The insurance industry has created jobs for a lot of professionals. Some of these are insurance claims handlers charged with ensuring that claims are efficiently processed and the valid ones reimbursed. They make decisions regarding the validity of claims after conducting thorough investigations. Therefore, they may work closely with insurance underwriters who are also expected to spot any fraud during insurance applications.
This article will look at a few questions that you should expect in an insurance claims handler interview. We have put together twenty recommendations that should help you prepare well and convince the interviewers that you are the perfect candidate for the job.
Pay close attention to the following:
1. Why Are You Interested in This Position?
This is one of the first questions in interviews. It may be asked as a build-up for follow-up questions or to determine whether you will be a good fit for the job right from the start. Therefore, answer it well.
Sample Answer
I am a passionate insurance claim handler with vast experience. I believe that I fit the job description and would do an excellent job if given a chance. I have also wanted to work for your company since my days in college and could not fail to apply when an opportunity came up. This will be a dream come true if given a job.
2. What Are the Roles of an Insurance Claim Handler?
Do you know your job description? To answer this, you can either rely on the provided job description or mention some of your mandated roles within your former workplace.
Sample Answer
An insurance handler is mandated to investigate insurance claims, take care of claims documentation, maintain open and consistent communication lines with the stakeholders, work together with law enforcement agencies, and undertake all necessary actions related to the claim investigation.
3. What Are Some of the Qualities That One Needs To Be An Effective Insurance Claims Handler?
The interviewer wants to know whether you understand the inherent skills needed to be a good insurance claims handler. Ensure that all the qualities and skills you mention are role-specific. If possible, mention the ones that have seen you thrive in this field.
Sample Answer
An insurance claims handler needs to be an excellent communicator to obtain and pass information to all the parties involved. He/ she should have an eye for detail and expert knowledge of the industry. Other qualities include multi-tasking, resilience, persistence, and patience.
4. What Is the Main Challenge That You Faced During Your Last Role? How Did You Manage It?
Every employer needs an employee who can find solutions to challenges that pop up in the course of work. You, therefore, have to convince the interviewer that you are a problem solver.
Sample Answer
I handled several fraudulent cases in my last workplace, which I found draining. I would collect all the necessary information. Just when I was convinced that it was a valid case that would warrant reimbursement, I would stumble upon contradictory information that revealed fraud. I, therefore, made it a rule not to take the next step of action until I was convinced that I had every piece of information and had gone through the case thrice. This helped me detect cases of fraud quite early.
5. Briefly Explain Your Experience
The interviewer just wants an overview of where you have worked, some of the roles you were mandated with, and the experiences you gained. Therefore, make it brief.
Sample Answer
I am yet to gain experience in this field since this is my first attempt at a job. However, I interned at White Insurance Company, where I was in the claims department. Here, I learned a lot about investigating claims and even joined the insurance claim handler in his errands. I believe that I have sufficient knowledge to contribute positively to this firm.
6. Describe Your Daily Routine?
How does your day at the office look like? You should narrate one of the busiest days at your former workstation.
Sample Answer
I report early to work, attend team meetings, after which I listen to my voicemails and emails before replying to the most urgent. I then get to the order of the day by following up on some of the pending claims. I may also meet claimants and a number of stakeholders depending on my appointments of the day.
7. Mention a Strategy and Mindset That Is Required for This Role
The interviewer wants to understand if you have or understands how you can be resourceful in this role. The right strategy simplifies work, giving you an easy time as you go about your duties. The right mindset also ensures that you are in a suitable mental space.
Sample Answer
The best strategy for any insurance claims officer is to repeatedly go through every piece of information, viewing them at different angles to determine loopholes. Collaborating with others is also a helpful strategy. As for the right mindset, one should be focused, which gives him/ her a keen eye for detail to notice discrepancies.
8. Mention a Challenge That You Foresee in This Role
This question is not a trap, as many people think. It would be best if you were truthful should the interviewer decide to make arrangements based on your answer.
Sample Answer
I have gone through your firm’s processes, and I am glad that most of the things that proved problematic in my former workplaces have been taken care of. I cannot, therefore, point at a specific challenge. However, I believe that with your help, I can tackle any obstacle that comes my way in the future.
9. How Do You Stay Motivated in This Role?
Investigating claims is not as easy as it sounds. An insurance claims handler is usually expected to work on different cases simultaneously, which may be stressful. Do not mention material reasons.
Sample Answer
I love investigative work. I feel overjoyed whenever I uncover a piece of information that seemed elusive. It is this thrill that gives me the zeal and motivation that I need in this job. I also practice yoga and meditation, which have helped me work on my focus and build on my tolerance.
10. Mention a Strength That Makes You Qualified for This Role
This is a chance to sell yourself. Just make sure that you relate the strength to this job. However, do not rub the interviewers off as boastful or overly confident.
Sample Answer
I am a good communicator, an essential skill needed in this job. I can speak fluently and break down information in the most straightforward means possible. This helps me talk to people when investigating insurance claims and obtain lots of information to make decisions. I am also a good negotiator. I can, therefore, easily bring all the stakeholders on board and speed up the claim assessment process.
11. Could You Tell Us a Few Questions That You Ask When Handling an Insurance Claim?
You will realize that most questions in the insurance claim handler interview are operational. The interviewer wants to know how you perform your duties as an insurance claim handler. Make sure that you are brief and straight to the point when answering such questions.
Sample Answer
Most of the questions I ask are situational since people have different claims depending on their insurance policies. However, some of the questions that I usually ask are:
- The location of the accident, which may narrow down to factors such as the type of road.
- How the accident occurred
- What one saw, heard, or observed.
- People who were hurt and their contact information.
- Any witnesses, their names, and contact information.
- Any police officer who came to the scene of the accident and from what agency.
- Any paperwork related to the accident.
(Remember, this question should be asked based on your experience).
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12. What Are Some of the Smart Approaches That You Have Settled on When Investigating an Insurance Claim?
The interviewer is trying to gauge your level of creativity. Can you apply creativity in problem resolution, given that insurance claim handlers face different situations in their daily job? Give an encounter where you improvised or used a brilliant means to inspect a claim.
Sample Answer
This field normally requires me to engage my brain and come up with creative ways of investigating claims. I once used a drone to investigate a fire-related case. I have also posed as a hawker and interviewed a witness to an accident who was more than willing to talk to me and not the police. At some point, I had to create a burner account just to investigate a claimant’s background.
13. Have You Ever Missed Critical Information When Processing a Claim? What Did You Do?
This is a behavioral question that seeks to reveal how you respond to discrepancies. Ensure that you give an experience that does not paint you as careless and throws you under the bus. Also, ensure that you answer both parts of the questions.
Sample Answer
I usually ensure that such cases do not occur when I am handling claims. However, I once worked on a fire-related accident where I missed important information. I missed some key content about the house that had gone into flames. However, upon discovering the discrepancy, I communicated it to my company, agent, and the manager. I then went back to the drawing board, armed with the new information, and made changes to the claim report. Both the company and the claimant were happy.
14. Have You Handled a Fire-Related Accident? If Yes, what are The Sources of Information That You Rely On When Preparing a Claim Report
This is an operational question that the interviewer may ask to assess a given situation. Remember, the interviewer expects that you are professional with experience in this field. Therefore, make sure that you list as many sources as possible.
Sample Answer
I have handled fire-related accidents several times in my career. Assessing the value of a home or building that has gone up in flames is usually easier than many people think. I usually use the country records, which carry immense information, and then the appraisal reports that capture comparable assets. Lastly, I use the report by the homeowner. All these help me assess the value of a building or home and the value that the amount that the company should reimburse the claimant.
15. Some Clients Feel That They Are Being Ripped Off and Do Not Agree to Claim Assessments. How Do You Deal with Them?
This is a behavioral question that is set to uncover your customer handling skills. It would help if you convinced the interviewer that you have good communication, negotiation, and people skills.
Sample Answer
I encounter a number of such customers in my line of work. I can confidently say that I have since mastered how to deal with them. My main aim in such scenarios is to help and get the client to accept the assessment. I will help them get the reasoning behind it and stand firm. I that does not work, I will involve their agent, who will, in most cases, help the client understand. If that will not solve the issue, then the case will be referred to customer service experts.
16. How Do You Ensure That Everyone Involved in Processing a Claim Responds To You In Your Work?
This question seeks to reveal your collaboration and communication skills. As an insurance claim handler, you will work with agents, claimants, and other adjusters. Show the interviewer that you can bring everyone on board.
Sample Answer
I have learned that the best way of bringing everyone on board is to come up with a situation where everyone wins. I will determine everyone’s end objectives and ensure that mine are aligned with theirs. I have also discovered the value of patience and persistence when working with people. I prefer pushing until I have attained all the possible information to help me complete my task.
17. You Will Spend Most of Your Time Communicating with Different Stakeholders. Do You Have Communication Skills for That?
This is an operational question that seeks to discover if you are capable of handling this job. Make sure that your answer is brief and straight to the point.
Sample Answer
I am positive that I have the right communication skills for this job. I am a good listener who gives people time to talk without unnecessary interruptions. I can also express myself and my ideas well. Most of the time, I use different software to make call recordings so that I can go through them later and discern some of the things that I may have missed. When it is my time to speak, I make sure that my voice is clear and my pronunciations are apt.
18. How Can You Ensure That the Company Avoids Fraudulent Claims?
Part of your job as an insurance claim handler will be investigating cases of fraud to determine whether a claim is valid or not. Convince the interviewer that you are up to the task.
Sample Answer
In my experience, I believe that the best way to avoid fraudulent claims is to go on with the investigation even if you are convinced that you have everything you need. In my line of work, I always go through the information I have repeatedly and view it from different angles to try and uncover a few things about the claim that may have escaped me.
19. Do You Find Your Job Fulfilling?
The interviewer wants to know how you feel about your job. Do you love it, or are you there for the money or the material benefits? Your answer should reveal lots of enthusiasm and pride in your job.
Sample Answer
Yes. The delight when I get when a claimant gets reimbursed and goes back to their initial financial standing is second to none. This job has also helped me build lots of long-lasting relationships. Some claimants have even turned to be personal friends. It has given me more than I wanted, which makes it highly fulfilling.
20. What Would You Do on Your First Day at Work?
Most interviewers ask this question to see whether you will be resourceful right from the start or wait to be pushed around. Show the interviewer that you are enthusiastic about the job and will jump on it right from the start.
Sample Answer
I love to build relationships with people in my workplace as early as my first day. I will therefore get to know those around me and seek as much assistance as possible. I will also go through some of the current claims to bring myself to speed. All in all, I will use the first day to get ready and make myself comfortable in the new environment.
Conclusion
These twenty recommendations summarize some of the common insurance claims interview questions you may encounter in an insurance claims interview. Take your time and go through them once more as you also brainstorm unique answers that will fit your situation. We wish you all the best in your interview.
