Insurance Claims Adjusters NAICS 524291

May 8, 2025 - State Farm Under Fire in California

• State Farm is feeling the heat about its property insurance coverage policies in the wake of the Los Angeles wildfires of early 2025. Now that rebuilding and repairs are in full swing in LA County, State Farm policyholders are increasingly frustrated with claim denials, an inability to contact adjustors, claim delays, and insufficient payouts. Many disputes stem from claims about smoke damage in houses that survived the fires. Smoke damage is expensive to repair and clean but presents as less obvious damage to claims adjusters, a “longstanding fight” in California according to insurance policyholder advocacy group United Policyholders. There have been so many complaints that state lawmakers have asked Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to investigate. The scrutiny comes as State Farm is seeking an exemption from the state to raise its rates on homeowners by 17%, which Lara conditionally approved but is now before a judge to decide.
• The Trump administration’s threatened steep tariffs on Mexican, Canadian, and Chinese goods will see ripple effects and price increases downstream into the insurance market, according to industry experts. If lumber, steel, aluminum, and semiconductors from those three countries are subjected to double-digit tariffs, insurance underwriters will pass those costs on in the form of soaring premiums. Canada accounts for half of all US wood imports and 20% of metal imports. Added tariffs will cause home repair costs to soar given the more expensive materials needed, and insurers will raise premiums as a result. The same situation will play out in the auto industry - if the estimated cost of repairs and claims rises due to tariffs, so will customer premiums. Insurify, an insurance comparison shopping site, estimates an 8% rise in auto premiums in 2025 as a result of tariffs.

• Older workers are staying on the job longer, and this brings new considerations for insurance adjusters, according to Claims Journal. About 3.2% of workers were over age 65 in 2003, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. That figure increased to 5.2% in 2013 and 6.7% in 2023. The BLS projects that workers over 65 will make up 8.6% of the workforce by 2033. Workers are more likely to experience multiple chronic conditions simultaneously as they age. These comorbidities can lead to increased medical needs and a higher risk of workplace injuries or illnesses, affecting their ability to perform tasks efficiently and safely. The demographic may experience elevated workers’ compensation claims, as managing these health issues can exacerbate the impact of workplace accidents or injuries.
• Insurance claims adjustment industry employment and average wages for nonsupervisory employees increased slightly during the first nine months of 2024, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Insurance adjuster sales are forecast to increase at a 6.48% compounded annual rate from 2024 to 2028, faster than the growth of the overall economy, according to Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc.