Insurance examiners, also called claims examiners, evaluate and assess insurance claims against an insurance company. Unlike many other financial planning, insurance, and superannuation jobs, insurance examiner jobs seldom offer travel opportunities. Most of the work is done in the office and involves going through a lot of documentation. They work closely with claims adjusters, who by contrast are almost always at the scene of the incident or loss. Their main job is to analyze a situation and decide whether to approve or reject the claims, based on company policies.
An insurance examiner makes around $51,300 per year on average, but the pay range is from $35,000 to $98,000. The difference usually lies in the type of insurance (examiners always specialize in one type); tricky subjects like life and death claims usually command higher salaries.
Job description
Insurance examiner jobs often involve several other tasks besides the core duties. Since it's a mostly in-office job, the work often includes paperwork and desk work. Here are some common tasks associated with examiner jobs:
- Reading and interpreting the policy to customers, and explaining their options based on the data
- Studying clients' claims and comparing them with the company policies
- Deciding or assisting with final decisions on approving and rejecting claims
- Obtaining data about the incident from the claims adjuster, as well as other sources such as police stations, hospitals, and witnesses
- Receiving and responding to inquiries from clients regarding the policy
- Ensuring good client relations by promptly responding to requests, inquiries and complaints
- Occasionally reviewing the policy to make sure it still complies with industry standards and regulations
Qualifications
Like most financial planning, insurance, and superannuation jobs, insurance examiner jobs usually require a bachelor's degree in a relevant field. Preferred majors include business, finance, management, economics, and accounting. Graduate studies are usually not necessary, at least for the entry level position. Many examiners pursue further studies while working to improve their chances of promotion. Experience is usually required; most companies look for at least one year of solid relevant work.
