How to become an insurance surveyor
How to become an insurance surveyor
The role of insurance surveyors, also known as risk surveyors, risk engineers and risk consultants, is crucial in the insurance world. They are key players in assessing and managing risks to make sure insurance policies match up with the real risks people and companies face. They are often known as the eyes and ears of the underwriters as they get to see in real life what an underwriter sees on paper.
You might wonder, what does an insurance surveyor do? And how can you become one? Whether you're already working in insurance and looking for something new or thinking about switching careers to the insurance sector, this detailed guide is just what you need.
We'll walk you through everything - the skills you need, how to get qualified, and the job opportunities available in insurance surveying. It doesn't matter if you're starting from zero or already have some experience in related areas; this guide will show you how to become an insurance surveyor.
Let’s get into it.
What is an insurance risk survey?
Insurance risk surveying finds and checks potential risks that could cause insurable loss. But you might wonder, what is insurance risk, and what do the risk surveyors do?
Insurance risk is when there's a chance that something could go wrong, like fires, floods, water damage, theft, or accidents at work, leading to an insurance claim. Insurance policies are there to help cover these losses, giving money back to those affected. However, to make sure insurance policies cover these risks well, it's important to understand them and to ensure that the policyholder is doing everything they can to manage the risks associated with their particular business.
What Does an Insurance Surveyor Do?
Insurance or risk surveyors are experts who look into and assess the potential risks for insurance companies. They are key in spotting and measuring risks, helping policyholders manage those risks. They visit sites, undertake inspections in and around the risk, and provide opinions to underwriters on the acceptability of the place or property they are surveying, including checking fire risks, security measures and health and safety protocols, gathering information and giving an opinion the risks involved.
Why It's Important to Check Risks
It is important to check for risks like fires, floods, and water damage. These disasters can cause harm and cost people and businesses a lot of money. Insurance surveyors help lower these risks by giving useful risk mitigation measures to the policyholder to help lower and ultimately control these risks. They don't just find potential risks; they also suggest ways to reduce or avoid them.
How They Help the Insurance Industry
By correctly fully assessing the risks, risk surveyors help the insurance industry stay stable. They give insurance companies the information needed and the confidence to decide on coverage, pricing, and how to handle risks. This is important because insurance protects the infrastructure we all depend upon in our lives.
How to Become an Insurance Surveyor
Want to work as an insurance risk surveyor? Here’s how you can start:
Get the Right Education: While you don't always need a degree, having one can help you get into this field. Studying subjects like building surveying, engineering, or risk management can give you a good base of knowledge and skills.
Earn Certifications: Getting certified by well-known groups like the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), NEBOSH, IOSH, IEMA and others in the field of risk management can boost your chances. These certifications show you know your stuff and are serious about your career. They can make you stand out when you’re looking for a job as an insurance risk surveyor.
Gain Experience: Work experience in areas like building surveying, health and safety, engineering, or fire safety can be a big plus. This experience helps you understand the industry better and develop important skills needed for the job.
By taking these steps, you’ll be well on your way to a successful career as an insurance risk surveyor. With the right mix of education, certifications, and experience, you'll be ready to excel in this field.
Career Opportunities
It doesn't matter if you're just starting out or aiming to climb higher in your career; there are many paths to choose from in this area.
Surveyor jobs and salaries
You might find yourself working for insurance companies, brokers, or specialised surveying firms.
You can choose between full-time and contract roles:
Full-time positions give you job security and the chance to develop and advance within a company. The insurance risk surveyor salary bands for full-time positions range from £22,000 per year for starter roles to £100,000 per year for highly experienced and specialist surveyors.
Contract roles offer more flexibility, allowing you to work on various projects. This can help you gain a wide range of experiences and build a solid professional network. The salary bands for contract roles vary depending on the project and your level of experience but can range from £200 to £600 per day.
Moving Up the Ladder
For those who do well, becoming a senior surveyor is possible. In such roles, you would handle more responsibilities and perhaps lead a team. You might even get to run a risk management department, managing the risk management processes for a whole organisation.
Skills and Certifications
Success relies on a good understanding of risk assessment and management. Experience in related areas like building surveying, health and safety, engineering, or fire safety is a plus.
Earning certifications from the likes of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) and others can boost your reputation and open up more opportunities.
A career in insurance risk surveying offers many paths, whether you're interested in steady employment, flexible contract work, or even setting up your own business. Excelling in this field can make a big difference in how businesses handle risk management.
Switching to a Career in Insurance Surveying
Are you thinking about changing your career to insurance surveying? This section will give you advice on moving into insurance surveying and discuss the support and training that RiskSTOP Group Ltd, one of the leading risk management providers, offers.
Using Your Current Skills
A key thing to think about when moving to insurance surveying is how your current skills and knowledge can be used. Even though it might seem like a big change, many skills from different fields are very useful in insurance surveying. For instance, if you've worked in building surveying, security, health & safety, engineering, or fire safety, you've got a great start because you already know a lot that can help in insurance risk surveying.
Training and Help from RiskSTOP Group Ltd
Besides what you already know, RiskSTOP Group Ltd gives thorough training and support to make sure you do well in your new job. We know changing careers can be tough, so we offer the advice and tools you need to settle in quickly. This could be training while you work, mentorship programs, or courses for professional growth. RiskSTOP Group Ltd is dedicated to helping you develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be outstanding as an insurance surveyor.
Success Stories in Insurance Surveying
There are a number of insurance risk surveyors here at RiskSTOP who have come from all walks of life. Here, we share the stories of two people with completely different prior experiences who have become successful risk consultants within the company.
Let's talk about Sam Beal, who spent 27 years as an insurance broker before she decided to try her hand as an insurance surveyor. Sam always enjoyed the risk management side of her previous role but wasn't sure if she should make the move at first. After getting support and training from RiskSTOP Group Ltd, she quickly grasped the role and found she had many transferable skills. Sam has found surveying both tough and rewarding and has enjoyed the chance to use her insurance knowledge in a hands-on way.
Then there's Shaun Small, who came to RiskSTOP with no background in insurance. Previously working in security and building work, Shaun admits he was always curious about risk improvement areas of his roles.
Starting as a Risk Management Advisor, an opportunity came along for Shaun to train under the RiskSTOP Academy to become a surveyor. His training involved an insurance apprenticeship, health & safety qualifications, NEBOSH general certificate, CIEH insurance courses and lots of shadowing existing surveyors. Shaun is now a respected risk consultant at RiskSTOP who has been in the role for over 12 years.
Join Us at RiskSTOP Group Ltd
Do you care about keeping people safe and secure? Are you passionate about helping the community and protecting infrastructure and the environment? If yes, you should think about joining RiskSTOP Group Ltd where our mission is simple: we keep people safe and secure. We believe in social responsibility and sustainability.
Joining RiskSTOP Group Ltd means you'll be part of a team committed to protecting people, their properties, and businesses from facing losses. We work closely with the insurance industry to provide traditional risk surveys and innovative services tailored to insurance customers.
We focus on people. Managing risks is what we do, working together with our clients to find the right solutions for them. Our team provides efficient and effective risk management solutions so our clients can relax, knowing they're protected.
But it's not just about the work. We believe it's important to help in the community, too. We're big on being responsible in our business and support lots of local charities. We aim to do good for others with things like our payroll giving scheme and fundraising events.
If you're ready to work for a company that cares about doing good, then we'd love to meet you. Check out our website to see the jobs we have, learn about what it's like to work with us, and see the latest news. Come and make a difference with RiskSTOP Group Ltd.