(a) Claim assessment
Claim settlement is the main function of insurance adjuster. It has become the development trend of the international insurance market that insurance companies entrust insurance assessors to participate in claims settlement. Because insurance assessors are composed of experts from all walks of life, they not only have profound professional knowledge, but also have knowledge of finance, insurance, finance, economy and legal management, and have a good grasp of some big claims, especially some high-tech claims. The claims assessment of insurance assessors generally includes procedures such as on-site investigation, loss assessment and issuance of assessment reports. The responsibility of claim assessment is mainly manifested in the inspection, appraisal, liability determination and damage determination of damaged property.
(2) underwriting assessment
Traditional insurance assessors generally only do claims assessment, but with the development of economy and technology, insurance assessors gradually participate in underwriting. Underwriting assessment is mainly reflected in two aspects:
1. Evaluating the cash value of the insured property refers to surveying, inspecting and evaluating the subject matter insured, and evaluating its present value through scientific analysis, research and calculation, so as to determine the reasonable insured value and insured amount.
2. Assess underwriting risk. Insurance companies generally have to assess the risks of the subject matter insured. Risk assessment of some special subjects beyond the assessment ability of insurance companies can be entrusted to insurance assessors. Insurance assessors investigate, identify, analyze and predict the objective risks of the subject matter insured before underwriting, so as to make a scientific judgment on the nature, conditions, risk degree and scope of responsibility of the subject matter insured.
(three) to supervise and verify the loading and unloading of goods
In marine cargo insurance, shipowners or their agents often entrust insurance assessors to supervise the loading and unloading of goods on their behalf for the convenience of recovery in the future, that is, to monitor the subject matter of loading and unloading of means of transport and record the loading and unloading process. In the same transportation, the insurance adjuster may be entrusted by different shippers or consignees on the same ship to supervise and record the loading and unloading process of the goods, or be entrusted by the insurance company to supervise the loading and unloading of the insured goods. Therefore, insurance assessors can represent shippers, consignees, transportation companies and insurance companies with conflicts of interest at the same time, which is conducive to reducing their work and conforms to the principle of economic benefit.
(four) to participate in disaster prevention and loss prevention
Preventing disasters and losses is an important link in the development of modern insurance industry. Insurance assessors and the experts they employ are professionals with certain achievements and skills in the corresponding fields, and have good insurance knowledge. They can put forward pertinent opinions on the safety facilities in many links from the perspective of insurance, especially put forward reasonable suggestions and schemes for the disaster prevention and loss prevention of the subject matter insured by them, so insurance assessors play an important role in the disaster prevention and loss prevention of insurance.
(5) Coordination function
As one of the insurance intermediaries, the insurance adjuster is in a relatively independent and detached position, representing neither the insurer nor the insured. Therefore, it can coordinate and mediate the disputes between the insurer, the insured and their agents on the disposal and settlement of damaged property, ease their contradictions and strengthen their cooperative relationship.
(6) Information consultation
With the advantages of its professional technicians and expert network, and based on its long-term experience and data, insurance assessors can provide consulting services in insurance inspection, appraisal and evaluation, including risk consulting, disaster prevention and loss prevention consulting, inspection and loss determination consulting.
Further reading: How to buy insurance, which is good, and teach you how to avoid these "pits" of insurance.