HI Claims Adjuster study plan
HI Claims Adjuster · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Hawaii Insurance Laws, Rules, and Regulations
Map the Hawaii insurance regulatory framework: identify the roles of the Insurance Division, commissioner authority, and producer/adjuster licensing categories
Outline licensing requirements, renewal, CE obligations, and grounds for license suspension or revocation
Define unfair trade and claims settlement practices prohibited under Hawaii law, including timelines for acknowledging and settling claims
Build a 40-card flashcard deck covering statutory definitions and numeric thresholds you must recall verbatim
Your checkpoint
A one-page regulatory cheat sheet of Hawaii statutes/rules with all numeric deadlines and penalties, plus a 40-card deck scored at 90% or better on a self-quiz
Hawaii Insurance Laws, Rules, and Regulations & Insurance Principles and Policy Provisions
Explain adjuster fiduciary duties, reporting obligations, and prohibited conflicts under Hawaii rules
Distinguish the legal concepts of indemnity, insurable interest, subrogation, and contribution with one original example each
Diagram the structure of an insurance contract: declarations, insuring agreement, conditions, exclusions, definitions
Complete 30 practice questions on Domain 1 and log every missed item with a corrected rationale
Your checkpoint
Written error log of at least 30 Domain 1 practice questions with corrections, achieving 80%+ on a re-take
Insurance Principles and Policy Provisions
Apply the concepts of actual cash value, replacement cost, and agreed value to calculate loss payments in three worked scenarios
Interpret co-insurance, deductibles, and policy limits to compute payable amounts on partial and total losses
Differentiate representations, warranties, concealment, and misrepresentation and state the remedy for each
Explain waiver, estoppel, and the doctrine of reasonable expectations as applied to claim denials
Your checkpoint
A worked-problem worksheet of 10 valuation and limit calculations with answers shown and arithmetic checked
Insurance Principles and Policy Provisions & Claims Handling Practices and Ethics
Sequence the claim lifecycle from first notice of loss through investigation, evaluation, payment, and closure
Draft a claim file documentation standard listing what must appear in every note, contact log, and diary entry
Identify ethical traps in adjusting: conflicts of interest, overreaching releases, bad-faith exposure, and improper steering
Distinguish good-faith vs. bad-faith claim handling using concrete fact patterns
Your checkpoint
A mock claim file narrative (500-700 words) for one hypothetical loss, scored against your own documentation checklist with every element present
Claims Handling Practices and Ethics & Property Loss Adjusting
Apply a structured investigation protocol for coverage determination: policy analysis, facts, exclusions, and reservation of rights
Explain the role of reservation-of-rights and non-waiver letters and draft one for a questionable-coverage scenario
Identify the major property perils and exclusions in a homeowners form, including water damage, mold, ordinance or law, and vacancy
Describe how to handle a claim involving potential fraud, including referral triggers and documentation
Your checkpoint
A coverage-position memo for one homeowners water-loss hypothetical that states the determination, cites the relevant policy provisions, and includes a draft reservation-of-rights letter
Property Loss Adjusting
Estimate building damage using quantity-takeoff basics: measurements, unit costs, depreciation, and overhead and profit
Assemble a personal property inventory and apply depreciation to reach an actual cash value figure
Explain additional living expense and loss-of-use computations and their time limits
Identify special handling issues: appraisal, salvage and subrogation, and total-loss settlements
Your checkpoint
A complete damage estimate for a simulated dwelling loss (roof plus interior) totaling at least 15 line items, with ACV and replacement cost both computed and reconciled to policy limits
Casualty Loss Adjusting
Analyze liability by establishing the elements of negligence and the applicable comparative or contributory fault rules
Distinguish coverage triggers and limits across general liability, auto, and umbrella forms
Evaluate bodily injury and third-party property damage claims, including medical specials and general damages reserving
Apply Hawaii-specific liability considerations such as joint and several liability limits and statute of limitations periods
Your checkpoint
Two written liability evaluations (one auto, one premises) each with a liability determination, damages range, and recommended reserve, supported by cited policy provisions
Hawaii Insurance Laws, Rules, and Regulations & Insurance Principles and Policy Provisions & Claims Handling Practices and Ethics & Property Loss Adjusting & Casualty Loss Adjusting
Retake all previously missed practice questions and confirm each is answered correctly with a stated rationale
Complete two full-length timed practice exams under test conditions
Consolidate all five cheat sheets into a single final review packet organized by domain
Rank domains by practice-exam score and drill the two weakest areas for a minimum of two hours
Your checkpoint
Two completed timed practice exams with scores recorded, a ranked weakness list, and a final one-page review packet covering all five domains
Milestones
Week 2: Score 80% or better on a 30-question Domain 1 set and show a completed error log with corrected rationales
Week 4: Score 75% or better on a mixed 40-question set covering Domains 1-3, and submit the mock claim file narrative against your documentation checklist
Week 6: Produce the 15-line-item damage estimate with ACV and replacement cost figures that reconcile to policy limits without arithmetic error
Week 7: Score 75% or better on a 30-question Domain 4-5 set and submit both liability evaluations with stated reserves
Week 8: Score 85% or better on each of two full-length timed practice exams and complete the final review packet