Insurance Adjusters, Examiners, And Investigators

Insurance Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators

Description

Investigate, analyze, and determine the extent of insurance company's liability concerning personal, casualty, or property loss or damages, and attempt to effect settlement with claimants. Correspond with or interview medical specialists, agents, witnesses, or claimants to compile information. Calculate benefit payments and approve payment of claims within a certain monetary limit.

Tasks

Examine claims forms and other records to determine insurance coverage.
Investigate and assess damage to property and create or review property damage estimates.
Interview or correspond with claimants, witnesses, police, physicians, or other relevant parties to determine claim settlement, denial, or review.
Review police reports, medical treatment records, medical bills, or physical property damage to determine the extent of liability.
Negotiate claim settlements and recommend litigation when settlement cannot be negotiated.
Analyze information gathered by investigation, and report findings and recommendations.
Interview or correspond with agents and claimants to correct errors or omissions and to investigate questionable claims.
Prepare report of findings of investigation.
Refer questionable claims to investigator or claims adjuster for investigation or settlement.
Collect evidence to support contested claims in court.
Obtain credit information from banks and other credit services.
Examine titles to property to determine validity and act as company agent in transactions with property owners.
Communicate with former associates to verify employment record and to obtain background information regarding persons or businesses applying for credit.

Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Clerical: Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Law and Government: Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Skills

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

Abilities

Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning: The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Work Activities

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Work Context

Electronic Mail: How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Frequency of Decision Making: How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled: How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Face-to-Face Discussions: How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Time Pressure: How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate: How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Spend Time Sitting: How much does this job require sitting?
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results: How do the decisions an employee makes impact the results of co-workers, clients or the company?
Structured versus Unstructured Work: To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
Frequency of Conflict Situations: How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?

Interests

Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Work Style

Attention to Detail: Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Dependability: Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Stress Tolerance: Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Integrity: Job requires being honest and ethical.
Self Control: Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Cooperation: Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Initiative: Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Adaptability/Flexibility: Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Analytical Thinking: Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Independence: Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Work Values

Support: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Working Conditions: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Relationships: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Independence: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Achievement: Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Recognition: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Related Occupations

Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products

Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage

Licensing Examiners and Inspectors

Appraisers, Real Estate

Criminal Investigators and Special Agents

Customer Service Representatives

Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs

Lay Titles

Accident Investigator

Adjuster

Adjustment Clerk

Appraiser

Arson Investigator

Benefit Authorizer

Building Appraiser

Claim Adjuster

Claim Agent

Claim Approver

Claim Examiner

Claim Inspector

Claim Investigator

Claim Processor

Claim Representative

Claims Adjuster

Claims Adjustor

Claims Analyst

Claims Examiner

Claims Manager

Claims Representative

Clerical Adjuster

Compensation Adjuster

Disability Examiner

Disability Specialist

Estimator

Examiner

Field Adjuster

Field Liability Generalist

Fire Adjuster

Health Claims Examiner

Independent Insurance Adjuster

Inspector

Insurance Appraiser

Insurance Claims Adjuster

Investigator

Job Estimator

Medical Claims Analyst

Medical Claims Examiner

Medical Claims Specialist

Property Adjuster

Salvage Determiner

Workers Compensation Claims Adjuster

National Wages and Employment Info

Median Wages (2008):: $28.83 hourly, $59,960 annual.

Employment (2008):: 263,280 employees