How do I get started as an Adjuster, with no experience?
One of the most common questions I hear is simple:
“How do I become an insurance adjuster if I have no experience?”
The honest answer is this:
You can start with no claims experience.
However, you cannot start with no plan.
Insurance adjusting is a real career. It can give you freedom, flexibility, travel, strong income potential, and long-term opportunity. But it also takes training, discipline, customer service, and a willingness to learn.
I know because that is exactly how I got into this industry.
I had recently retired from the military. At the time, I did not know exactly what I wanted to do with my civilian life. Then a friend invited me to meet him while he was working a storm.
That one trip changed everything.
He took me on a claim. I watched him meet with an insured whose home had been damaged. I saw how he used the policy to find coverage, document the damage, and help that person recover from a loss.
That part inspired me.
Then I saw the opportunity.
The work was meaningful. The pace was different. The income potential was real. Most of all, I could see a career where effort, organization, and skill mattered.
That first storm showed me that insurance adjusting was not just a job.
It was a path.
After 20 years in this business, I have handled auto, property, wind and hail, hurricane, fire, water, liability, commercial, daily, and CAT claims across the United States. I have worked as an independent adjuster, earned my All Lines license, and became Xactimate Level 3 certified.
So when someone asks whether they can get started with no experience, my answer is still the same.
Yes, you can.
But you need to start the right way.
You Do Not Have to Know Everything on Day One
This is one of the biggest misconceptions in the industry.
New adjusters often think they must know everything before they start.
They think they need construction experience.
They think they need insurance experience.
They think they need roofing experience.
They think they need to understand every policy, every estimate, and every claim scenario.
That is not true.
You do need to take the career seriously. You do need to study. You do need to ask questions. You also need to stay humble.
But you do not need to know everything on day one.
Adjusting is a never-ending learning experience. Even after years in the field, you will still see new claim situations. You will still learn new carrier guidelines. You will still sharpen your estimate writing. You will still improve your customer service.
That is part of the job.
The best adjusters keep learning.
Step One: Get Licensed
The first real step is licensing.
For many new adjusters, the Texas All Lines Adjuster License is a popular starting point. The Texas Department of Insurance lists the main steps for the Texas All Lines Adjuster License as taking an exam, beginning the fingerprint process, and applying for the license. TDI also says you may not need a separate exam if you completed a TDI-approved pre-licensing course or training program within the last 12 months. (Texas Department of Insurance)
That is why pre-licensing matters.
The license does not make you an expert. However, it does give you the foundation to start.
At the Adjuster Academy of Texas, we offer an All Lines Online Adjuster Pre-Licensing Course. Our site lists the online course as TDI #145557, and the course is designed for students who need flexibility while working toward their Texas All Lines Adjuster License. (The Adjuster Academy of Texas)
I created the Adjuster Academy of Texas, so I will be direct about why we built the course the way we did.
A lot of new adjusters are changing careers. They may have full-time jobs. They may have families. They may have military backgrounds, construction backgrounds, customer service backgrounds, or no insurance background at all.
They need a course they can work through at their own pace.
That matters.
When you are new, you should not feel rushed through the basics. You need time to understand the material, absorb the language, and prepare for the next step.
After you complete the pre-licensing course, the next move is simple.
Get fingerprinted.
Then apply for your license with the State of Texas.
TDI says most people who apply for a license must complete a fingerprint background check through IdentoGO
Step Two: Get Real Training After the License
Getting licensed is step one.
However, the license is not the finish line.
After licensing, new adjusters need practical training. This is where many people get stuck.
They pass a licensing course. Then they wonder why they still do not feel ready to inspect a roof, write an estimate, talk through damage with an insured, or close a claim file.
That is normal.
Licensing teaches you the rules and foundation. Field training teaches you how to do the job.
For property adjusters, I strongly recommend advanced training in areas like:
- Xactimate
- Wind and hail claims
- Damage identification
- Roof inspections
- Estimate writing
- Claim documentation
- Customer communication
- File organization
This is also why we offer an Adjuster Training for Wind and Hail course.
A person with no construction, roofing, or insurance background can still become an adjuster. I believe that completely. But they need someone to teach them the ABCs and 123s of the job.
They need to know what they are looking at.
They need to know how to document it.
They need to know how to explain it.
They need to know how to write it.
That is where training turns a license into a career path.
Step Three: Let the Industry Know You Exist
Here is another straight answer.
No adjusting firm will magically know you got licensed.
You have to tell people.
I call this the “shotgun blast” stage. Once you have your license and some practical training, you need to get your information out to the industry.
That means you should contact independent adjusting firms.
You should send your resume.
You should join rosters.
You should follow up.
You should make calls.
You should stay visible.
The number one mistake I see new adjusters make is staying quiet.
They get licensed. Then they wait.
Do not do that.
You have to be vocal. You have to let companies know who you are. You have to tell them you are trained, licensed, ready to learn, and ready to work.
In the beginning, you are not just looking for a job.
You are building awareness.
You want firms to see your name. You want them to see your effort. You want them to know you are serious.
Customer Service Is Still the Foundation
A lot of people focus only on the money.
I understand that. This career can create real opportunity. It can also help you save more, spend less, and build long-term financial stability when you manage the income wisely.
But the best adjusters do not start with money.
They start with service.
Our number one mission is customer service.
You meet people after something bad has happened. Their roof may be damaged. Their home may have water damage. Their business may have suffered a loss. They may feel confused, frustrated, or overwhelmed.
Your job is not just to inspect damage.
Your job is to listen.
Your job is to document.
Your job is to explain.
Your job is to stay professional.
Your job is to help move the claim forward.
You do not need to be perfect on day one.
However, you do need to care about people.
If you bring strong customer service, attention to detail, and good time management, the technical side can be taught.
What Type of Person Does Well as an Adjuster?
In my experience, the best new adjusters usually have a few things in common.
They are detail-oriented.
They understand that small details matter. A missed photo, a poor note, or an incomplete estimate can create problems later.
They are customer-service focused.
They know how to speak with people. They can stay calm. They can explain the process without making the situation worse.
They manage time well.
Claims work moves fast, especially during storm season. You need to plan your day, answer messages, inspect properties, write estimates, and keep files moving.
They keep learning.
The adjusters who last do not act like they know everything. They ask questions. Then they listen to the answers.
They also use the resources around them.
That includes managers, team leads, trainers, carrier guidelines, estimating resources, and experienced adjusters.
A Real Example: From Zero Experience to Senior Trainer
One of my favorite examples started with a student who was retiring from the Navy.
He had zero adjusting experience.
He came to my office to talk about training. Then he asked me a blunt question.
“Is this all a scam?”
I respected the question.
So I sat down with him. We talked for over an hour. I explained licensing. I explained wind and hail training. I explained Xactimate. I also explained how I got into the industry after the military.
Most importantly, I told him our number one mission was customer service.
If he had that foundation, we could teach the rest.
He signed up for the full course curriculum.
Then we helped him build a resume. We connected his military background to the skills that matter in adjusting. That included attention to detail, discipline, organization, time management, and service.
After that, he sent his resume to every independent adjusting firm he could find. We also gave him a list of firms to start contacting.
A few weeks later, a major firm picked him up for a storm.
He did exactly what a new adjuster should do.
He used what he learned in training. He asked questions. He leaned on management, team leads, and trainers. Then he paid attention to the answers.
That first deployment led to three more deployments.
Why?
Because management saw his desire to learn. They saw his work ethic. They saw that he wanted to become better with every claim.
Later, our sister company, J&D Claim Services, hired him to cover a region of Texas. J&D Claim Services. (J&D Claims)
That former student eventually became a manager and senior trainer.
He went from asking whether the industry was a scam to teaching new adjusters how to do the job.
That is what can happen when the right person gets the right training and then does the work.
So, Can You Become an Adjuster With No Experience?
Yes.
You can start with no insurance background.
You can start without construction experience.
You can start while changing careers.
You can start after the military.
You can start after years in another industry.
But you need to take the first step.
Get licensed.
Get trained.
Learn Xactimate.
Study wind and hail.
Build your resume.
Contact firms.
Ask questions.
Keep improving.
The opportunity is real, but it does not chase you.
You have to pursue it.
Final Thoughts
Insurance adjusting changed my life.
It gave me a career after the military. It gave me flexibility. It gave me control over my schedule. It gave me a way to increase my income based on effort, skill, and availability.
Even more than that, it gave me a way to help people during some of the hardest moments they face.
That is why I still believe in this industry.
So, if you are asking, “How do I get started as an insurance adjuster with no experience?” my answer is simple.
Start with the license.
Then get the training.
Then let the industry know you are ready.
You do not have to know everything today.
You just have to start the right way.
Disclosure: I am the owner of the Adjuster Academy of Texas. I mention our course because I believe it is a strong starting point for new adjusters, especially those entering the industry with no prior claims experience.