What is a claims clerk and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
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Do you know a claims clerk earns $13.98 per hour and $29,079 per year? Well, now you do. A claims clerk works mostly in the healthcare industry and insurance companies. Claims clerks function primarily as a customer service representative. Therefore, if you want to increase your chances of getting employed as a claims clerk, you need to have previous experience in the area of customer service or any other related field. Claims clerks who work in insurance companies review the firm's documents to ensure that everything is accurate. This person is also responsible for calculating claims amounts and submitting them for payment.

In most organizations, having a high school certificate is enough for you to be employed as a claims clerk. Some can also demand a university (college) diploma. You are expected to have communication, calculations, and administrative skills. An understanding of aspects of your work and, at least, a 1-year experience in this line of work will increase your chances of finding employment.

ScoreClaims ClerkUS Average
Salary
2.6

Avg. Salary $32,815

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
6.2

Growth Rate -3%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.48%

Asian 3.89%

Black or African American 13.78%

Hispanic or Latino 14.38%

Unknown 4.28%

White 63.20%

Gender

female 82.52%

male 17.48%

Age - 44
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44
Stress Level
6.2

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
6.4

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
9.5

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Claims Clerk career paths

Key steps to become a claims clerk

  1. Explore claims clerk education requirements

    Most common claims clerk degrees

    Bachelor's

    31.2 %

    High School Diploma

    28.9 %

    Associate

    24.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific claims clerk skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Data Entry26.20%
    Customer Service9.40%
    Clerical Support6.52%
    Computer System5.13%
    Medical Claims4.42%
  3. Complete relevant claims clerk training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New claims clerks learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a claims clerk based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real claims clerk resumes.
  4. Research claims clerk duties and responsibilities

    • Manage adding and removing vendors through claims automate system to ensure they are in compliance with IRS regulations.
    • File commercial, worker's comp, Medicare, and Medicaid claims to insurance carriers and employers.
    • Open and sort mail by claim types (HCPA UB 92 and T18).
    • Process medical HMO claims, POS claims, PPO claims and fee for service claims.
  5. Prepare your claims clerk resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your claims clerk resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a claims clerk resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Claims Clerk Resume templates

    Build a professional Claims Clerk resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Claims Clerk resume.
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    Claims Clerk Resume
    Claims Clerk Resume
  6. Apply for claims clerk jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a claims clerk job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Claims Clerk Job

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Average claims clerk salary

The average Claims Clerk salary in the United States is $32,815 per year or $16 per hour. Claims clerk salaries range between $27,000 and $39,000 per year.

Average Claims Clerk Salary
$32,815 Yearly
$15.78 hourly

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How do claims clerks rate their job?

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Claims Clerk reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2024
Cons

Pay is too low especially in my country. And as we are a small firm, so career progression is super narrow. And regardless of how long i work there, pay will still be low.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019
Pros

I am able to help clients with their claims. I can sympathize with families who have lost their loved one.

Cons

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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