If you’re a student in either the Police Sciences/Law Enforcement and Protection or Private Investigator Programs, you are developing skills in report writing, interviewing, investigation, and observation. While these skills are vital to the
law-enforcement and investigative fields, there is another related field in which they will also serve you in good stead — specifically insurance adjusting and claim examination.

Within the insurance industry, insurance adjusters and claim examiners play a crucial role. As defined by the Canadian National Occupational Classification; “Insurance adjusters investigate insurance claims and determine the amount of loss or damages covered by insurance policies. They are employed in claims departments of insurance companies or as independent adjusters. Insurance claims examiners examine claims investigated by insurance adjusters and authorize payments. They are employed at head offices or branches of insurance companies.”

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Handbook provides a good summary of the adjuster’s duties; “Adjusters plan and schedule the work required to process a claim. They might, for example, handle the claim filed after an automobile accident or after a storm damages a customer's home. Adjusters investigate claims by interviewing the claimant and witnesses, consulting police and hospital records, and inspecting property damage to determine how much the company should pay for the loss. Adjusters may consult with other professionals, such as accountants, architects, construction workers, engineers, lawyers, and physicians, who can offer a more expert evaluation of a claim. The information gathered, including photographs and statements, either written or recorded audio or video, is set down in a report that is then used to evaluate the claim. When the policyholder's claim is approved, the claims adjuster negotiates with the claimant and settles the claim. When claims are contested, adjusters will work with attorneys and expert witnesses to defend the insurer's position.”

According to Service Canada, demand for insurance adjusters is expected to remain stable; as such, there are many opportunities for aspirants to this field. In order to enter the profession, completion of secondary school is required and postsecondary education is preferred. The salary range is $20,000 - $49,999 per year for full-time employees. Since many of the skills that contribute to becoming a good insurance adjuster are those being taught in the Police Sciences/Law Enforcement and Protection and Private Investigator Programs, students and graduates of these programs might wish to consider a career as an adjuster or claims examiner. For more information about these occupations, contact the Insurance Bureau of Canada at: http://www.cba.ca