Just as you must have an underwriting department reviewing applications for new business, you must have a claims department overlooking the claims process. Either viewed as the hero or the villain depending on how the claim is handled is your claims adjuster. However, claims departments are composed of more than just adjusters. These are the folks who step up to bat for every hail storm and every fender bender. It may not sound like fun working with clients on what is quite possibly the worst day of their lives. Because let's face it, if they are calling in a claim, it's not a good situation. Claims could range from a house fire to the death of a loved one and the claims rep has to be able to handle each with care.
But it can also be a gratifying job to be the one to help piece someone's life back together. Are you a natural problem solver and love to help people? Then the claims life might be for you.
Most claims departments will have a few different jobs within them. Depending on the size of the company, here are a few you may find.
Customer service representatives (CSRs) typically work out of a call center or virtually to handle customer questions and complaints. They may be trained to walk the customer through the claims-filing process or provide general information about the insurance company’s operations and procedures. If you have strong communication skills plus enjoy solving problems, working in a customer service role may be the ideal opportunity for you.
A claims adjuster is responsible for reaching out to the individual filing the claim. They represent the insurance company and have a particular negotiation process to work through to settle the case. Their job is to settle the case for the lowest possible amount of money so there may be more involved discussions if the situation is more complicated. In some cases, an attorney will handle a claim instead of the insurance adjuster. If you have strong communication skills and are confident in negotiating with people, this may be an attractive job for you.
The majority of appraisers work on auto insurance or property and casualty cases, but some other insurance companies also have appraisers on staff to give estimates on damage. It's the appraiser's job to evaluate insurance claims and estimate the total value of all insured items. They decide how much the insurance company will pay out by inspecting vehicles or property in person, compiling a report, and making a decision.
Is responsible for reviewing a claim to make sure it all requirements have been met and can be moved to the next phase of the claims process. They look for errors, omissions, and inconsistencies. If you love the details and are organized, you may enjoy working as an insurance examiner.
If you are wondering about the salary, you can expect around $65,000 as an adjuster, appraiser or examiner depending on your location, experience, and size of the company.
This is part 7 of a multi-post series. Please visit the other Insurance Career posts below:
Insurance Careers--Underwriting
Insurance Careers--Fraud Prevention
Insurance Careers--Claims...Now Playing!
