ADHD at Work: Staying Focused and Fair as an Insurance Adjuster

What Insurance Adjusters Do and Why Focus Matters

Insurance adjusters play a vital role in evaluating claims and determining fair settlements for property damage, auto accidents, injuries, and other losses.

Whether working in the field or remotely, adjusters inspect damage, gather evidence, interview claimants and witnesses, and analyze policy coverage. Their job is to ensure that claims are handled accurately, efficiently, and in accordance with policy terms.

Adjusters act as a bridge between the insurance company and the claimant. Their work protects the integrity of the insurance process and helps people recover from unexpected events, making their role essential to both customer trust and financial responsibility.

February 2026, CJ Pringle, ADHD Coach @ Agave Health

Common ADHD Challenges Insurance Adjusters Face at Work

The job of an insurance adjuster requires detailed documentation, time management, emotional neutrality, and consistent follow-up. These demands can be especially challenging for professionals with ADHD.

1. Struggles with Follow-Up and Case Tracking

• Adjusters often manage dozens of open claims, each at a different stage of investigation or resolution.

• ADHD can make it difficult to remember which claim needs what next, leading to delays or missed communications.

2. Documentation and Report Writing Fatigue

• Claim summaries, estimates, interviews, and notes must be clear, accurate, and thorough.

• ADHDers may procrastinate on writing reports or leave notes incomplete, especially when tasks feel tedious or repetitive.

3. Time Blindness and Missed Deadlines

• With multiple appointments, callbacks, inspections, and reporting deadlines, poor time awareness can lead to falling behind or rushing at the last minute.

4. Emotional Dysregulation During Tough Cases

• Adjusters often interact with people who are frustrated, grieving, or angry.

• ADHD can make it harder to stay calm, neutral, and professional during emotionally charged conversations, especially under pressure.

5. Difficulty Prioritizing Claims

• Not all claims are equal in urgency.

• ADHDers may struggle to rank tasks effectively, jumping between low-impact or high-drama claims instead of focusing on what is truly time-sensitive.

Practical ADHD Strategies for Insurance Adjusters

With the right tools and systems in place, ADHDers can turn their adaptability and empathy into powerful assets in the claims world.

1. Use a Visual Claim Tracker

• Create a simple dashboard using Trello, ClickUp, or even a whiteboard to see the status of each claim at a glance.

  Examples: Initial Contact, Inspection Done, Report Due, Pending Settlement

• This reduces overwhelm and helps prevent tasks from slipping through the cracks.

2. Develop a Standard Operating Checklist for Every Claim

• Use a repeatable claims process template with boxes to check off.

  Examples: contact made, documents received, photos uploaded

• This reduces decision fatigue and builds consistency through repetition.

3. Block Time for Reports and Case Notes

• Set aside a specific time each day for writing reports or updating case files.

• Use noise-canceling headphones, background music, or a Pomodoro timer (25 minutes on, 5 minutes off) to stay engaged.

4. Keep a “Next Steps” Note on Every File

• After touching a file or making a call, write one clear next action.

  Examples: “Call contractor by Friday” or “Awaiting photos from claimant.”

• This supports follow-through and reduces mental load when returning to a case later.

5. Practice Emotional Reset Routines

• When conversations get tense, use a brief pause-reset strategy.

  Take a breath, step away for two minutes, or use a grounding phrase like:

  “I’m here to help, not to fix everything at once.”

• These routines help prevent burnout and support emotional regulation at work.

6. Prioritize Using a 1–2–3 Tag System

• Tag claims as:

  1 = Urgent (legal deadlines, active disputes)

  2 = Important (needs action soon)

  3 = Ongoing (awaiting external info or low urgency)

• This directs energy where it matters most instead of reacting to the loudest task.

How Agave Health Coaching Can Support Insurance Adjusters with ADHD

Insurance adjusting requires emotional steadiness, attention to detail, and reliable follow-through. For professionals with ADHD, those expectations can feel exhausting to sustain without the right support.

ADHD coaching through Agave Health helps insurance adjusters build systems that work with their brains, not against them. Coaching focuses on practical, real-world strategies that fit the demands of claims work.

With Agave Health coaching, insurance adjusters can:

• Create clear workflows to stay consistent across multiple claims

• Improve time awareness and reduce last-minute stress around deadlines

• Stay grounded during emotionally intense client interactions

• Reduce procrastination on low-interest tasks like documentation

• Strengthen ADHD strengths such as empathy, adaptability, and problem-solving

If you care deeply about helping people and doing your job well, but feel like the mental load of insurance adjusting is harder than it should be, ADHD coaching can help you feel steadier, more confident, and more supported in your work.