What are the Different Auto Insurance Jobs?

From selling auto insurance to verifying claims and keeping track of expenses and revenue, there are many different type of auto insurance jobs available. The most common of these jobs are those held by the auto insurance brokers or auto insurance agents, who work directly with clients. While these are the most high profile and visible positions, there are also claims adjusters, investigators, and office support personnel who mainly carry out their duties behind the scenes, and provide essential services to the operation.

Brokers and agents are auto insurance jobs that deal with selling the consumer a product. Though the two terms are often used interchangeably, there is one major difference. A broker works for the client to get the best deal by checking out insurance products from multiple companies, and coming up with a recommendation. The agent works for a single company, and will not check others, but may offer different options so that a client can have a range of prices from which to choose.

The way an insurance agent or broker gets paid may vary from company to company. The salaries for these auto insurance jobs are usually based on a straight rate or commission. Some may offer a base pay plus commission, especially to newer agents or brokers. Often, once these individuals get established, they are expected to move to the commission model. Still, it is not uncommon for companies offer a straight pay plus commission plan to all agents, regardless of longevity.

If an auto accident occurs, a claims adjuster looks over the damage and approves the claim by signing off on a certain damage amount. This type of auto insurance job involves some expertise not only in automobile accidents, but also in vehicle values. An adjuster often relies heavily on the official police report from the accident, but sometimes also conducts interviews independently of the police report. This is usually only done if there is a reason to doubt some part of the official story.

During the course of the adjuster's job, it is possible that he or she could discover or suspect fraud. In such cases, an attorney or private investigator may be brought in. These individuals will have more expertise both in technical accident investigations and matters of law. In some cases, these individuals could prevent thousands of dollars from being lost in false claims.

In addition to these specialties, other auto insurance jobs include the support personnel such as secretaries, accountants and managers. Like any business in the financial services sector, all will play a role in maintaining the overall health of the company. While they may not be directly involved in selling the product or investigating claims, they each have a role to fulfill. Often, these individuals have skills that are not only beneficial to the auto insurance industry, but other types of businesses as well.