If you are looking to prepare for an interview for a job as a claims adjuster, you definitely need to start thinking about how you will handle the interview that will be taken before you are hired. Simply having a polished resume and a good cover letter is not enough. You need to ace that interview as well if you want that job. Don’t worry. We have you covered. Here in this article, we will look at some of the broad questions that are usually asked in an interview for the role of a claims adjuster and what the interviewer will be looking for. We believe that once you get to the end of this article, you will be able to breeze through that interview without breaking into a sweat.
Claims adjusters must have excellent communication and people skills as they have to interact with people while assessing their insurance claims constantly. They need to be well-spoken and always have an eye for detail to ensure that the company they are working for is not getting swindled by unscrupulous claimants. Apart from that, they must possess the specialized skills and knowledge specific to the industry their company provides insurance for. For example, if the person is employed in a company that provides medical insurance, they must be well-versed with the insured areas and all the possible ways things can go wrong. Interviews for this role consist of a mix of behavioral questions that test the candidate’s soft skills and technical questions that assess the candidate’s industry-specific knowledge.
Claims Adjuster Interview Questions
The following is a list of broad questions that may be asked during an interview for the role of a claims adjuster and the ideal ways of answering each of them individually. Let us check them out:
- Tell us something about yourself.
This is a typical question asked at job interviews. The interviewer is basically allowing the candidate to set the stage for themselves. Therefore, the candidate needs to talk about themselves in a way that is relevant to the job, such as their skills in communication, their professional experience in negotiating with clients, their interest in the specific sector of insurance that the company deals in, etc. the candidate should take care to ensure that they do not give away too much information, as it can be quite boring for an interviewer who is interviewing dozens of applicants at one go. However, the candidate may include a small detail or two about their family or their hobbies to give their answer a well-rounded appeal. After all, companies want to hire people who are good at their job and human beings.
- What attracted you to this career?
A good candidate is a motivated candidate. The interviewer needs to know that the candidate before them understands the job they have applied for and that they are motivated enough to take the professional initiative if hired. A good way to answer is questions for the candidate is to highlight what excites them about the job and why. For example, if the candidate enjoys interacting with different people daily and helping them solve their problems, they can say that they feel this job shall need them to do something they already enjoy. They can also highlight the necessary abilities for the role, such as communication and interpersonal skills, to show why they feel that this would be the ideal career for them. Another effective way to convince the interviewer of the candidate’s passion is to tell a small personal story. A personal detail about how this career is important to them will go a long way in convincing the interviewer of the candidate’s sincerity.
- Why do you want to work for our company?
The interviewer wants to see if the candidate has done their research before showing up for the interview. A good candidate will know enough about the company to give a few reasons why they wish to work there. We recommend going through the company website at least once to understand their vision and mission statement and their broader goals. The candidate can say what they admire about the company’s vision and highlight how their personal values align with the professional ideals of the company. They may also talk about smaller things such as vacation policy for employees at the company or good pay. The candidate can also say that they know people who are already working at the company and recommended that they work here as well. This will tell the interviewer that the candidate takes the job seriously enough to do some research on their own before coming for the interview.
- What experience do you have that will help you in this role?
Of course, the candidate will be asked about their work experience. An experienced candidates will know how to handle themselves in their work. The role of a claims adjuster in the insurance industry is usually an entry-level position, so companies do not expect candidates to have much work experience when they join. However, the candidate can always talk about what they learned from their previous job, which will help them as a claims adjuster. Simple soft skills, such as negotiating calmly with clients while understanding their perspectives, will be a big plus for the candidate.
- How would you deal with a client who reacts negatively to your evaluation?
A claims adjuster must talk to clients, often face to face, about their insurance claims. The claims adjuster comes up with an assessment of the amount that a client is entitled to after looking at every aspect of the scenario and judging whether the client’s claims fit in with the insurance policy they have bought. Often, a client will not agree with a claims adjustor’s evaluation and will demand more compensation from the company. Therefore, the interviewer needs to know how the candidate will handle themselves in such a situation. The candidate should say that they will explain their assessment in detail to the client and then allow them the space they need to ask their questions. It is important to understand where the client is coming from to appreciate their demands. A well-intentioned client must not feel disgruntled about the whole evaluation process. Usually, clients do come to understand why the company is taking the position they are. However, if the client is unreasonable, the candidate must keep their cool and point out what led to the evaluation and the role the client themselves had to play in it. Further escalation of the situation must be avoided at all costs, and if the situation looks like it might get out of hand, then it is best to step back and call in one’s superiors.
- Tell us about a time when you had to give in during your negotiations with someone.
The interviewer would like to see how the candidate deals with failure. The candidate should display grace in their response and show that they are willing to learn from their mistakes. A good answer to this question should demonstrate reflection and an understanding of where one went wrong, followed by the zeal to correct oneself before one engages in a similar round of negotiation with someone else. A good candidate will have the self-awareness and the ability to identify and learn from their mistakes.
- Are you comfortable with working with a flexible schedule?
A claims adjuster’s job can be quite stressful because there is no fixed schedule for it. There can be days when the workload is low, and the employees can take it easy, while there can also be days when the work seems overwhelming. The interviewer needs to know that the candidate will be able to handle the pressure and deliver results. For example, the candidate may have to answer a late-night call to report to the site of an automobile accident to evaluate the damages on the spot. They may even have to take their work home in some cases. A good way to show that the candidate is okay with such a work schedule is to talk about previous work experience working with such a schedule. The interviewer needs to see that the candidate understands what will be required of them in the role and can live up to it.
- How good are you at having an eye for detail?
While reviewing their appraisal of damages in a piece of property, to come up with an evaluation, a claims adjuster must consider every detail about the incident to be accurate. An eye for detail is, therefore, a necessary trait for anyone in this profession. The candidate can respond to this question by discussing previous work experience, which required them to be quick with details. They should also display an awareness of what to look for while evaluating a client’s damage claims. Often, it is easier to spot details when one knows what they are looking for. Finally, the interviewer needs to know that the candidate can be trusted to protect the company’s interests when sent out there to evaluate and negotiate a client’s claims.
- Tell us about your greatest achievement at work.
Companies want to hire individuals who have a track record of achieving good results. The candidate would do well to speak briefly about one or two instances at their previous job where they overcame a difficult situation or successfully took on additional responsibilities and delivered results. A good way to answer this question is by using the STAR method, where the candidate can take the interviewer through the situation they faced, the action they took, and the results they came up with. Even if the candidate does not have many professional achievements, they can always talk about their life in college or at a part-time job when they accomplished something exceptional. They need to show that they are a general go-getter who likes getting things done.
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
Candidates who do not plan for their future come off as lazy and unambitious and are likely to be rejected in an interview. In response to this question, a candidate should ideally say that they wish to stay in this company and climb up the corporate ladder by taking on more responsibilities at work. This will tell the interviewer that the candidate is motivated and focused on their future and can be trusted to push the company’s interests on the job. The candidate can also talk about why they feel the company is an excellent place to build their resume and further their career. They should also display some degree of company loyalty. The interviewer should understand that the candidate will not quit the job whenever they get a better offer elsewhere.
Conclusion
So, now that you know what to expect in an interview for the role of a claims adjuster, you can go out there and bag the job you want easily. Remember, this is a job that requires a lot of traveling to evaluation sites and interacting with different people, so if you are not comfortable working overtime and outdoors, this may not be the profession for you. Otherwise, this is a great place to kickstart your career and gradually move up the ranks. Best of luck!
Frequently Asked Questions
- What do I wear to the interview? Dress professionally. You need to show the interviewer that you take the job seriously enough to put some effort into your appearance.
- What degree do I need to become a claims adjuster? There is no separate college degree for being a claims adjuster. You will need a high school diploma, and then you will have to undergo some training that is specific to the job. a certificate of training is enough for an entry-level position.
