While the process of obtaining a South Carolina adjuster license can initially seem daunting, it is only made up of three simple steps.

The first step is to complete your pre-exam course, which should enable you to take and pass the South Carolina PSI adjuster exam of your choice. After this, you can submit your licensing application to the South Carolina Department of Insurance.

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

How to Become an Insurance Adjuster in South Carolina

Getting your South Carolina 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 South Carolina, 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. South Carolina Insurance Adjuster License Exam

Once you have completed all of your coursework, you will be able to take (and hopefully pass) the South Carolina 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 South Carolina, five principal lines are available for you to take for your exam:

• The Property, Casualty, Surety, and Marine Insurance Adjuster license exam — This consists of one hundred (100) questions, and you have two hours (2:00:00) to complete it.
• The Crop Hail Insurance Adjuster license exam — This consists of fifty (50) questions, and you have one hour (1:00:00) to complete it.
• The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Adjuster license exam — This consists of 75 questions, and you have one and a half hours (1:30:00) to complete it.
• The Personal Lines Adjuster license exam — This consists of 100 questions, and you have two hours (2:00:00) to complete it.
• The Commercial Lines Adjuster license exam — This consists of 100 questions, and you have two hours (2:00:00) to complete it.

Each attempt of the exam costs $45 and will be paid when you make your reservation.

A total score of 70% or more is required to pass this test. The PSI South Carolina Department of Insurance Licensing Examination Candidate Information Bulletin provides additional information on the scoring of the exam:

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 PSI South Carolina Insurance or by calling PSI at (800) 733-9267.

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

Step 3. South Carolina Insurance Adjuster License Application

Once you have completed your exams and fingerprinting, you will be ready to apply for your independent adjuster license.

Note: The fee for an application is $80.

Apply online with the South Carolina Insurance Adjuster License Application.

You must also complete the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) report.

You may select to have the South Carolina Department of Insurance pull your SLED report when completing the online application.

Note: The fee to pull a SLED report is $26.

Step 4. Application Review

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

This process generally takes about three to five business days. Depending on the results of your background check, the Department of Insurance may request more information or documentation.

Visit South Carolina License Lookup to determine if your license has been issued.

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 all require the same type of license, while a public adjuster license is a little different in its specifications.

• Staff Adjusters – Works directly for one insurance company in order to investigate, evaluate, and potentially settle claims
• Independent Adjusters – 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) Adjusters – 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 Adjusters – 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 Insurance Adjusters – Independent insurance adjusters that customers choose to hire in order to settle insurance claims. Public adjusters are not hired by insurance companies

South Carolina Department of Insurance Contact Information

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 100105
Columbia, South Carolina 29202

Phone: (803) 737-6160

Fax: (803) 737-6231

Email: agntmail@doi.sc.gov

Website: http://www.doi.sc.gov/