Insurance Claims Inspector

Insurance claims inspectors work on behalf of insurance companies in order to assess claims made either by their clients, or on behalf of their clients, e.g. if investigating a motor insurance claim. They are usually the first point of contact with the claimant and their work will see them visiting the scenes of accidents, researching the background to incidents and arranging for payments and repairs to property to be carried out. They are there to check out claims, assess liability and make detailed assessments so that fraudulent claims are uncovered, and legitimate claims can be processed as quickly as possible.

A typical working day will include such things as

making visits to scenes of accidents, workplaces or individual homes, interviewing claimants and witnesses, providing advice on how the claim will progress, contacting trades people from an approved list in order for them to assess and cost repairs to property, liaise with police and medical staff, liaise with solicitors, liaise with other legal agencies, negotiate terms of settlements and arrange for payment to be made.

The qualities an insurance claims inspector needs are
• Ability to deal effectively with a wide range of people, and ability to deal sensitively with customers who may be experiencing a difficult situation
• Perceptive skill - the ability to pinpoint when something does not add up
• Good numerical ability
• Ability to respond quickly to changing situations and good time management skills in terms of deciding how much time is spent in the office on paperwork and how much on visits
• Good reporting skills and attention to detail - the ability to take an objective view of situations and read them accurately
• Negotiation skills when dealing with either clients or third parties on behalf of their company

Pay in this profession starts at around £25,000 but senior inspectors can earn £75,000 and above (this level of salary will necessitate study in order to achieve professional chartered status with either the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) or Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters (CILA). Salaries are boosted by bonuses and benefits, such as a company car.




bristol jobs


jobs in bristol