43-9041.02 - Insurance Policy Processing Clerks

Updated 2010

Summary Report for:
43-9041.02 - Insurance Policy Processing Clerks

Process applications for, changes to, reinstatement of, and cancellation of insurance policies. Duties include reviewing insurance applications to ensure that all questions have been answered, compiling data on insurance policy changes, changing policy records to conform to insured party's specifications, compiling data on lapsed insurance policies to determine automatic reinstatement according to company policies, canceling insurance policies as requested by agents, and verifying the accuracy of insurance company records.

Sample of reported job titles: Account Manager, Administrative Underwriter, Account Administrator, Agency Service Representative, Associate Financial Representative, Field Secretary, Customer Service Technician, Insurance Analyst, Premium Representative, Processing Clerk

View report: Summary Details Custom

Tasks

Interview clients and take their calls to provide customer service and obtain information on claims.
Process, prepare, and submit business or government forms, such as submitting applications for coverage to insurance carriers.
Process and record new insurance policies and claims.
Correspond with insured or agent to obtain information or inform them account status or changes.
Organize and work with detailed office or warehouse records, maintaining files for each policyholder, including policies that are to be reinstated or cancelled.
Review and verify data, such as age, name, address, and principal sum and value of property on insurance applications and policies.
Collect initial premiums and issue receipts.
Modify, update, and process existing policies and claims to reflect any change in beneficiary, amount of coverage, or type of insurance.
Transcribe data to worksheets and enter data into computer for use in preparing documents and adjusting accounts.
Notify insurance agent and accounting department of policy cancellation.

Tools & Technology

Tools used in this occupation:

Calculators or accessories — 10-key calculators

Desktop computers

Dictation machines

Personal computers

Technology used in this occupation:

Accounting software — Account management software

Data base user interface and query software — Data entry software; Database software; Microsoft Access; Policy issuance system software

Electronic mail software — IBM Lotus Notes; Microsoft Outlook; Novell GroupWise

Internet browser software — Microsoft Internet Explorer *; Web browser software

Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel

Word processing software — Microsoft Word

* Software developed by a government agency and/or distributed as freeware or shareware.

Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Clerical — Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Administration and Management — Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Computers and Electronics — Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Sales and Marketing — Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Skills

Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Writing — Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Abilities

Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Inductive Reasoning — The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Work Activities

Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Work Context

Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?

Spend Time Sitting — How much does this job require sitting?

Contact With Others — How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Electronic Mail — How often do you use electronic mail in this job?

Telephone — How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Letters and Memos — How often does the job require written letters and memos?

Structured versus Unstructured Work — To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?

Work With Work Group or Team — How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?

Deal With External Customers — How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?

Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Job Zone

Title	Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Education	These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Related Experience	Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Job Training	Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Job Zone Examples	These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, physical therapist aides, salespersons (retail), and tellers.
SVP Range	(4.0 to < 6.0)

Education

Percentage of Respondents	Education Level Required
51	High school diploma or equivalent
45	Some college, no degree
4	Associate's degree

Interests

Interest code: CE

Conventional — Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Enterprising — Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Work Styles

Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.

Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Persistence — Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Self Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Independence — Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Work Values

Support — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Relationships — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Independence — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Related Occupations

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13-1032.00	Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage
29-2071.00	Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
43-3021.01	Statement Clerks Bright Outlook
43-3061.00	Procurement Clerks
43-4041.02	Credit Checkers
43-4051.00	Customer Service Representatives Green
43-4151.00	Order Clerks
43-9041.01	Insurance Claims Clerks

Wages & Employment Trends

National

Median wages data collected from Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks.
Employment data collected from Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks.
Industry data collected from Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks.

Median wages (2011)	$16.93 hourly, $35,210 annual
Employment (2010)	248,000 employees
Projected growth (2010-2020)	Slower than average (3% to 9%)
Projected job openings (2010-2020)	96,000
Top industries (2010)	Finance and Insurance

State & National

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2011 wage data and 2010-2020 employment projections . "Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2010-2020). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.

Sources of Additional Information

Disclaimer: Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries. Links to non-DOL Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.

Financial Clerks . Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition.

Summary Report for: 43-9041.02 - Insurance Policy Processing Clerks