Arkansas residents interested in becoming an independent claims adjuster working catastrophic claims across the country should strongly consider first obtaining their resident Arkansas adjuster license. Non-residents interested in working claims in Arkansas may be required to obtain this license before being allowed an assignment. Follow these 3 steps to obtain and maintain your adjuster license in Arkansas.

Step 1) Observe the Requirements

Individuals applying for an Arkansas adjuster license must be 18 years of age or older. According to the Arkansas Department of Insurance, if you are a resident of Arkansas you must have “at least one year of experience in claims adjusting or must work under the direct supervision of an Arkansas licensed adjuster for 1 year after licensure to maintain the adjuster license.” Finally, residents must pass an insurance adjuster exam administered by Promissor.

Step 2) Obtain the License

To successfully become a licensed Arkansas adjuster, you will need to fill out and submit the Adjuster Application Form AID-LI-ADJ and accompany it with a $60 licensing fee. Page 5 of the application requires your consent to allow the State Police to conduct a criminal record search and release any results to the Arkansas Insurance Department. This, however, only applies to resident applicants. Arkansas grants reciprocal licensing privileges to non-resident adjusters holding a license in their home state. Unfortunately, if your home state does not require a license to be an adjuster, you must then pass the Arkansas adjuster exam.

Step 3) Maintain the License

Licensed Arkansas adjusters must renew their license once yearly by submitting a renewal application and a $35 renewal fee. There are no Continuing Education requirements mandated by Arkansas for the proper maintenance of the adjuster license.

Summary: Ultimately, residents of Arkansas will want to obtain their resident Arkansas adjuster license – whether you intend to work claims there or not. Independent catastrophic adjusters who work outside the state but have their primary residence in Arkansas should strongly consider obtaining this license. Many states will not allow you to reciprocally obtain their license if you are not licensed in your resident state. This is not your prototypical risk state for disaster, but as it borders the tornado belt, and with frequent hail storms and flooding, non-resident applicant interest should remain stable. For additional licensing information, refer to the complete Arkansas insurance adjuster requirements.

The state of Arkansas has a long and vibrant history. It began as Native American lands and later was settled by hardworking European and American settlers and farmers. Because of this, Arkansas has always had a long history as one of the top agricultural and manufacturing hubs of the country and it remains so even today.

According to a 2006 report from the U.S. Census Bureau, Arkansas’ top three industries are all in the area of manufacturing. Food manufacturing ranks first, primary metal manufacturing is second, and transportation equipment manufacturing ranks third. Below is a description of each of these industries.

Food manufacturing
Food manufacturing is the process by which food is processed and made available en mass. This might include a few different steps and processes including milling, preservation, labeling, packaging, and transportation of the food. Large food manufacturing plants provide employment for many people in Arkansas.

Primary Metal Manufacturing
Primary metal manufacturing is an industry like a steel mill or iron mill that smelts or refines metal from ore or scrap using metallurgical techniques. They may also manufacturer alloys by introducing other chemicals to pure metals. The output of smelting and refining is used to make forms of metal like sheet, strip, bar, rod, or wire.

Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
This industry produces equipment for transporting people and goods. This might include bending, welding, and forming metal or plastic into mechanical parts and components. These may used in many transportation sectors including road, rail, air, and water transportation. This industry is extremely economically significant in all North America countries.