What Do Insurance Adjusters and Investigators Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Insurance Adjusters and Investigators 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. They also examine claims forms and other records to determine insurance coverage.

Other tasks include:

• Analyze information gathered by investigation and report findings and recommendations.
• Review police reports, medical treatment records, medical bills, or physical property damage to determine the extent of liability.
• Investigate and assess damage to property and create or review property damage estimates.
• Interview or correspond with agents and claimants to correct errors or omissions and to investigate questionable claims.
• Interview or correspond with claimants, witnesses, police, physicians, or other relevant parties to determine claim settlement, denial, or review.
• Negotiate claim settlements and recommend litigation when settlement cannot be negotiated.

We asked Insurance Adjusters and Investigators how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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67% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 43% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Insurance Adjusters and Investigators examine claims forms and other records to determine insurance coverage. They review police reports, medical treatment records, medical bills, or physical property damage to determine the extent of liability.

A typical day for an Insurance Adjuster, Examiner and Investigator will also include:

• Analyze information gathered by investigation and report findings and recommendations.
• Investigate and assess damage to property and create or review property damage estimates.
• Negotiate claim settlements and recommend litigation when settlement cannot be negotiated.
• Interview or correspond with agents and claimants to correct errors or omissions and to investigate questionable claims.
• Refer questionable claims to investigator or claims adjuster for investigation or settlement.

We asked some Insurance Adjusters and Investigators a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	77% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	33% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	69% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	60% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	39% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	82% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Insurance Adjusters and Investigators also examine titles to property to determine validity and act as company agent in transactions with property owners. They may also interview or correspond with claimants, witnesses, police, physicians, or other relevant parties to determine claim settlement, denial, or review.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Insurance Adjusters and Investigators Communicate with former associates to verify employment record and to obtain background information regarding persons or businesses applying for credit. They might also Collect evidence to support contested claims in court.

In addition, they Negotiate claim settlements and recommend litigation when settlement cannot be negotiated.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Refer questionable claims to investigator or claims adjuster for investigation or settlement.

To some Insurance Adjusters and Investigators, it is also their responsibility to Prepare report of findings of investigation.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as an Insurance Adjuster, Examiner and Investigator, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas..

They also like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/business-and-financial/claims-adjusters-appraisers-examiners-and-investigators.htm

http://www.claim.org/index.cfm

http://www.napia.com/

http://www.theinstitutes.org/