What does an insurance adjuster do in Canada?

You’ve just had a car accident, or maybe your basement flooded after a storm. You call your insurer, and soon someone reaches out to meet you on-site, examine damage, review policies, and help you navigate the claims process. That person is the insurance adjuster.

This work is becoming increasingly more important. Insured losses from wildfires, floods, and hailstorms totalled $8.5 billion in 2024, almost three times higher than in 2023 and a staggering 12 times the annual average of $701 million recorded between 2001 and 2010. According to Reuters, this is putting strain on Canadian adjusters to fill a projected 10% to 20 % staffing gap by 2029.

The 2021 Census from Statistics Canada reported around 31,885 people working as insurance adjusters and claims examiners across Canada. Here’s a closer look at what their roles involve.

What is the role of an insurance claims adjuster?

In Canada, an insurance claims adjuster is the person who steps in after something goes wrong, like a car accident or house fire, to help sort things out. They manage property claims related to structural or vehicle damage, as well as liability claims involving personal injuries or damage to someone else’s property. Their job is to investigate the damage, figure out what your insurance policy covers, and make sure the payout is fair.

Adjusters can be found across all areas of the insurance industry. Depending on the type of claim, their day-to-day life can look pretty different. Here are some examples:

How insurance adjusters handle auto insurance claims

For auto insurance, they generally look at your vehicle (or photos of it), go over repair estimates, and talk to you, the other driver, any witnesses, and even the police, or review the police report to understand what happened with your insurance claim. If there were any injuries, they would review photos and medical records.

How insurance adjusters handle home insurance claims

With home insurance, they’ll assess property damage from insured perils such as fire or water damage, theft, or vandalism. They often visit your home to inspect the property damage and work with contractors or restoration crews.

How insurance adjusters handle commercial insurance claims

For commercial insurance, adjusters might review business losses, inspect damaged equipment, or dig into financial documents if there’s an interruption in operations.

No matter the type of claim, adjusters act as the go-between for you and your insurance company. They’re there to make sure everything’s documented properly and resolved fairly. Most insurance adjusters are licensed by their province, and they can work either:

• For insurance companies

• For independent adjusting firms

• As freelancers

In short, they help take the stress out of an already stressful situation.

Types of insurance adjusters in Canada

In Canada, there are three main types of insurance adjusters. Here's how they differ:

Staff adjusters

Staff adjusters work directly for insurance companies. They handle claims on behalf of their employer and are typically assigned when an insured person files a claim through their insurer. Insurers rely on them to carefully evaluate each claim and help reach a fair settlement that balances the interests of both the insurer and the policyholder.

Independent adjusters

Independent claims adjusters are hired by insurance companies but don’t work in-house. Instead, they work for independent adjusting firms that provide adjusting services.

Public adjusters

Public adjusters, while more common in the U.S., also exist in Canada. These adjusters work on behalf of the policyholder, not the insurer, to help negotiate a better settlement.

When you hire a public adjuster, you will typically pay for their services out of your settlement amount. For example, HardBacon (a Canadian financial tech company) notes that public adjusters in Ontario typically charge between 10% and 20% of the final settlement amount.

How Canadian licensing and qualifications differ by province for adjusters

In Canada, becoming a licensed insurance adjuster begins with having a high school diploma or equivalent. From there, the path diverges by province, but it will require some form of education from the Insurance Institute of Canada (IIC). Here are a few examples:

Ontario (FSRA)

The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) states that if you want to work as an independent or public insurance adjuster in Ontario, you must apply for a licence through FSRA. Adjusters must be sponsored by an adjusting firm at all times.

There are three phases of licensing. To complete phase two, you must complete the first four IIC courses. For phase three, you must complete the next four IIC courses and pass the Canadian Independent Adjusters’ Association (CIAA) exam.

Alberta (AIC)

According to the Alberta Insurance Council (AIC), applicants for an Alberta adjuster licence can apply either as employees or independent contractors affiliated with a licensed agency or firm. In both cases, they must be recommended by the firm’s licensed designated representative.

Licensing follows a tiered system (Levels 1 to 3). Level 1 requires passing a provincial exam (no courses required); higher levels require experience (24 to 60 months) and IIC coursework, plus professional designations.

British Columbia (Insurance Council of BC)

According to the Insurance Council of BC, you can either apply for an individual insurance adjuster licence or a corporate or partnership insurance adjuster licence. Individual adjuster licensing also follows a tiered system (Levels 1 to 3):

• Level 1 requires completing the IIC's General Insurance Essentials Program

• Level 2 adds one IIC course and 1–2 years of experience

• Level 3 requires more IIC courses and at least three years of Level 2 experience

Salary expectations for adjusters in Canada

According to Job Bank Canada, adjuster wages across Canada as of December 3, 2024, were as follows:

Assuming a 40-hour work week, this translates to approximately $47,000 to $106,000 annually.

How do adjusters impact insurance claims outcomes?

Insurance adjusters can make or break your experience after you file an insurance claim. The way they handle things, such as how quickly they respond, how clearly they explain your insurance coverage, and how fairly they settle your claim, has a huge impact on how you feel about your insurance company.

In fact, research shows that when adjusters get in touch quickly, claims can be resolved up to three days sooner. That kind of speed doesn’t just save time. It saves money for everyone involved. A good adjuster doesn’t just handle paperwork; they guide you through a stressful situation with clarity, fairness, and empathy.

Learn more with BrokerLink

To learn more about what insurance adjusters do and how they fit into the claims process, reach out to BrokerLink. Our licensed brokers have the experience to guide you through the often confusing steps of filing a claim. We’ll help you determine whether it makes sense to file, walk you through your coverage, and explain how a claim could affect your premiums down the road. You can reach us by phone, email, or in person at any one of our locations throughout Canada.