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Property and Casualty Insurance
State Farm, Allstate, Progressive
Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks
These clerks keep insurance claims moving by checking policy language, filling out forms, chasing missing details, and routing files toward payment or further review. The work is detail-heavy and repetitive: one missed document or wrong code can slow down a claim, and the main tradeoff is that most of the job is careful paperwork rather than creative problem-solving.
Also known as Claims ProcessorClaims ClerkPolicy Processing ClerkInsurance Processing ClerkClaims Support Specialist
Median Salary
$48,450
Mean $51,980
U.S. Workforce
~229K
20.3K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-3.7%
256.7K to 247.2K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks sits in the Finance category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~229K workers, with a median annual pay of $48,450 and roughly 20.3K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 256.7 K in 2024 to 247.2K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or equivalent, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Entry-level office clerk and can progress toward Claims processing supervisor. High-value skills usually include Claims Management Systems (Guidewire, Duck Creek), Insurance Policy Review & Coverage Rules, and Document Management, Scanning & Data Entry, paired with soft skills such as Reading Comprehension, Time Management, and Speaking.
Core Responsibilities
- Call customers, providers, or repair shops to get missing information for a claim.
- Fill out claim paperwork and check each form for missing or incorrect details.
- Read the insurance policy to see what is covered before a claim moves forward.
- Enter claim notes and supporting documents into computer systems and file records.
Keep exploring: more Finance careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Call customers, providers, or repair shops to get missing information for a claim.
02 Fill out claim paperwork and check each form for missing or incorrect details.
03 Read the insurance policy to see what is covered before a claim moves forward.
04 Enter claim notes and supporting documents into computer systems and file records.
05 Send claims for payment or pass them along for more review when something does not match.
06 Figure out the amount to be paid based on the policy and the information in the file.
Industries That Hire
🏥
Health Insurance
UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Elevance Health
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Insurance Brokerage and Risk Management
Aon, Marsh McLennan, Arthur J. Gallagher
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Auto Insurance and Claims Services
GEICO, Liberty Mutual, Farmers Insurance
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Third-Party Claims Administration
Sedgwick, Crawford & Company, CorVel
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can get started with a high school diploma and moderate on-the-job training, so the entry barrier is relatively low.
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Pay is decent for an office role, with mean annual pay at $51,980 and a median of $48,450.
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There are still about 229,070 jobs in the field and roughly 20.3K annual openings, so employers hire regularly.
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The work is mostly computer-based and office-based, which usually means steady routines and little physical strain.
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The skills transfer well to other insurance and office jobs, especially document handling, coverage review, and customer communication.
Challenges
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The occupation is projected to shrink by 3.7% from 2024 to 2034, so it is not a growth field.
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A lot of the day is repetitive checking, entering, and routing paperwork, which can get monotonous fast.
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Routine claims processing is vulnerable to automation and self-service tools, which can reduce long-term demand for clerical workers.
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There is a limited ceiling in a clerk role, and moving up often means switching into supervision, adjusting, or underwriting.
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The job can be frustrating because customers often contact you when they are upset about delays, missing documents, or denied coverage.
Career Progression
Entry-level office clerk
0-2 years
$31K-$38K
New workers usually handle basic filing, data entry, and document prep while learning insurance forms and systems.
Insurance claims and policy processing clerk
2-5 years
$42K-$55K
At this stage, workers independently review claim files, check coverage, contact customers for missing details, and move cases toward payment.
Senior claims processor THIS ROLE
5-8 years
$56K-$70K
Experienced clerks handle more complicated files, catch errors in policy language, and help train newer staff.
Claims processing supervisor
8-12 years
$71K-$90K
Supervisors oversee the workflow, review problem cases, track productivity, and make sure files meet company rules and deadlines.
Education Paths
High school diploma or equivalent
This is the main entry point, held by 54.85% of workers in the occupation, and most employers train new hires on the job.
Associate's degree in business, office administration, or insurance
A 2-year degree is also common, held by 21.13% of workers, and can help you stand out for clerical insurance roles.
Post-secondary certificate in office or insurance administration
A certificate is a smaller but useful route, and 7.64% of workers report this level of education.
Insurance claims certification and employer training
An industry certificate can help if you already have office or customer-service experience and want a faster path into claims work.
Key Skills
Technical
Claims Management Systems (Guidewire, Duck Creek) 86%
Insurance Policy Review & Coverage Rules 82%
Document Management, Scanning & Data Entry 79%
Claims File Documentation & Case Notes 77%
Claims Payment Routing & Workflow Tracking 75%
Compliance Checks & Audit Trail Systems 72%
Soft Skills
Reading ComprehensionTime ManagementSpeakingActive ListeningCritical ThinkingService Orientation Job Outlook and Trends
+-3.7%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
20.3K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 256.7K to 247.2 K over the next decade, representing -3.7% growth. Around 20.3 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Moderate. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.