Finding the Right Job

Minimum Requirements

Given the small number of directly-related degrees, many employers will hire someone on the basis of their personal skills and qualities as much as their commercial awareness. Those working in the profession come from a wide range of backgrounds, although many will hold a business-related degree.

Brokers
A degree in any subject is acceptable for entry into the profession, though those who have studied Accounting, Finance, Economics, Management, Mathematics or Business may have an advantage.

Personality and communication skills are particularly important. Brokers need to liaise with a wide range of people, assimilating and communicating information that is often complex and technical.

Claims
This area of work is open to all graduates, with preference given to degrees in subjects like Business/Management, Economics, Law and Mathematics. Some larger insurance companies include claims work as part of general graduate management training schemes.

Loss adjusting
Loss adjusting is a highly specialised field requiring a sophisticated blend of interpersonal and technical skills. For this reason your degree – or even having a degree – is less important than your ability to display the competencies and development potential to become an effective loss adjuster.

Good communication, empathy and negotiation skills are essential and you will also need to be able to work to tight deadlines and handle multiple cases with confidence and accuracy. You will also need to be a good team worker and someone who responds to working to targets.

Reinsurance
A good degree in any subject is acceptable for entry on most companies' schemes, though a background in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Management, Mathematics or Business may give you an advantage. With reinsurance being such an international field language skills are also sought after although not essential.

Personality and communication skills are particularly important. You will need to build and maintain relationships with a wide variety of people, and be able to assimilate and communicate complex and technical information.

Risk management
Some brokers recruit new entrants as trainee risk analysts, but few companies take on new graduates as risk surveyors.

Although a degree is not required for entry into the profession, most risk surveyors are graduates, and any degree is acceptable. Those who have studied Risk Management, Economics, Business Studies, Law, Management, Insurance or Engineering subjects – a pre-requisite for specialist engineering insurance surveying – may succeed in gaining a training post.

Previous experience in the insurance profession is usually necessary, often in the field of underwriting, and some companies ask for as much as five years' underwriting experience.

Communication skills are key and you also need to be commercially aware, diplomatic and confident enough to deal with a wide range of people, from site workers to managing directors.

Underwriting
This area of work is open to all graduates, with preference sometimes given to degrees in subjects like Business/Management, Economics, Law and Mathematics, or in relevant science or engineering disciplines. Some larger insurance companies include underwriting as part of general graduate management training schemes.

Keep up to date with the latest industry news -
sign up to our news alerts