The growth-driven economic environment in the last two years has created a promising opportunity for jobs in the insurance sector.
As per the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), the unemployment rate in the industry is currently as low as 2%. Given this healthy job outlook because of tax cuts and less regulations, there are jobs available in the vibrant insurance industry.
Here are some of the top insurance jobs candidates should look out for in 2019.
Insurance Agents
This is perhaps the most popular of breakout career paths when you want to enter the insurance industry. This job is also centered on the sales of insurance products. Based on this, they are also called insurance sales agents.
At this juncture, the agent has two choices in their career path. If they work for a particular insurance company as part of their employment, they are “captive agents”.
On the other hand, they can also choose to work independently while representing more than one insurance company. In this case, they act as insurance brokers (much like a real estate broker).
Insurance Analysts
The insurance industry works with plenty of data. A financial analyst is one who studies this data in alignment with rising trends in the industry, and recommends top investment choices to insurance companies.
The data under study can include the complete financial accounts of the company, leadership history, and other relevant events related to the industry. With this data, it is the financial analyst’s job to prepare a detailed report that will help the insurance company make smart investment choices.
For this reason, a (financial) analyst’s career path requires a Bachelor’s degree, and additional certification or licensing.
Actuaries
Like analysts, an actuary will also study financial and statistical data, and present this through a cohesive report.
However, while the intention of the analyst is to maximize the profit on investments, the actuary’s intention is primarily to minimize risk, based on the occurrence of future events. (This in turn can maximize profit.)
In fact, an actuary’s input is critical to the formation of new insurance policies, and may be reviewed by senior executives before a policy is executed by the company.
For this reason, an actuary will need to have a Bachelor’s degree – typically in Actuarial science, or a combination of finance, insurance, economics, and applied statistics – and be certified by the US Department of Labor, before they can practice.
Adjusters, Examiners, Investigators
These careers paths are collectively responsible for verifying the legitimacy of an insurance claim, ensuring that the correct protocol is followed, and determining the amount to be paid to policyholders (in case of successful claims).
When an insurance policy holder suffers damage and applies to claim insurance:
- An adjuster is the first point of contact to review the application. They may even visit the site to confirm the damage. Based on this, the adjuster determines the appropriate amount to be paid to the applicant. Typically, an adjuster works for an insurance company. You can also work as a public adjuster, to serve those who do not wish to rely on the insurance company.
- An examiner reviews all angles of the claim (as approved by the adjuster), before approving the final claim. For this reason, they may work in alignment with the adjuster.
- An investigator is called in when the insurance company suspects fraudulence (or even criminal activity), in a claim. This can include detailed surveillance work, and may need one to work with other parties (such as lawyers, law enforcement agencies, etc.).
A high school diploma will often suffice for an entry-level position to the above career paths. As one progresses to senior levels, a Bachelor’s degree may be required or expected. Advancement could be curtailed if one does not have a Bachelor’s degree.
Appraisers, Assessors
Appraisers and Assessors are consulted by an insurance company, both before and after the claim.
They may be called to determine the value of an asset – like a real estate property, a vehicle, etc. – before an individual or corporate insurance policy is approved by the company.
In case of a claim, their inputs are required in order to review the damage caused to the insured asset, so that the adjuster can accordingly determine the insurance payout value.
Both career paths can be skilled-base, as they will need to conduct initial research, like taking photographic evidence of the asset’s present condition, assessing the value of damage, and so on.
They may even be required to liaise with real estate agents to review property values. For this reason, these roles generally require a Bachelor’s degree, along with relevant certification or licensing.
Insurance Underwriters
An underwriter determines the “worthiness” of an applicant, before his or insurance policy is approved.
For this reason, they conduct heavy analysis on the insured asset – like the health of the applicant, potential risks involved to insuring the asset, and so forth – and use this information to determine the coverage amounts and insurance premium.
Underwriters also rely heavily on computer software programs for their work. In relation to this, entry-level positions will necessitate computer skills. As one advances in their career, a Bachelor’s’ degree and relevant certification/licensing may be required.
The Grand Picture
As the above roles indicate, the thriving insurance industry offers plenty of opportunity in 2019. In addition, you may choose to work for an individual insurance company as an employee, or branch out as independent consultant after gaining poignant industry experience.
