# Insurance adjuster

> An insurance adjuster investigates a car accident claim, decides what the policy covers and negotiates payment, on behalf of the insurance company.

Canonical page: https://accidentclaimfacts.com/glossary/adjuster/  
Last reviewed: October 29, 2026 by the Accident Claim Facts editorial team  
General information, not legal advice. Talk to a licensed attorney in your state.

## Quick answer

An insurance adjuster is the person an insurance company assigns to a claim. The adjuster investigates what happened, decides what the policy covers and negotiates how much to pay. Whether the claim is with your own insurer or the other driver's, the adjuster works for the insurance company paying the claim.

## In a car accident claim

After a crash is reported, the insurer assigns an adjuster, who usually makes the first contact. Under a model rule from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, which states adopt in their own versions, an insurer should acknowledge a claim within 15 days. The adjuster may inspect the car, read the crash report, interview witnesses, ask for medical records and request a recorded statement, then make an offer.

What you owe the adjuster depends on whose insurer it is. Your own policy usually requires you to cooperate, while the other driver's insurer has a contract with its customer, not with you. The Texas Department of Insurance also notes that you can ask the company to assign a different adjuster if problems can't be resolved. Our guide to [dealing with the insurance adjuster](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/claim-process/insurance-adjuster/) covers each stage, and [settlement negotiation](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/claim-process/settlement-negotiation/) explains how offers move.

## Example

> **Example:** After a rear-end crash, the other driver's insurer assigns an adjuster who calls the injured driver the next week. The driver writes down the adjuster's name, phone number and claim number, asks when to expect an offer, and sends photos and the police report number by email so there is a written record.

## Related terms

- [First-party claim](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/glossary/first-party-claim/)
- [Third-party claim](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/glossary/third-party-claim/)
- [Bad faith](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/glossary/bad-faith/)
- [Demand letter](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/glossary/demand-letter/)

## FAQ

### Does the insurance adjuster work for me?

No. The adjuster works for the insurance company. If it is your own insurer, the company still owes you the duties written into your policy, but its adjuster is not your advocate.

### Can I ask for a different adjuster?

Yes. The Texas Department of Insurance tells consumers they can ask the company to assign a different adjuster. If that does not solve the problem, you can complain to your state's insurance department.

## Sources

- [Texas Department of Insurance, Working with an insurance adjuster](https://tdi.texas.gov/tips/working-with-adjuster.html) — who the adjuster works for and asking for a different one
- [NAIC, Unfair Property/Casualty Claims Settlement Practices Model Regulation](https://content.naic.org:443/sites/default/files/model-law-902.pdf) — model time to acknowledge a claim