To get an insurance adjuster license, you are required to pass an exam. Each state insurance adjuster exam is different with varying numbers of questions, time allotted, and pre-education requirements.
A questions we often hear is: how hard is the adjuster exam?
We’ve got the data to answer that question – and we’ve got the strategies and tips you need to pass the test – on the first try.
Simply stated, the most effective way to ensure you pass your adjuster exam is to take a test-prep course and put real effort into studying the material. As they say, competence breeds confidence.
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We recommend Kaplan for test-prep and pre-licensing courses. Over 80% of our readers choose their courses to help them prepare for and pass the adjuster exam.
Insurance Adjuster Exam Pass Rates
The best way to answer the question, how hard is the adjuster exam, is to see the success rate of other folks who have taken the test.
We’ve gathered the pass rates of first-time adjuster test takers from the states that publish the information. See the table below.
| State | Exam Type | Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | All-Lines Adjuster Exam | 61% |
| Florida | All-Lines Adjuster Exam | 25% |
| Indiana | Independent Adjuster Exam | 25% |
| Texas | All-Lines Adjuster Exam | 38% |
| South Carolina | Property, Casualty, Surety, and Marine Adjuster Exam | 46% |
| Washington | All-Lines Adjuster Exam | 73% |
| West Virginia | Property and Casualty Adjuster Exam | 44% |
As you can see, these numbers vary heavily from state to state. In working to understand this data, we come away with two insights:
- Some states’ exams are harder than others. Some have more questions. Some allow more time per question. Overall, an exam in one state can be vastly different from exams in another.
- States that offer DHS licenses (Florida, Texas, Indiana) have a lower pass rate than the others.This could mean that these states make their tests more difficult, but we think it is more a function of how these tests are offered. In both Florida and Texas, taking a Kaplan course allows you to test within their system. These test numbers are not reflected in the state’s pass rates.
The main takeaway from these insights is that every state is different.
What to Expect When Taking the Insurance Adjuster Exam
To ensure you are prepared to take and pass your insurance adjuster exam, you should know what to expect. When you take your exam you will be required to pay a fee and provide a government-issued photo ID with some states requiring additional documentation such as proof of background check or a Certificate of Completion.
Insurance adjuster exams can have between 50-150 questions with varying allotted test times per state. In order to pass the exam, you must score at least a 70%.
The areas you can expect to be covered during your insurance adjuster exam are:
- Insurance terminology
- Policy provisions
- Laws and regulations
- Adjuster responsibilities and role
- Information specific to the line you’re pursuing such as property
Every exam is different, depending largely on the state you’re in and the line you’re pursuing. One of the easiest ways to ensure you know what to expect on exam day is to review the exam content outline provided by your state.
Tips to Pass the Adjuster Exam
The best piece of advice for passing your insurance adjuster exam is to study – until you truly understand the material.
A strong understanding of the test material is the only way to pass your insurance adjuster exam. However, there are a few tips you can implement in order to increase the odds of a pass on the first exam attempt.
- Take a test-prep course: Completing a test-prep course is the best way to prepare for your insurance adjuster exam. These courses are built to help ensure you are armed with the information you need to pass your exam.
- Score well on practice tests: As mentioned above, every exam attempt will cost a fee. Typically, this is the same amount as the first exam attempt. To save money spent on costly exam attempts, you should be scoring at least a 90% on the practice tests for your state prior to taking your insurance adjuster exam.
- Pay attention to questions during practice: Don’t just study the test exam questions you got wrong. Be sure to identify and study questions you have difficulty answering or had to guess on. To pass this exam you will need a strong understanding of the material.
- Make sure you’ve met the prerequisites: Before scheduling your exam, make sure you’ve checked off all the prerequisites. If you do not meet all prerequisites you will not be able to sit for your exam. These requirements may include pre-licensing education or background checks.
Check out our How to Pass the Adjuster Exam guide for tips and strategies to pass your exam on the first attempt!
Insurance Adjuster Exam Prep Courses
The first and most important step to passing an insurance adjuster exam is preparation. Ideally, this will include pre-licensing education including insurance adjuster exam prep courses.
Check out our review of the Best Adjuster License Courses of 2026!
It is important to note that many states require pre-license education through an approved provider before you can take an insurance adjuster licensing exam. Regardless of whether your state has an education requirement, it is almost always a good idea to undergo some pre-licensing education before sitting for your exam to ensure you are prepared. Here are a few insurance adjuster exam providers and how they compare side-by-side:
Kaplan Financial Education
Kaplan Financial Education is a leader in licensing education from insurance to accounting. They offer several state-specific courses for insurance adjusters as well as continued education once your license expires.
Recommended
We recommend Kaplan for all pre-license and test-prep courses.
Visit SiteWebCE
WebCE provides insurance adjuster education. However, their courses are only available for states that require pre-licensing education. Therefore this may not be the ideal provider for potential adjusters looking for educational resources outside of these states.
The Adjuster School
The Adjuster School offers Texas All-Lines adjuster education. Their prices are steeper than some competitors, however, they do include valuable resources such as Xactimate training and a toolkit for finding your first adjuster job.
Adjuster Exam FAQ
How hard is the claims adjuster exam?
The first question most potential adjusters ask, is the claims adjuster exam hard? In short, yes. Regardless of the state you’re taking your insurance adjuster exam in, the test is intentionally difficult. However, there are a myriad of resources available such as pre-licensing education (required in several states) that can prepare you to pass the exam on your first try.
Do you need to be good at math to be a claims adjuster?
In order to be an insurance adjuster you should be able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide numbers with some ease. However, you do not need to be an expert mathematician in order to pursue a career as an insurance adjuster.
What questions are asked at a claims adjuster interview?
If you’ve passed your insurance adjuster exam and are seeking employment, there are a few types of questions you can anticipate during your interview with an Insurance Adjuster (IA) firm or other employer. These include questions about yourself and your lifestyle, why you’re pursuing this line of work, your preferred work schedule, and standard interview questions such as where you see yourself in five years.
What skills make a good claims adjuster?
To make a great claims adjuster you should have a strong understanding of the line you’re working in, be proficient in basic math skills, have strong soft and analytical skills, and be adaptable especially with your daily schedule as adjusters can often work beyond the standard 9-5 workweek.
