Insurance risk surveyor
Check buildings, machinery and other possessions that people want to protect with insurance. Spot dangers and explain how to make things safer.
Also known as: risk control surveyor, risk control adviser, risk consultant
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About the job
Salary
Source: National Careers Service
Weekly
£423
Entry level
£1,923
Experienced
Monthly
£1,833
Entry level
£8,333
Experienced
Yearly
£22,000
Entry level
£100,000
Experienced
13,500
people are currently employed
High growth
800 more jobs in 5 years
These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics
What it's like
You would check buildings, machinery and other possessions that people want to protect with insurance. You’d spot issues that that could be a potential danger and explain to people how to make things safer.
You could do surveys of buildings, machinery, transport and other sites or items that need to be insured. You’d then report back to insurance underwriters who would then decide how much to charge for the insurance policy, and the terms and conditions of the policy.
You would normally assess the risks related to one of these specialised areas:
Fire and perils – examine plans, construction and fire protection systems
Accidents and liability – find possible risks to employees, customers and visitors on a building or site
Engineering insurance – look for faults and risks in mechanical and industrial plants, machinery and equipment
Burglary and theft – inspect business premises to check security and storage methods
In all these areas you explain the issues clearly to people who are not experts, and persuade them that it would be better to make some changes. You’d make sure that the companies understand the risks and have put in place a plan to manage the risks. You would make sure that they have introduced good health and safety procedures.
You would usually work for general insurance companies, brokers, firms of specialist surveyors or local authorities.
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Hours
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Environment
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Travel
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Financial services
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:
- taking responsibility
- negotiating
- reliable
- time management
- developing a plan
- attention to detail
- observation
- problem solving
- verbal communication
- cooperating
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Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore the sections shown for more information about getting into this career.
You might have qualifications which are not shown here but will allow you access to a course. You can compare your qualifications by looking at their SCQF Level. For more information about this, check out the SCQF website.
Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Accounting
Business
Mathematics
Statistics
Foundation Apprenticeship: Financial Services
Foundation Apprenticeship: Accountancy
Applications of Mathematics
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
Though there are no set routes to enter this job most entrants have an honours degree at 2.1 or above and considerable industry experience in insurance/underwriting.
Any degree subject is acceptable, but science or technologies, financial, business studies or risk management qualifications are particularly helpful.
Once in the job further professional qualifications are available from the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), the Institute of Risk Management (IRM) or National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH).
Technical Modern Apprenticeship in Insurance (SVQ level 4).
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