Interviewing for an insurance attorney role? You’ll need to come prepared to answer some tough questions that hiring managers often ask candidates. Insurance law is complex and ever-changing, so interviewers want to make sure you have the right technical skills and mindset to succeed.
In this article, we’ll cover the 10 most common insurance attorney interview questions along with tips for crafting winning answers. With the right preparation, you can walk into your interview confident and land the job
1. Why Are You Interested in Insurance Law?
Insurance companies need attorneys who are truly passionate about this field since the work can be detailed and complex Don’t just say you want the job – explain why you’re drawn to the nuances of insurance law
For example, you may share how you enjoy unraveling complex problems and interpreting ambiguities in contracts. Or perhaps you find insurance regulations fascinating and want to help clients obtain the coverage they deserve. Specific reasons will strengthen your response.
2. What Skills Make You a Strong Insurance Attorney?
Hiring managers want to know that you have the right foundation to take on insurance law matters. Mention both soft skills and specialized knowledge.
For instance, highlight skills like:
- Strong analytical abilities to interpret policies and regulations
- Meticulous attention to detail
- Ability to explain complex issues clearly to clients
- Deep knowledge of state insurance codes and precedents
- Experience with claims investigation and adjustment
Back up your answers with specific examples of when you demonstrated these skills.
3. How Do You Stay Up-To-Date on Insurance Law?
Insurance rules and laws change all the time, so lawyers need to make learning new things a priority. Discuss how you stay on top of new developments.
For example, mention that you:
- Regularly review new case law and laws impacting insurance
- Read industry publications like Insurance Journal Magazine
- Attend conferences hosted by organizations like the American Bar Association
- Take continuing education courses related to insurance law
- Participate in LinkedIn groups for insurance lawyers to exchange ideas
4. What Challenges Does the Insurance Industry Face Today?
When you answer this question, the interviewer wants to see that you know about new risks and issues that affect insurers.
Some challenges you could mention include:
- Increased risk of climate change-related claims
- Rising healthcare costs
- Growing cyber threats and data breaches
- Sophisticated insurance fraud schemes
- Talent shortages as the industry workforce ages
Speak to 1-2 challenges in detail, demonstrating your understanding of their implications.
5. How Would You Advise a Client Filing a Claim?
Walk through the step-by-step process you would use to guide a client through filing an insurance claim.
For example:
- Review their policy and identify relevant coverages and limits
- Counsel them to take immediate steps to prevent further damage
- Explain the claims process and documents they’ll need to submit
- Help gather evidence to support their claim
- Communicate with the claims adjuster and negotiate if the offer seems unfair
- Outline the client’s options if the claim is denied, like filing an appeal
Your step-by-step description will assure hiring managers that you know how to successfully oversee a claim from start to finish.
6. An Insurer Denies a Client’s Claim. What Is Your Next Step?
Here, your response can highlight your ability to act in your client’s best interests when problems arise.
You may mention steps such as:
- Thoroughly reviewing the policy terms and claims documents to identify the insurer’s rationale
- Communicating with the claims representative to seek clarification
- Consulting external experts to assess if the denial has merit
- Presenting additional evidence to the insurer to get them to reconsider
- Advising the client on the appeals process and timeline if you still disagree with the denial
The key is emphasizing that you’ll leave no stone unturned in advocating for your client.
7. How Would You Handle a Client Who Becomes Upset/Angry?
Disputes with insurers can spark strong emotions in clients. Share your strategies for maintaining calm and professionalism.
For instance:
- Actively listen and let them share their full perspective
- Acknowledge their feelings and frustrations
- Refocus the discussion on practical next steps
- Present options firmly but empathetically
- Follow up after the meeting to continue building rapport
Hiring managers want to see you can diffuse tense situations.
8. Have You Handled Cases Involving [Specific Issue]?
Interviewers may ask about your experience with certain insurance issues like denied claims, bad faith lawsuits, or cases stemming from natural disasters.
Ideally, you can share 1-2 detailed examples that demonstrate your capable handling of similar situations they ask about. Use the STAR method – explain the Situation, Task at hand, Action you took, and Result.
If you lack direct experience with the issue they mention, highlight your foundational knowledge and eagerness to get up to speed quickly.
9. Where Do You See the Future of Insurance Law Heading?
This question tests your ability to think critically about industry trends. You could discuss shifts like:
- Growth of insurtech changing distribution and underwriting
- Increase in climate risk modeling and litigation
- New privacy regulations impacting claims investigations
- Rise of telematics and usage-based insurance policies
Conclude by emphasizing your interest in staying ahead of emerging developments.
10. Why Should We Hire You Over Other Candidates?
This is your chance to recap your top strengths and unique values you would bring to the role.
For example, emphasize:
- Your depth of insurance law knowledge
- Successful track record handling complex claims
- Relationships with insurance professionals
- Passion for protecting policyholders’ interests
- Willingness to take on new challenges
Keep your answer concise and confident when summing up why you’re the right attorney for the job.
With the right preparation, you can demonstrate your insurance law proficiency to prospective employers. Use these tips to craft strong responses that highlight your technical expertise, critical thinking abilities, and unwavering commitment to securing favorable outcomes for your clients. Come interview day, you’ll be ready to impress hiring managers with your mastery of insurance law and land the job.
What do you think are the biggest issues facing the insurance industry currently?
Currently, the insurance industry is facing several big issues, the most prominent of which is fraud. Fraud in the insurance industry costs billions of dollars every year and is thought to be the cause of 10% to 20% of all insurance losses.
- Another major issue is the threat of cyber attacks. Insurance companies are more likely to be hacked or have their data stolen as more and more information is kept online. It was found in a recent study that cyberattacks are most likely to happen in the insurance industry, right after healthcare.
- Insurance companies also have to deal with rising healthcare costs, especially when it comes to the rising demand for mental health services. A lot more Americans reported mental health problems in 2020 than in 2019, with almost 20% more reporting them in 2020.
- The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has also had a big effect on the insurance business. In 2020, there were more than 1 million insurance claims related to COVID-19. 7 million people, which cost insurance companies billions of dollars.
- The last problem the insurance industry has is that its workers are getting older. A recent report says that more than a quarter of the people who work in insurance are over the age of 55. A lot of these people are planning to retire in the next few years. This means that companies will have to fill a skills and talent gap.
Overall, its clear that the insurance industry is facing some significant challenges. Companies can adapt and do well in this quickly changing world, though, if they stay proactive and focus on new solutions.
What do you believe are the most important skills required for this role?
Based on my experience and research, there are several skills that are essential for a successful insurance counsel:
- Excellent Communication: As an insurance lawyer, you need to be able to explain complicated laws and rules to clients, coworkers, and insurance companies. If you can talk to people clearly and effectively, you can make sure that everyone is on the same page and that everyone understands the rules and agreements. In my previous job, I cut down on communication mistakes by 200%, which made customers happier.
- Paying attention to details: In the insurance business, mistakes can cost a lot of money. So, it’s important to pay close attention to details to make sure that policies, agreements, and contracts are free of mistakes. Based on my past experiences, I’ve created checklists and procedures that help me spot potential problems early on, which has dramatically improved the accuracy of my work.
- Strong analytical skills: As an insurance lawyer, you may have to figure out how to apply complicated insurance rules, policies, and contracts. It is important to be able to think critically and gather information from different sources before putting it all together. In my previous job, I was in charge of making the analysis of policy documents better, which led to a 30% rise in accuracy and a 20% drop in processing time by 2020.
- Ability to meet deadlines: The insurance business is based on meeting deadlines, so as an insurance lawyer, you need to be able to use your time well to make sure all of your deadlines are met. In my previous job, I cut the average wait time for a policy review by 2050% and the number of missed deadlines by 2050%.
- Focusing on the customer: The main goal of an insurance lawyer is to make policies that are legal, good for business, and meet the needs of their clients. Because of this, it’s important to make decisions with the customer in mind. Customer satisfaction goes up, which can lead to repeat business and word-of-mouth advertising. In my previous job, I focused on this principle to make customers happier.
Overall, these are the essential skills that an insurance counsel should have to excel at their job.
INSURANCE Interview Questions and Answers (Insurance Clerk, Insurance Broker, Agent & Manager)
FAQ
Why do you want to do insurance law?
