Insurance loss adjuster
Insurance loss adjusters investigate large or complicated claims for insurance companies.
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
In your day-to-day duties you could:
- visit sites to survey damage
- interview customers
- gather evidence, like security camera footage or police reports
- request reports from specialists, like building surveyors
- check that claims against policies are reasonable
- organise clean-up operations or building repairs
- make further investigations if you suspect fraud
- give evidence in court
- present reports and recommendations to insurers
Working environment
You could work in an office or from home.
Your working environment may be you'll travel often and emotionally demanding.
You may need to wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.
Career path and progression
With experience, you could specialise in a particular type of claim, like property, business interruption or subsidence. You can find out more about specialist loss adjustment roles from the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters.
You could move into management, or work overseas for a global business.
You could become self-employed and work freelance. If you become a chartered loss adjuster, you could set up your own practice and run your own company.
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- customer service skills
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- negotiation skills
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to use your initiative
- maths skills
- excellent verbal communication skills
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
How to become
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- a graduate training scheme
You could take a degree before applying for a place on an insurance company's training scheme. Relevant degrees include:
- business studies
- finance
- law
- surveying
- construction
It will help to get some relevant work experience whilst you're studying, for example through an internship.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
More Information
You may be able to start by doing a higher apprenticeship for insurance professionals, or a senior insurance professional degree apprenticeship.
These take between 24 to 36 months to complete and are a mix of workplace learning and study.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
More Information
You could move into loss adjusting after getting experience as a claims technician or assistant loss adjuster with an insurance company.
You could also complete qualifications while you're working in insurance through a professional body like the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters.
You could apply to join a company's graduate training scheme if you've got a degree. Most subjects are accepted though you may have an advantage if you've studied business, law, maths or economics.
Professional and industry bodies
You could join the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters for professional development and training opportunities.
Further information
You can find out more about working and training in loss adjusting through the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters and Step Forward.
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This page contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.