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Job description: Insurance Advisor
As an Insurance advisor, you'll carry out surveys of buildings, machinery, transport and other sites or items that need to be insured.
You'll produce reports to help underwriters decide on the terms and conditions of insurance policies. You would normally specialise in one of the following areas:
- Fire and perils - examining plans, construction and fire protection systems to assess the risks to a building and its contents
- Accidents and liability - assessing the possible risks to employees, customers and visitors to a building or site
- Engineering insurance - surveying mechanical and industrial plants, machinery and equipment for faults and risks
- Burglary and theft - inspecting business premises to check security and storage methods.
In all areas, you would look closely at a company or building's health and safety systems and procedures.
Hours and Environment
Your standard working hours would be 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, although you may need to work unsocial hours or take part in an 'on-call' rota.
Your time would be split between an office and the inspection sites. The job could sometimes involve working outdoors in all weather conditions and at heights.
Skills and Interests
To be an insurance advisor you'll need:
- Excellent observational skills and attention to detail
- An enquiring mind
- A methodical approach to gathering information
- Good communication skills
- An assertive but tactful and persuasive manner
- An understanding of technical information and plans, and the ability to explain them clearly to non-experts
- Report-writing skills
- Computer skills
- The ability to work alone and also as part of a team.
Entry
You will need either substantial experience in the insurance industry (usually as an underwriter), or qualifications and experience in a related profession like building surveying, health and safety, engineering or fire safety.
Some larger insurance companies run graduate training schemes for new entrants. For these you will usually need a good degree (class 2:1 or above) in a relevant subject such as insurance, business studies, sciences, building surveying or risk management.
If you already have an insurance background, employers will expect you to have achieved professional insurance qualifications such as the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Insurance.
Training
You will be trained on the job, working with an experienced surveyor to gain experience before working alone. Some companies offer in-house training schemes.
If you do not already have professional insurance qualifications, employers will usually expect you to qualify as an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute (ACII), by studying for the CII Advanced Diploma in Insurance. You can do this through day release, evening classes or distance learning - see the CII's website for more details.
You can also choose to study for further professional qualifications such as:
- Institute of Risk Management (IRM) Certificate and Diploma in Risk Management
- National Examination Board for Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) Diploma.
Taking short courses run by the CII and IRM can help you to keep your knowledge and skills up to date throughout your career.
Opportunities
You could work for larger insurance companies or brokers, specialist insurance surveying firms, or risk management consultancies.
Jobs may be advertised in the local, national and insurance industry press, and by financial services recruitment agencies.
With experience, you could progress to senior surveyor or head of department. You could also move into insurance loss adjusting. Alternatively, you could become self-employed.
Annual Income
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
- Trainee salaries are around £22,000 a year.
- With experience and professional qualifications, earnings can be between £30,000 and £50,000.
- Top salaries can reach £100,000 a year.
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