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Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks: Career Profile
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.
What Do Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of insurance claims and policy processing clerks span:
- 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.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful insurance claims and policy processing clerks combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- 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 about 939,223 insurance claims and policy processing clerks working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +4.7% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks
| 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.
Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks Salary 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
Pay for insurance claims and policy processing clerks vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| 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 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| 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 |
Which Industries Hire Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks
Most 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 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- 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 is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Sitting
- Telephone Conversations
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
Education and Training
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.
Similar Occupations
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)
References
Data on this page comes 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).