If you want to become a claims adjuster in Mississippi, it will be essential to obtain a Mississippi adjuster license. The process for doing this can be divided into three simple steps:

• Studying a pre-exam education to build your knowledge
• Successfully passing the Mississippi insurance adjuster exam in your preferred area
• Submitting your licensing application to the Mississippi Department of Insurance

This article delivers a detailed roadmap to facilitate your journey through these steps, with the goal of providing you with the most streamlined approach to attaining your Mississippi insurance adjuster license.

How to Become an Insurance Adjuster Mississippi

Getting your Mississippi 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-License Education

The first step in getting a Mississippi Insurance Adjuster License is taking pre-license education courses. These are state required courses pertaining to claims adjusting, basic insurance information, state laws and mandates, and professional ethics.

To fill the pre-license requirement, you must complete a certain amount of credit hours depending on the lines of authority (types of licenses) you wish to attain.

You must complete twenty (20) hours of pre-license education for any of the insurance adjuster lines offered in Mississippi.

You will receive a certificate upon completion of the courses. Keep these certificates, as you will need them when taking your exams.

Most applicants choose to take these courses online, as it fits their schedule better, but there may also be in-person courses available. You should choose which format in which to take your courses based on your preferred method of learning.

The goal isn’t just to get the courses out of the way, it’s to prepare you to pass your license exam on the first attempt.

Step 2: Mississippi Insurance Adjuster License Exam

Once you have completed all of your coursework, you will be able to take (and hopefully pass) the Mississippi 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 Mississippi, you have the choice between two distinct adjuster lines. These are:

• The Property and Casualty with Workers’ Compensation Adjuster license exam — This consists of sixty (60) questions, and you have two hours (2:00:00) to complete it
• The Workers’ Compensation Adjuster license exam — This consists of fifty (50) questions, and you have two hours (2:00:00) to complete it

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

Each attempt at the exam costs $52 and will be paid when you make your reservation.

A total score of 70% or more is required to pass this test. To explain the scoring of these exams, we will quote the Pearson VUE Mississippi 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 Mississippi Insurance page or by calling Pearson VUE at (888) 293-4222.

Step 3: Mississippi Insurance Adjuster License Application

Once you have completed your pre-licensing requirement and passed your examination, you are now ready to apply for your license.

Note: The fee for an online application is $100.

Apply online with the NIPR – Mississippi Insurance Adjuster License Application or with the Sircon – Mississippi Insurance Adjuster License Application.

Step 4: Application Review

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

This process generally takes about five (5) business days. 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, get an appointment from a public adjusting firm, gain work experience, and eventually pass an additional exam.

Mississippi Department of Insurance Contact Information

Mailing Address:

Mississippi Insurance Department
P.O. Box 79
Jackson, Mississippi 39205–0079

Phone: (601) 359-3582

Fax: (601) 359-1951

Email: licensing@mid.ms.gov

Website: http://www.mid.ms.gov