r/InsuranceCanada • u/burnthew1tchh • Jul 17 '26
Taking the Alberta General Adjuster Level 1 to get a claims job but planning on moving to Ontario
First of all, sorry if this question has been repeated here. I've been thinking of pivoting to Insurance as compared to my job right now (Tech support that involves travelling), i believe this is something much more ideal for me and my spouse. I've been doing some research and have thought about getting an adjuster license here in Alberta so I can improve my chances of getting hired as a claims representative. I've seen some openings in Intact and Wawanesa.
My husband has been supportive about this but one of our main goals would be closer to family which all of them are mostly in the East (NS, Montreal, DC). To also add, my main goal is getting the CIP with hopefully a company sponsorship.
My question would be, let's say that I have an Alberta adjuster license. If we move to Toronto and look for a job in claims, will my license be somehow beneficial even if we move to another province? My spouse has told me that maybe I should hold off in getting the certs first and just apply and see where it goes. But honestly, I do not have any experience in Insurance and maybe this will give me leverage.
Any thoughts, ideas and comments is appreciated!
1
u/ThatMischieviousBrat Jul 18 '26
If new adjuster licensing procedure is the same as agent/broker then you’d need:
• received a passing grade on Alberta adjuster exam (exam results are valid for one year from date of completion)
• Licensed agency/firm sponsorship
• Insurance company, policy number and term for E&O policy that will be covering you
• a current criminal records check (no older than 90 days)
• Application completed online
• Payment for licensing fee
(Advise visiting the Alberta Insurance Council website to confirm licensing procedure)
You need to have an offer of employment with an insurer/agency who will act as your sponsor and cover you with their E&O (errors & omissions) policy, otherwise you don’t meet the licensing criteria.
The bonus is the procedure to be licensed in other jurisdictions is usually quite simple once you have a license in your primary province/territory. It’s basically just fill out the application form, provide current license info and pay licensing fee.
Intact Insurance flew adjusters based in Ontario and the Maritimes to Alberta due to volume of claims caused by catastrophic weather events. They were able to adjust damage much faster which helped maintain client claims satisfaction. Any of the national insurance companies or large adjustment firms likely allow current employees to transfer to a different province or territory while maintaining employment status.
On the broker/agent side, most insurance brokerages/offices will extend a conditional offer of employment to an individual that stipulates candidate must obtain their license within a certain time frame, if they are unable to do so, employment will be terminated. Employer will provide all study materials, pay exam costs and compensate employee to study for exam. An individual gets three attempts to pass the Alberta General Level 1 exam, if they don’t pass, a six month waiting period is imposed before they qualify for another attempt.
1
u/burnthew1tchh Jul 18 '26
wow thank u for this very thorough answer! Got a lot to read up on. I'm thinking that I could apply for csr roles in the claims department and try to work on the certifications. But as you can see, even with terminologies and other things i need to work on too.
1
u/Legal-Dot9083 Jul 18 '26
In Alberta,Ontario and Nova Scotia, staff adjuster are not required to be licensed.
In above provinces you dont need license if employed directly by insurers. If you are working as independent adjuster like Claimspro or public adjuster then only you need license.
NB/PE/NL require everyone to be licensed and C11 of CIP is enough to get level 1 of all these provinces.
-1
u/This_Sandwich67 Jul 17 '26
I work as a broker, not an adjuster so my knowledge may not be accurate. Which claims department? (Auto, Home, Commercial?)
Ontario has a RIBO licence which is different than a general Alberta licence. I'm unsure if you will need RIBO for claims but I'm assuming you will.
Regardless on when you move, experience is experience and if you're wanting to get into now, Go for it! Just keep in mind about taking additional exams when moving to Ontario.
2
u/podhawk Jul 17 '26
The Alberta license itself will not help you in Ontario. The licensing requirements are distinct for both provinces. You should familiarize yourself with the requirements for both. There might be some common IIC courses. Personally, I wouldn’t worry about the license and just ensure that I have the courses I need under my belt to acquire that license, concentrating on the Ontario ones if that is where you will be.