Insurance Surveyor

Also known as:

Surveyor, Insurance
Risk Surveyor

Introduction

Insurance surveyors, sometimes known as risk surveyors, provide underwriters with detailed technical reports on the risks involved in a request for insurance cover. They write reports which highlight any particular risks which might affect the insurance premium.

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Work Activities

Insurance provides a service to customers who wish to be protected from loss caused by events such as fire, theft, accident or illness. The customer pays a regular premium and receives a written policy that sets out the conditions under which an insurance company pays compensation.

Most insurance surveyors work for insurance companies, providing underwriters with detailed technical reports on the risks involved in a particular request for insurance cover.

Depending on their job, surveyors inspect buildings, ships, aircraft, machinery or other structures, to collect information about them. They consider factors such as the nature of the construction and the work that take place there. They also look at factors such as the condition of machinery, the possibility of fire or flood damage and the current nature of safety precautions.

An insurance surveyor's report outlines any aspects that may affect the insurance premium charged. It may also suggest ways in which risks can be minimised - perhaps by installing smoke detectors and sprinkler systems in case of fire, or burglar alarms in case of theft.

The insurance surveyor recommends whether insurers should accept the risk and offer insurance, and whether any conditions should be attached to that insurance cover.

Surveyors usually specialise in one of four areas: fire and other perils, such as explosions and floods; accidents and liability, including risks to employees, customers and visitors; engineering, including risks from all kinds of electrical and mechanical plant and equipment; burglary and theft, including risks from the nature of the structure, the storage of goods and the standard of security arrangements.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

As an insurance surveyor, you must be able to understand technical manuals and detailed plans and drawings.

You must be well-organised and able to pay close attention to detail. You must have a thorough, methodical and systematic approach.

You need excellent communication skills, both verbal and written. You must be able to gather information and write clear reports.

It is vital that you have a strong sense of responsibility and a good understanding of health and safety issues.

Insurance surveyors need to have a current driving licence.

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Pay and Opportunities

Salaries for insurance surveyors vary depending on qualifications and experience.

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Starting salaries for graduates are around £22,000 a year. Insurance surveyors earn in the range of £26,000 - £35,000 a year, rising to £40,000 - £65,000 a year. Higher earners can make around £80,000 a year, and higher salaries are possible.

Surveyors usually work a 35-hour week Monday to Friday. However, depending on the post, they may work flexible hours, evenings and weekends.

Opportunities occur with insurance companies throughout the UK, and with specialist engineering insurance companies. There may be opportunities to work in other countries, for example, for a UK insurer.

Some insurance surveyors work independently as self-employed consultants.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Many insurance surveyors are recruited internally from staff in underwriting departments.

Adults with qualifications such as those in civil engineering, architecture or science can enter specialist areas of insurance surveying.

Some employers recruit graduates, especially those with a science, engineering or other numerate degree.

The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) may relax the usual academic entrance requirement for adults who wish to take their exams. Distance learning is available from the CII for professional qualifications.

The Institute of Risk Management (IRM) offers relevant courses by distance learning.

• 10% of people in occupations such as insurance surveyor are self-employed.
• 11% work part-time.
• 10% have flexible hours.
• 2% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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