Crafting A Standout Resume For Aspiring Insurance Adjusters

How to Tailor Your Resume for New Insurance Adjusters

Insurance adjusters are in high demand, and it's a stable career choice. To get your foot in the door, you'll need to craft a compelling resume that showcases your skills and achievements. Here's a step-by-step guide to tailoring your resume for entry-level insurance adjuster positions.

Step 1: Understand the Role

Before writing your resume, it's essential to grasp the responsibilities of an entry-level insurance adjuster. These professionals assess insurance claims, collect evidence, and determine the accurate compensation an insurance company should pay. They often work under the supervision of senior adjusters and may handle various insurance types, including auto, life, or property claims.

Step 2: Choose a Resume Format

The format of your resume is crucial. You can opt for a chronological resume, which lists your work experience in reverse chronological order. This format is ideal if you have relevant experience. Alternatively, a functional resume focuses on skills over work history, making it perfect for career changers or newcomers to the field.

Step 3: Contact Information

At the top of your resume, include your full name, phone number, professional email address, and location. Make your name stand out with a larger font size. You can also include your LinkedIn profile URL if it's comprehensive and supports your application.

Step 4: Career Objective Statement

Write a career objective statement that outlines your career goals, aspirations, and key skill sets. Emphasize your transferable skills and the capabilities you aim to develop in an entry-level position. This section gives context to the rest of your resume and helps hiring managers understand your motivations.

Step 5: Educational Background and Licensure

List your academic degrees, relevant courses, and any certifications obtained, such as worker's compensation insurance specializations. Also, mention any state or Designated Home State (DHS) licenses you hold, including the awarding state, date received, and current status.

Step 6: Highlight Your Skills

Provide a balanced mix of hard and soft skills. Hard skills may include industry software proficiency, administrative skills, and knowledge of insurance policies. Soft skills can encompass teamwork, collaboration, written and verbal communication, and customer service.

Step 7: Work Experience

Detail your professional experience, focusing on achievements rather than just duties. Include your job title, company name, and employment dates. Use bullet points to showcase three to four accomplishments or duties that are relevant to the insurance adjuster role.

Step 8: Extracurricular Activities

Include any extracurricular activities that developed skills applicable to insurance adjusting, such as school clubs or volunteering events. Provide your role, the hosting institution, and the duration of your involvement. Add bullet points to highlight specific achievements or skills gained.

Step 9: Optional Sections

You can enhance your resume with optional sections like professional associations, special projects, volunteer work, language proficiency, and awards or recognitions. These sections demonstrate your commitment to the industry, problem-solving abilities, and community engagement.

Step 10: Review and Revise

Finally, review your resume for clarity, grammar, and formatting. Ensure it's well-organized, easy to read, and free of errors. Seek feedback from peers or mentors, and don't be afraid to make revisions to perfect your resume.

Good luck with your job search!

Include a clear and concise resume summary

Clear and Concise Resume Summary for Insurance Adjusters

The resume summary is a vital component of your application as an insurance adjuster. It is a concise overview of your professional experience, skills, and achievements, tailored to the specific job you are applying for. Here are some tips and examples to help you write a clear and concise resume summary:

• Highlight your expertise: Begin by describing yourself using positive and powerful language. Emphasize your specific expertise and experience as an insurance adjuster. For example, "Dynamic claims adjuster with drive and experience providing a superior level of customer service to clients."
• Showcase your competencies and achievements: Spend a sentence or two highlighting your greatest strengths and accomplishments. For instance, "Bringing forth the ability to properly investigate a situation and resolve claims quickly in accordance with company and regulatory guidelines."
• Address the needs of the company: Conclude your summary by explaining how you can contribute to the company's success and why you are the ideal candidate. Ensure that your summary aligns with the job description and addresses the company's specific needs.

"Adaptable and licensed claims adjuster with 5+ years of experience in the insurance industry. Skilled in investigating and assessing insurance claims, determining liability, and negotiating settlements. Committed to providing superior customer service and ensuring compliance with company policies and legal regulations. Seeking to leverage expertise and dedication to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of claims processing at ABC Insurance Company."

This summary effectively highlights the candidate's experience, skills, and achievements while also addressing the specific needs of the company they are applying to. It showcases their ability to investigate, assess, and negotiate claims, as well as their commitment to customer service and compliance with regulations.

Remember to tailor your resume summary to each job application, focusing on the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the position. This will help you create a clear and concise summary that highlights your unique value proposition as an insurance adjuster.

Highlight your claims handling experience

When applying for a job as a claims adjuster, it is important to highlight your claims handling experience in your resume. This will allow employers to see that you have hands-on experience in managing and resolving insurance claims. Be specific about the types of claims you have handled and the results you achieved. For example:

> Investigated and resolved 50+ auto insurance claims per month, negotiating fair settlements and reducing payout costs by 15%.

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> Managed a caseload of 100+ property damage claims, conducting on-site inspections and coordinating repairs to minimize business interruption for clients.

When describing your claims handling experience, avoid vague statements that do not provide concrete details, such as "handled insurance claims" or "worked with policyholders to resolve their issues". Instead, focus on providing specific examples that demonstrate your ability to handle different types of claims and achieve successful outcomes.

In addition to highlighting the types of claims you have handled, it is also important to showcase your customer service skills. As a claims adjuster, you will be interacting with policyholders who may be frustrated, upset, or angry about their situation. Employers want to know that you can handle these interactions with professionalism and empathy. Provide specific examples of how you have provided excellent customer service, such as:

> Received multiple customer commendations for empathetic and efficient handling of complex claims situations.

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> Maintained a 95% customer satisfaction rating by proactively communicating with policyholders and setting clear expectations throughout the claims process.

When describing your claims handling experience, be sure to include both the types of claims you have handled and your approach to customer service. This will give employers a well-rounded understanding of your skills and abilities as a claims adjuster.

Emphasise your customer service skills

As an insurance adjuster, you will be dealing with people who are distressed and upset. Your customers will be looking to you to help them recover what they can after experiencing a loss. Therefore, your resume should emphasise your customer service skills to show that you are capable of handling these situations with empathy and professionalism.

Firstly, you should highlight your communication skills. As an insurance adjuster, you will be interacting with multiple people, including insurance policyholders, insurance companies, and other professionals involved in an insurance claim. You will need to be able to communicate both orally and in writing. Your written communication skills are particularly important, as you will be documenting conversations and events accurately and writing clear and concise reports. You should also emphasise your ability to communicate complex insurance concepts to policyholders.

Next, you should mention your conflict resolution skills. As an insurance adjuster, you will often be dealing with upset or angry customers. You should be able to demonstrate your ability to remain calm and professional in these situations, and to help customers understand their options in a clear and concise way.

You should also emphasise your ability to work under pressure. As an insurance adjuster, you may be responsible for multiple claims at once, and policyholders will often expect their claims to be handled quickly. Therefore, you should highlight your ability to manage your time effectively and work well under pressure.

Finally, you should mention your ability to negotiate. As an insurance adjuster, you will often need to negotiate with policyholders, claimants, and other stakeholders in order to reach a fair settlement.

Show your attention to detail

Attention to detail is a key skill for insurance adjusters, so it's important to demonstrate this in your resume. Here are some ways to showcase your attention to detail:

• Use a clear and simple format: Ensure your resume is well-organised and easy to read, with consistent formatting and clear section headings. Use a simple font and avoid unnecessary colours or design elements that could distract from the content.
• Proofread and edit: A single typo or error could suggest a lack of attention to detail, so be sure to carefully proofread your resume before submitting it. Check for spelling and grammar mistakes, formatting inconsistencies, and inaccurate information. Ask a friend or colleague to review your resume as well, as they may catch errors you missed.
• Include specific examples: Instead of simply stating that you have attention to detail, provide specific examples that demonstrate this skill. For instance, you could mention how you achieved a high accuracy rate in data entry or claims processing by carefully reviewing documentation.
• Quantify your achievements: Use numbers, percentages, or other metrics to showcase the impact of your attention to detail. For example, you might mention that you "reduced claims processing errors by 30% through careful review of documentation and evidence."
• Highlight relevant certifications: If you have earned any certifications that demonstrate your attention to detail, be sure to list them on your resume. This could include certifications in insurance fraud investigation, data analysis, or other relevant areas.
• Emphasise your investigative skills: As an insurance adjuster, you need strong investigative skills to review claims, assess damage, and determine liability. Showcase your ability to carefully gather and analyse information, conduct research, and identify key details.
• Tailor your resume to the job description: Review the job posting carefully and highlight any skills, experiences, or accomplishments that align with the specific requirements listed. This shows that you have the attention to detail to follow instructions and focus on the most relevant information.

Include your industry certifications

Industry certifications are a powerful tool to demonstrate your expertise and commitment to your career as an insurance adjuster. They show employers that you have the specialised knowledge and skills needed to excel in this field.

If you have any of the following certifications, make sure to include them in your resume:

• Certified Insurance Examiner (CIE)
• Certified Work Adjustment Specialist (CWA)
• Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS)

Other common certifications for claims adjusters include:

• Associate in Claims (AIC)
• Certified Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU)
• Certified Insurance Adjuster (CIA)
• Senior Claim Law Associate (SCLA)

If you are currently pursuing a certification, you can list it on your resume along with the expected completion date.

Additionally, if you have any state or Designated Home State (DHS) licenses, be sure to include them. These licenses demonstrate your eligibility to work in specific states and are often required by employers.

For example, if you are applying for jobs in California, you must have a California Insurance Adjuster License. On the other hand, if you live in a state that does not offer an insurance adjuster license, such as Texas, you can obtain a DHS license from another state, like Florida, to show your eligibility to work in multiple locations.

Remember to provide details about the awarding state, date received, and current status of your licenses and certifications. This information will assure employers that you meet the necessary requirements and are qualified to work as an insurance adjuster.

Frequently asked questions