If you are new to adjusting California workers’ comp claims, the number you hear most is 120. That is the classroom training the state requires. It is not the whole requirement.
Under 10 CCR §2592.02, a claims adjuster needs at least 160 hours of training. At least 120 of those hours must be in a classroom. The other 40 are usually adjuster on-the-job training, and they are where most of the questions sit: what counts, who has to supervise it, and who has to prove it happened.
The short answer: the hours beyond the classroom minimum may be completed on the job, under the supervision of an instructor or an experienced claims adjuster. The insurer you adjust for provides that supervision, records the training, and certifies to the Insurance Commissioner every year that its adjusters are trained.
Where the 40 comes from
Section 2592.02 sets a total and a classroom minimum for each role. The gap between them is the time that may be done on the job. See the training hours for each role for the full picture.
| Role | Total hours | Classroom minimum | May be on the job |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claims adjuster | 160 | 120 | Up to 40 |
| Medical-only claims adjuster | 80 | 50 | Up to 30 |
| Medical-only adjuster moving to claims adjuster | 80 additional | 70 | Up to 10 |
The wording matters. The regulation says at least 120 classroom hours, and the rest may be on the job. Classroom hours above 120 also count toward the 160. On-the-job training is permitted for the balance, not required.
What “supervised” means
Adjuster on-the-job training only counts when it is done “under the supervision of an instructor or an experienced claims adjuster.” Time spent working a desk alone does not qualify. Both supervisor types are defined in §2592.01:
- Instructor: a person who conveys curriculum content to students on behalf of an insurer, with at least five years of on-the-job experience within the past eight.
- Experienced claims adjuster: a person with at least five years of on-the-job experience within the past eight, designated as an experienced claims adjuster by an insurer.
While you are in training, you may adjust claims under the supervision of either one. That supervised claims work is what most adjusters mean by “the other 40.”
What counts as adjuster on-the-job training
The regulation does not list approved activities. It requires that training as a whole covers the topics set out in §§2592.03 and 2592.04. In practice, insurers and TPAs commonly use activities like these:
- Handling your own assigned claims with a supervisor reviewing each file
- Shadowing an experienced adjuster through contacts, reserves and benefit decisions
- Structured file reviews and diary sessions with your supervisor
- Walkthroughs of the company’s own forms, systems and reporting
What makes any of these count as adjuster on-the-job training is supervision by a qualifying person and a record of the time and topics covered.
Who documents it
The insurer carries the paperwork, not the adjuster. Under §2592.06, the insurer keeps a record of all courses given or taken by its adjusters, including:
- Your name and business address
- The start and end dates of your training
- Whether you completed training in all required topic areas
- A full description of the curriculum, with each topic and the time spent on it
- The entity that provided the instruction
- The name of each instructor, and anyone who taught under an instructor’s direction
The insurer must keep copies of your Designation for as long as you adjust for it and for five years after (§2592.06(a)). When you complete the training, the insurer issues that Designation (§2592.05). Each year by 1 July, the insurer certifies to the Insurance Commissioner that everyone adjusting its claims is designated or in training (§2592.07). That certification is signed under penalty of perjury.
For you, the practical step is simple. Keep your own copies of your classroom certificates and ask how your supervised hours are being logged. You are also entitled to copies of your Designation forms: the insurer that issued them must provide them within 20 working days of your request (§2592.06(f)).
The 12-month clock
All 160 hours must be finished within 12 consecutive months (§2592.02(b)). The regulation also says no individual may adjust claims, for one or more insurers combined, for more than 12 months without completing the training. Because that limit is a combined total across insurers, changing employers does not restart the clock.
There is one extension. If illness, disability, military service or other legally protected leave begins after your training starts, the period may run up to 24 months from the start.
Where CPWC fits
IEA’s CPWC (Claims Practitioner in Workers’ Compensation) meets California’s 120-hour classroom training requirement. On-demand study counts as classroom training: §2592.01(c) allows the instructor to communicate with students “by means of an electronic medium,” including the Internet. CPWC records completion for every module, which gives the insurer the course record it needs.
CPWC does not supply adjuster on-the-job training. That comes from the insurer you adjust for. Because CPWC is self-paced, you can work through the classroom hours alongside your supervised claims work, inside the same 12-month window. If you are still choosing, compare the CPWC tracks.
Quick answers
Do I have to do 40 hours on the job?
No. Adjuster on-the-job training may make up the balance above 120 classroom hours, but it is not required. Extra classroom hours count toward the 160 too.
Can any experienced colleague supervise me?
Only an instructor or an experienced claims adjuster as §2592.01 defines them: at least five years of on-the-job experience within the past eight, and for an experienced claims adjuster, designated as one by an insurer.
Who gives me proof that I finished?
The insurer issues your Designation once you complete the required training. Your classroom provider gives you completion certificates for the classroom portion.
What happens if I change jobs?
If you are still in training, the clock keeps running: the 12-month limit is a combined total across insurers (§2592.02(b)). If you are already designated, you do not need to be retrained or re-designated to adjust claims for a different insurer (§2592.02(h)). Your new insurer must keep copies of it even though it did not designate you (§2592.06(a)), and the insurer that designated you must send copies to your new insurer within 20 working days of a request (§2592.06(c)). Keep your own copies of your classroom certificates too.
Does CPWC cover the 40 hours?
No. CPWC meets California’s 120-hour classroom training requirement. Adjuster on-the-job training comes from the insurer you adjust for.
Start your classroom hours
The 12-month clock starts with your training, and the classroom portion is the part you control. CPWC is on-demand, so you can start this week and fit it around your supervised claims work. New to workers’ comp? Start with our career guide.
Sources
- 10 CCR §2592.01, Definitions
- 10 CCR §2592.02, Training Standards
- 10 CCR §2592.05, Designation
- 10 CCR §2592.06, Maintenance of Records
- 10 CCR §2592.07, Certification and Submission of Documents
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