Photo: Department of Housing and Urban Development. Office of the Chief Human Capital O (Public domain)
Job description
Clerks review claim forms and related documents for completeness, contact policyholders directly when information is missing, and check policy details to confirm what's actually covered before a claim moves forward. Beyond claims, the role includes updating existing policies to reflect changes requested by customers or company representatives, and offering basic customer service like pointing someone toward a repair shop or contractor. It's a desk-based, indoor job with a steady, moderate pace, but precision is essential since a small paperwork error can hold up someone's payout.
Pros
- Pay can reach nearly $74k with only a high school diploma and on-the-job training required
- Predictable desk-based work with only moderate, not constant, time pressure
- Builds transferable knowledge of insurance policy and claims processes useful across the industry
Cons
- Employment projected to shrink over the next decade (-3.7%) as claims processing gets automated
- Requires sustained precision since errors in claims data have direct financial consequences for policyholders
- Work can involve delivering unwelcome news, like coverage denials, to upset customers
A typical day
The morning queue holds forty new claims to set up, each one checked before it moves: policy in force on the date of loss, coverage matches the claim type, every required form present and signed. Errors caught here save weeks downstream, and the clerk catches two by 10am — a transposed policy number and a missing signature page that goes back out same-day. Midday brings policy changes: a new driver added, a beneficiary updated, an address corrected across every system that stores it. The phone punctuates everything with status questions the clerk answers from the file or routes to the adjuster. The afternoon closes with a batch of payments processed and logged, and the satisfying arithmetic of a queue emptied accurately.
Tasks at the job
- Prepare insurance claim forms or related documents, and review them for completeness.
- Transmit claims for payment or further investigation.
- Contact insured or other involved persons to obtain missing information.
- Review insurance policy to determine coverage.
- Provide customer service, such as limited instructions on proceeding with claims or referrals to auto repair facilities or local contractors.
- Post or attach information to claim file.
Workplace & working conditions
Work happens indoors in a climate-controlled setting, and most of the day is spent sitting at a desk.
There's a regular, moderate amount of time pressure. Precision and accuracy are essential to the work.
Education necessary or common
High school diploma; some on-the-job training or apprenticeship
Licenses & certifications
- Microsoft Office Specialist certification
- AINS (Associate in General Insurance) — an accessible industry credential that accelerates promotion
- State adjuster license later if moving up the claims ladder
Career path
Related fields
Courses to take
- Business Math — premiums, dates, and payment calculations
- Computer Applications — claims systems and data entry accuracy
- Business or Intro to Business — how insurance actually works
- AP English Language or composition — professional correspondence
- Keyboarding — throughput with accuracy is the job's engine
Clubs, activities & competitions
- FBLA — insurance and office administration events
- DECA — business operations practice
- School office aide — real administrative experience
- Treasurer role in any club — records and money handling
First steps you can take now
- Learn insurance vocabulary basics: premium, deductible, claim, policyholder, rider
- Master spreadsheet fundamentals this month
- Practice data entry accuracy — speed matters less than a zero-error habit
- Apply for office or customer service roles at local agencies; the industry hires young and promotes
