Claims examiner turnover is more than a staffing challenge. In workers’ compensation, continuity can affect claim handling, communication, institutional knowledge, and the ability to move claims toward resolution.
The insurance industry continues to face a complicated workforce environment. Experienced claims professionals are in demand, thousands of claims positions are expected to require replacement workers each year, and insurers must balance growing technology capabilities with the need to retain experienced professionals.
For employers, public agencies, risk pools and other organizations evaluating a third-party administrator (TPA), the question should not simply be whether a TPA can staff an account.
The better question is: How well does the organization retain the experienced claims professionals responsible for managing it?
What is happening with claims examiner staffing in the insurance industry?
The claims workforce is undergoing significant change.
National employment outlook
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment for claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners and investigators to 6% from 2025–2035, while still projecting approximately 21,600 openings per year, on average, over the decade.
BLS reports that these openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, including through retirement.
This distinction is important. The 21,600 projected openings should not be interpreted as an annual employee turnover rate. Instead, the data demonstrate that even as the total number of positions in the occupation declines, employers will continue to need people to replace claims professionals who leave the occupation or workforce.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Claims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners, and Investigators, 2024–2034 Employment Projections.
Demand for experienced insurance talent
At the same time, insurers continue to compete for experienced professionals.
The Q1 2026 U.S. Insurance Labor Market Study conducted by The Jacobson Group and Aon found that 50% of insurance companies planned to increase staff, while 43% planned to maintain their current staff size. Only 7% expected to reduce headcount.
Technology represented the greatest overall talent need, while claims and underwriting were the most pressing hiring priorities among smaller carriers.
Experience remains particularly valuable. The study found that 73% of insurers were most likely to hire experienced talent. Claims was also one of the strongest areas for entry-level hiring, with 33% of respondents seeking entry-level talent in claims.
The study also found that retention remains an industry priority, even as voluntary turnover has declined.
Taken together, the findings illustrate an important shift for claims organizations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that technology is expected to automate some tasks currently performed by claims professionals, contributing to the projected decline in overall employment. At the same time, approximately 21,600 openings are still projected each year as professionals transfer occupations or leave the workforce, while insurers continue to seek experienced talent. The result is not simply a need for more claims professionals, but a growing need to retain experienced professionals and equip them with technology that allows them to work more effectively.
Claims workforce trends at a glance
| Workplace Indicator | Current Finding | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Projected claims occupation change, 2024–2035 | -6% | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Projected claims-related openings per year | 21,600 | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Reason for projected openings |
Workers transferring occupations |
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Insurers planning to increase staff | 50% | Jacobson Group/Aon, Q1 2026 |
| Insurers planning to maintain staff | 43% | Jacobson Group/Aon, Q1 2026 |
| Insurers most likely to seek experienced talent | 73% | Jacobson Group/Aon, Q1 2026 |
| Entry-level hiring demand in claims | 33% | Jacobson Group/Aon, Q1 2026 |
| Major talent needs | Technology overall; claims and underwriting particularly important among smaller carriers | Jacobson Group/Aon, Q1 2026 |
Why are experienced claims professionals difficult to replace?
Claims expertise develops over time.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies claims adjusters, examiners and investigators as an occupation requiring long-term on-the-job training. Entry-level claims professionals typically begin with smaller claims under the supervision of experienced workers and progress to larger and more complex claims as their knowledge develops.
Claims professionals must develop analytical, communication, interpersonal, and technical skills. Depending on their role and jurisdiction, they may also need to understand medical terminology, litigation, reserving, compensability, return-to-work considerations, negotiation, documentation requirements, and client-specific procedures.
That experience can be difficult to replace quickly.
Deloitte’s research into the claims workforce provides additional perspective. In discussions with chief claims officers at leading property and casualty insurers, Deloitte reported an average attrition rate of 20%, with each departing claims professional representing the loss of nearly six years of experience.
Deloitte also reported that onboarding a new adjuster at the companies it studied typically costs between $8,000 and $10,000 during the first year. Athens’ own internal analysis reached a similar conclusion on the immediate labor investment, estimating approximately $8,900 in internal labor costs and more than 120 hours of employee time associated with each hire.
But the financial impact can extend well beyond initial hiring and onboarding. A widely cited workforce estimate attributes the cost of a bad hire at approximately 30% of first-year earnings. Applied to an Athens Claims Examiner earning approximately $100,000 annually, that would represent an estimated $30,000. This broader estimate reflects the potential impact beyond initial hiring activities, while Athens’ $8,900 calculation focuses on measurable internal labor associated with the hiring and onboarding process.
Neither figure fully captures less tangible impacts, including lost institutional and client-specific knowledge, disruption to established relationships, licensing requirements, reduced productivity during the learning curve, or the time required for a new examiner to become familiar with an existing book of claims.
When an experienced examiner departs, an organization may lose more than headcount. It may also lose:
- Claims knowledge and technical judgment
- Familiarity with client expectations and procedures
- Established relationships with injured employees, employers, providers, attorneys, and other stakeholders
- Jurisdictional knowledge
- Historical understanding of complex or long-duration claims
- Practical experience developed over years of claim handling
How can examiner turnover affect workers’ compensation claims?
Examiner turnover can create operational disruption at multiple points in the claim lifecycle.
When a claim is reassigned, a new examiner may need time to understand its history, review prior decisions, become familiar with the employer’s procedures and establish relationships with the people involved.
For a single claim, that transition may be manageable. Across a large workers’ compensation program, repeated staffing changes can create a much larger continuity challenge.
| Potential Impact of Examiner Turnover | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Repeated claim reassignment | New examiners need time to understand claim history and prior strategy |
| Loss of institutional knowledge | Experience with the client’s program, employees and procedures may leave with the examiner |
| Communication disruption |
Employers and injured workers may have to establish new working relationships |
| Increased supervisory burden |
Managers must support transitions while maintaining claim oversight |
| Inconsistent claim handling | Frequent changes can make consistent execution of account-specific practices more difficult |
| Training requirements | Replacement employees require technical and account-specific training |
| Client disruption | Risk managers and administrators may repeatedly need to orient new claims contacts |
For organizations evaluating TPAs, workforce stability should therefore be considered alongside technology, pricing, service standards, and claims outcomes.
How does Athens Administrators approach claims examiner retention?
1. Manageable caseloads and examiner support
Claims professionals need sufficient time to manage claims rather than simply process transactions.
Athens structures its workers’ compensation teams around manageable caseloads and strong examiner support, with an average ratio of 1.7 Claims Examiners for every Claims Assistant. This support structure helps reduce administrative burden and gives examiners more time to focus on work that requires their experience and judgment, including investigation, communication, strategy, and claim resolution.
Source: Athens Administrators internal workforce data.
2. Experienced claims teams
Athens Claims Examiners average approximately 8.7 years of tenure with Athens.
That experience provides clients with more than technical claims knowledge. Long-term employees develop familiarity with Athens’ service expectations, client-specific requirements, internal resources, and approach to claims management.
For clients, workforce stability can help preserve continuity in the people who understand their program and manage their claims.
3. Training and career development
Retention is also about creating opportunities for employees to build careers and advance within the organization. Athens invests in ongoing technical training, professional development and leadership opportunities, including a structured Career Development Program that combines weekly classes led by subject matter experts, biweekly mentor sessions and hands-on, on-the-job training.
The program is designed to deepen employees’ expertise and prepare them for advancement. Athens initially targeted 25 promotions through the program and achieved 36, reaching 144% of its promotion goal.
By creating defined pathways for employees to develop new skills and move into higher-level roles, Athens can build talent from within while retaining institutional knowledge and developing the next generation of claims professionals.
Source: Athens Administrators internal Career Development Program data.
4. Technology that supports examiners rather than replaces them
Technology can support workforce stability when it reduces administrative burden and gives claims professionals more time to focus on higher-value work.
Athens continues to invest in technology designed to make information easier to access and reduce repetitive administrative tasks. Current and emerging capabilities include:
- Claim file summarization
- Incoming document summarization
- Automated provider status outreach
- Predictive modeling
- Digital communications tools
- Enhanced claims technology and information access
It is to allow experienced claims professionals to spend more of their time on decision-making, communication, strategy, and claim resolution.
That human-plus-technology approach reflects a broader shift occurring throughout the claims industry. Deloitte’s research emphasizes that while AI can improve efficiency and support decision-making, human capabilities such as judgment, communication, empathy and the ability to navigate complex situations remain essential to effective claims management.
5. A culture designed around long-term careers
Employee retention is also connected to the environment in which people work.
Athens emphasizes employee wellbeing, professional development, work-life balance, competitive benefits, and a caring family culture.
In 2026, Athens was recognized as a Best Place to Work in the Bay Area for the 19th year and was named the #1 Best Place to Work among large companies for the second time, reflecting a longstanding commitment to creating an environment where employees can build lasting careers.
For Athens, employee experience and client experience are closely connected. Stable teams are better positioned to develop relationships, understand client expectations, and provide consistent service over time. Athens also maintains formal succession and perpetuation planning programs designed to develop internal talent, prepare employees for advancement, and support continuity in key positions as organizational needs evolve.
Athens workforce stability at a glance
| Athens Workforce Metric | Athens Result |
|---|---|
| Company-wide employee turnover, 2025 | Less than 13% |
| Workers’ Compensation claims turnover, 2025 | Less than 10% |
| Average Athens Claims Examiner tenure | 8.7 years |
| Best Places to Work recognition | 19 years |
| Best Place to Working ranking | #1 Large Company |
| Claims staff philosophy | Manageable caseloads with strong examiner support |
| Technology philosophy | Use technology to support human expertise and reduce administrative work |
Source: Athens Administrators internal workforce data. Turnover figures reflect calendar year 2025.
What should employers ask a TPA about examiner turnover?
Organizations evaluating a workers’ compensation TPA should look beyond whether positions are currently filled.
Consider asking:
1. What is your annual claims examiner turnover rate?
2. What is the average tenure of your claims examiners?
3. What are your average examiner caseloads?
4. How frequently are accounts reassigned because of staffing changes?
5. How do you manage claim continuity when an examiner leaves?
6. How do you train replacement examiners?
7. What professional development opportunities exist for claims professionals?
8. How do supervisors maintain continuity during staffing transitions?
9. How are technology and administrative support used to reduce examiner workload?
10. How you measure employee retention and workforce stability over time?
These questions can provide greater insight into the long-term stability of a claims program than simply asking how many examiners will initially be assigned to the account.
Frequently Asked Questions About Claims Examiner Turnover
What is the turnover rate for insurance claims examiners?
There is not a single authoritative national turnover rate specifically for workers’ compensation claims examiners.
Broader claims and insurance workforce research provides useful benchmarks, but the populations and methodologies differ. For example, Deloitte reported an average 20% attrition rate based on discussions with chief claims officers at leading P&C insurers. That figure should not be treated as a universal workers’ compensation examiner turnover rate.
Organizations comparing TPAs should ask providers for their actual claims examiner turnover and tenure data and understand how those figures are calculated.
Is there a shortage of experienced claims professionals?
Current insurance labor research shows continued demand for experienced professionals. The Jacobson Group and Aon’s Q1 2026 Insurance Labor Market Study found that 73% of insurers were most likely to hire experienced talent. Claims also remains an important area of hiring demand.
How many claims adjuster and examiner positions need to be filled each year?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects approximately 21,600 openings per year for claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners and investigators from 2024 to 2034, despite projecting an overall 5% decline in employment for the occupation.
BLS expects these openings to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, including through retirement.
These openings represent occupational replacement needs, not an annual employer turnover rate.
Sources
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Claims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners, and Investigators. Employment projections 2025–2035. Updated August 27, 2026.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Projections and Worker Characteristics. Claims adjusters, examiners and investigators are classified as requiring long-term on-the-job training.
https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm
The Jacobson Group and Aon. Q1 2026 U.S. Insurance Labor Market Study. Semi-Annual U.S. Insurance Labor Market Study.
https://www.jacobsononline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Q1-2026-Labor-Study-Infographic-GATED.pdf
The Jacobson Group. Study Reflects a Steady Insurance Talent Outlook for 2026. March 24, 2026.
https://www.jacobsononline.com/blog/study-reflects-a-steady-insurance-talent-outlook-for-2026/
Deloitte Insights. Reimagining Claims: Soft Skills Are the Differentiator. Research addressing claims workforce attrition, experience loss, training costs, technology and human capabilities in claims management.
Athens Administrators. Internal workforce data. Calendar-year 2025 company-wide employee turnover; 2025 Workers’ Compensation claims turnover; Claims Examiner tenure data.
Last updated: September 2026.