This article aims to serve as a roadmap for securing your Maine adjuster license. It will walk you through the process of finishing your pre-exam studies, succeeding in the Pearson VUE exam, and smoothly navigating the background checks.

Once all this is complete, all you’ll have left to do is submit your licensing paperwork to the Maine Insurance Division and wait — you’ll soon hear back to find out if you’ve got your Maine insurance adjuster license.

In this article, we offer everything you need to know in order to get started, helping you find the best way of getting your Maine insurance adjuster license.

How to Become an Insurance Adjuster in Maine

Getting your Maine adjuster license can be a simple and easy process, but this will ultimately depend on how you go about completing the required steps.

Step 1: Adjuster Pre-Exam Education

Preparing for your exam is not something to take lightly. This is because the average pass rate of insurance exams nationwide is around 55% for first-time test-takers and even less for any following attempts.

This means that it is generally recommended that you complete some form of education — such as purchasing a study guide or a state-approved online course — before sitting your exam(s).

These courses are composed of video, audio, and text, and include short knowledge quizzes and practice exams which will help you obtain the necessary understanding of the material that you will need to know.

Even though this is not a legal prerequisite in Maine, we believe that purchasing a pre-exam course can go a long way in ensuring that you pass your exam(s) on your first attempt.

Step 2: Maine Insurance Adjuster License Exam

Once you have completed all of your coursework, you will be able to take (and hopefully pass) the Maine insurance adjuster license exam.

This is a proctored test, which means that you will be in a controlled environment with a person watching over you. It is, therefore, a good idea to work on both your timing and nerves prior to sitting for your exam.

In Maine, you are able to choose between four distinct adjuster lines for your licensing exam, namely:

• The Multi-Peril Crop Adjuster license exam — This consists of fifty (50) questions and you have one hour (1:00:00) to complete it
• The Property and Casualty Insurance Adjusters license exam — This consists of fifty (50) questions and you have one hour (1:00:00) to complete it
• The Workers’ Compensation Adjuster license exam — This consists of fifty (50) questions and you have one hour (1:00:00) to complete it
• The All Line Adjuster license exam — This consists of one hundred fifty (150) questions, and you have one and a half hours (1:30:00) to complete it

An outline of included subjects for these exams can be found here: Pearson VUE Maine Examination Content Outlines.

Each attempt at the exam costs $77 and will be paid when you make your reservation.

A total score of 70% or more is required to pass this test. To know more about the scoring of these exams, we will quote the Pearson VUE Maine Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook:

StateRequirement recommends that you study for one exam at a time. This is because insurance adjuster exams are difficult enough on their own without the possibility of confusing information from one line to another. This will allow you to work incrementally towards completing your final exam.

You can register to take your exams — as well as find out more information — on the Pearson VUE Maine Insurance page or by calling Pearson VUE at (800) 274-4959.

Note: Before registering for your exam, we recommend completing some form of pre-exam education. Even though this is not a legal requirement in Maine, it can go a long way in ensuring that you pass your exam(s) on your first attempt.

Step 3: Maine Insurance Adjuster License Application

Once you have completed all your coursework and passed the exams, you are now ready to apply for your Maine insurance license.

Note: The fee for an online application is $45.

Apply online with the Maine Insurance Adjuster License Application.

You may also submit a mail application together with a check for $45 payable to “Treasurer State of Maine”.

For US Postal Service deliveries including overnight express, use the mailing address in the contact information section below.

For private deliveries such as FedEx and UPS:

Bureau of Insurance
76 Northern Ave
Gardiner, Maine 04345-2832

Step 4: Application Review

Once you have submitted your application and have completed all the other requirements, your Maine license application will be reviewed by the state.

This process generally takes about twenty-four to forty-eight (24-48) hours to get your license online while seven to ten (7-10) business days through mail applications.

Depending on the results of your background check, the Department of Insurance may request more information or documentation.

After the review is complete, you will receive an email from the state regarding the status of your license.

Congratulations!

You’ve done the work, put in the time and effort, and now hold the key to your own success! We’re proud of you. Take five minutes and celebrate.

What Kind of Insurance Adjuster Will You Be?

There are four main types of insurance adjusters: staff adjusters, independent adjusters, catastrophe adjusters, and public adjusters.

Each of these positions accomplishes essentially the same task: assess the damage to property brought about by some event and make an evaluation of what monetary value the insurance claim should carry.

The big difference between these different types of insurance adjusters is who pays them and, in the case of the public adjuster, who they are advocating for. Staff, independent, and catastrophe adjusters all require the same type of license, while a public adjuster license is a little different in its specifications.

• Staff Adjuster – Works directly for one insurance company in order to investigate, evaluate, and potentially settle claims
• Independent Adjuster – Works for a third-party company, often called an Independent Adjusting Firm, which has been contracted by insurance carriers to help settle their claims
• Catastrophe (CAT) Adjuster – Can be an independent or staff adjuster who travels to an area that has been largely affected by an event (usually severe weather) and performs adjustment services to insurance claims en masse
• Inside Adjuster – Inside adjusters, sometimes referred to as “desk” or “remote” adjusters, handle claims from an office. They are the policyholder’s main contact and the person who applies the policy terms and standards to the claim
• Public Adjuster – Independent insurance adjusters that customers choose to hire in order to settle insurance claims. Public adjusters are not hired by insurance companies

Note: To become a public adjuster, you must obtain a standard adjuster license in Delaware, get an appointment from a public adjusting firm, gain work experience, and eventually pass an additional exam.

Maine Department of Insurance Contact Information

Mailing Address:

Maine Bureau of Insurance
34 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333

Phone: (207) 624-8475

Fax: (207) 624-8599

Email: Insurance.PFR@maine.gov

Website: http://www.maine.gov/pfr/insurance/