The State of Missouri does not offer a Missouri adjuster license for its residents.

This means that you will need to obtain a designated home state license — also known as a DHS license — from a different state in order to become licensed and enable yourself to operate outside of Missouri.

How to Get Your Insurance Adjuster License in Missouri

Missouri does not offer a resident adjuster license and does not require Missouri residents to hold a license in order to operate as adjusters within the state.

Having said that, getting a license from a different state — known as a DHS license — is often recommended nonetheless.

This is because operating without a license can handicap you significantly in the long run and will undoubtedly limit your employment opportunities.

Designated Home State Insurance Adjuster License

There are several states that offer what is called a Designated Home State license. Having said that, it is important to note that Florida, Texas, and Indiana are the most popular.

Essentially, this is a type of license that allows people that live in a non-licensing state — such as Missouri or Colorado — the opportunity to “designate” a different state (e.g., Florida, etc.) as their “home state”.

This allows them to apply for and obtain a Florida insurance adjuster license as if they were an in-state resident of Florida.

This is beneficial for several reasons, including:

• Employment – Many potential employers of insurance claims adjusters will look specifically for applicants who are already licensed. Even if they aren’t specifically looking for licensed individuals, they are likely to prefer these over non-licensed alternatives (due to the geographical flexibility advantage).
• Catastrophe (CAT) or Traveling Adjusters – If a non-licensed adjuster wishes to work on CAT claims, there is a good chance that they will need to travel across state lines. To operate in a state other than your home state, you will need to have a reciprocal license in that state. This means that applying for a reciprocity license can only be done if you hold an equivalent license in your own state (such as a DHS license).

The bottom line is this: if you wish to work in insurance claims, you should have a license to do so, and in Missouri, the only way to do that is to get a designated home state 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 (5) 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 do not require a license in Missouri, whereas public adjusters do. 

• Staff Adjuster – Works directly for one insurance company in order to investigate, evaluate, and potentially settle claims.
• Licensed 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 claims adjuster services 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 – Is an independent insurance adjuster that customers choose to hire in order to settle insurance claims. Public adjusters are not hired by insurance companies.

Missouri Public Adjuster License

In order to become a public adjuster in the state of Missouri, you will need to file Form 375-0111: Application for Public Adjuster with the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance and check the “New Application” option.

The application fee is $100, which needs to be paid after you have passed the Missouri public adjuster examination.

The examination is administered by Pearson VUE and has 50 scorable questions.

Note: A $10,000 corporate surety bond or a $1,000 bond is required in conjunction with your application.

Missouri Department of Insurance Contact Information

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 690
Jefferson City, Missouri 65102

Phone: (573) 751-3518

Fax: (573) 526-3416

Email: licensing@insurance.mo.gov

Website: https://insurance.mo.gov/