Claims adjusters decide what an insurance policy covers and what it should pay. Software can now estimate car and property damage from photos, and AI sorts claims and flags ones that look unusual. That puts real pressure on the routine part of the job.
The short answer: AI is reducing the number of claims jobs, but not removing the role. The ILO's 2025 index puts valuers and loss assessors in gradient 2 at 0.45. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 6 percent decline for claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners and investigators from 2025 to 2035, with about 21,600 openings a year. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed claims adjusters are
The International Labour Organization scores occupations' tasks from 0 (cannot be automated with generative AI) to 1 (could be done without a human operator), and groups them into gradients from 1 to 4, with 4 the most exposed; below them sit minimal exposure and not exposed (ILO Working Paper 140, 2025).
| Occupation (ISCO-08) | ILO category | Mean task score (0 to 1) |
|---|---|---|
| Valuers and Loss Assessors | Gradient 2 | 0.45 |
| Insurance Representatives | Gradient 3 | 0.53 |
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners and investigators | Decline 6% | About 21,600 |
The BLS says software can evaluate photographs of damaged property and calculate an estimated claim amount, and that growing AI capabilities will make workers more productive. Openings still come from people retiring or changing careers.
What AI is taking on
- Damage estimates from photos of cars and property.
- Sorting and routing claims by type and complexity.
- Flagging claims that look like possible fraud.
- Summarizing documents, reports and correspondence.
What stays with the adjuster
- Coverage: deciding whether the policy covers the loss claimed.
- Settlement: deciding what the insurer should pay and explaining it to the claimant.
- Investigation: inspecting damage, interviewing people and getting more information on questionable claims.
- Fairness: automated estimates and fraud flags can be wrong and should not decide a claim alone, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
How the job is changing
Simple claims are increasingly handled with photos and software, and adjusters spend more time on complex, disputed and large losses. Investigation, negotiation and judgment matter more. This page describes the job market and is not legal or financial advice.
See also will AI replace insurance agents?, will AI replace underwriters?, human in the loop and accountability and jobs safe from AI
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for claims adjusters appraisers examiners and investigators at $78,020 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. The BLS says the education needed to enter varies; its profile explains the routes in. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace claims adjusters?
Not fully. The BLS projects a 6 percent decline from 2025 to 2035, partly because software can estimate claims from photos, but complex claims still need adjusters.
How exposed are claims adjusters to generative AI?
The ILO puts valuers and loss assessors in gradient 2, with a mean task score of 0.45.
How many claims adjuster openings are expected?
The BLS projects about 21,600 openings a year for claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners and investigators.
What claims work stays human?
Coverage decisions, settlement, investigating questionable claims and checking automated estimates and fraud flags.