What claims adjusters earn in Canada

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to clarify the different ways in which adjusters in Canada earn compensation. 

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), or public adjusters. Independent adjusters in Canada tend to be hired by insurer or affiliated customers on an hourly basis, and are paid based on the time incurred to investigate, negotiate and settle claims. Independent adjusters are not compensated in relation to the value of the claim, although the size and complexity of each claim will have some bearing on the amount of time the independent adjuster must invest.

In contrast, public adjusters are hired and paid by policyholders based on a contract agreement stipulating a percentage of the value of the claim as remuneration to them, sources tell CU. 

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.  

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