested by policyholders and insurance company representatives.
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What Tasks Do Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks Perform?
The core tasks performed by insurance claims and policy processing clerks cover:
- Prepare insurance claim forms or related documents, and review them for completeness.
- Calculate amount of claim.
- Post or attach information to claim file.
- Transmit claims for payment or further investigation.
- Contact insured or other involved persons to obtain missing information.
- Review insurance policy to determine coverage.
- Process and record new insurance policies and claims.
- Organize or work with detailed office or warehouse records, using computers to enter, access, search or retrieve data.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful insurance claims and policy processing clerks rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Agency Service Representative (Agency Service Rep)
- Auto Claims Rep (Automotive Claims Representative)
- Auto Liability Claims Rep (Automotive Liability Claims Representative)
- Billing and Insurance Coordinator
- Bodily Injury Claims Representative (Bodily Injury Claims Rep)
- Cancellation Clerk
- Claim Representative (Claims Rep)
- Claims Adjudicator
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 939,223 insurance claims and policy processing clerks working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +4.7% over the projection horizon.
Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $34,431 |
| Hourly median | $16.55 |
| 10th percentile | $20,000 |
| 25th percentile | $26,701 |
| 75th percentile | $42,161 |
| 90th percentile | $49,891 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $59,190 |
| New Jersey | $58,010 |
| New Hampshire | $57,830 |
| New York | $57,620 |
| District of Columbia | $57,510 |
| Connecticut | $56,950 |
| Massachusetts | $56,400 |
| Colorado | $55,030 |
| California | $54,120 |
| Minnesota | $53,570 |
| Maryland | $53,180 |
| Maine | $52,010 |
| Rhode Island | $50,740 |
| Delaware | $50,490 |
| Vermont | $49,960 |
| Montana | $49,920 |
| Wisconsin | $49,330 |
| Arizona | $49,270 |
| Oregon | $49,230 |
| Texas | $49,090 |
| Oklahoma | $48,890 |
| North Dakota | $48,720 |
| Hawaii | $48,410 |
| Ohio | $47,910 |
| Kentucky | $47,560 |
| Nebraska | $47,510 |
| Florida | $47,080 |
| Missouri | $46,990 |
| Illinois | $46,960 |
| Kansas | $46,940 |
| Idaho | $46,890 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,800 |
| Michigan | $46,750 |
| Iowa | $46,750 |
| Virginia | $46,710 |
| North Carolina | $46,570 |
| Indiana | $46,450 |
| Tennessee | $46,140 |
| Georgia | $46,060 |
| Nevada | $44,810 |
| South Dakota | $43,680 |
| Louisiana | $43,650 |
| South Carolina | $43,620 |
| Utah | $43,480 |
| Wyoming | $41,460 |
| Virgin Islands | $41,110 |
| Arkansas | $40,810 |
| Mississippi | $39,590 |
| New Mexico | $38,910 |
| West Virginia | $38,890 |
| Alabama | $37,850 |
| Alaska | $36,120 |
| Puerto Rico | $29,940 |
| Guam | $24,220 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for insurance claims and policy processing clerks vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $55,555 | 4.8% | 1.06 |
| Middle Atlantic | $53,773 | 9.2% | 0.65 |
| Far Western US | $53,587 | 14.9% | 0.92 |
| Southwest | $48,912 | 17.0% | 1.40 |
| Plains States | $48,472 | 7.1% | 1.17 |
| Rocky Mountains | $48,286 | 2.2% | 0.60 |
| Great Lakes | $47,443 | 16.1% | 1.17 |
| Southeast | $45,477 | 27.8% | 1.20 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | NH | $63,710 | 330 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $61,360 | |
| Barnstable Town, MA | MA | $61,350 | 130 |
| Bozeman, MT | MT | $61,180 | 50 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $60,550 | 2,740 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | CT | $60,530 | 1,200 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $60,440 | 250 |
| Rochester, MN | MN | $60,410 | 70 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of insurance claims and policy processing clerks are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Insurance | 179,320 | $48,980 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 13,520 | $44,840 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 9,390 | $47,790 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7,260 | $46,960 |
| Retail Trade | 1,910 | $46,090 |
| Information | 820 | $35,740 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 500 | $49,270 |
| Wholesale Trade | 490 | $48,470 |
Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks work in the following industries:
Software Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks Use
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for insurance claims and policy processing clerks tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Sitting
- Telephone Conversations
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
Getting Started in This Career
Most insurance claims and policy processing clerks positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators (Supplemental)
- Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists (Supplemental)
- Insurance Underwriters (Supplemental)
- Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents (Supplemental)
- Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers (Supplemental)
- Medical Records Specialists (Supplemental)
- Insurance Sales Agents (Supplemental)
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for insurance claims and policy processing clerks often complete programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 43-9041.00 (Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks).
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