Interview Questions to Ask a Insurance Claims Adjuster Candidate
Questions that surface real evidence of fair, fast, well-documented claims decisions — plus what to actually listen for in the answer, not just whether they say the right buzzwords.
1. How do you investigate a water damage claim where the cause is unclear?
What to listen for: Expect inspecting the site, taking photos, interviewing the claimant, checking maintenance history, and reading the policy wording.
2. A claimant is angry that you denied part of a claim. How do you handle the call?
What to listen for: Good answers explain the reasons calmly with policy references, offer the appeal route, and stay respectful.
3. You suspect a claim may be exaggerated. What do you do?
What to listen for: Look for gathering facts, avoiding accusation, involving the special investigation team, and treating the claimant fairly until proven otherwise.
4. You have many open claims and a storm just created a wave of new ones. How do you organise your work?
What to listen for: Strong answers triage by severity and vulnerability, communicate timelines, and keep documentation complete.
5. What would you do in your first 30 days in this insurance claims adjuster role?
What to listen for: Whether their plan is grounded in the role's actual must-haves (claims investigation and policy interpretation) or generic ("get to know the team"). Specificity here signals real understanding of the job, not just interview prep.
6. Why are you leaving your current role, and why this one specifically?
What to listen for: Forward-looking motivation tied to something concrete about this role, versus badmouthing a past employer or vague dissatisfaction. Watch for whether their reasons actually match what this role offers.
A warning sign in this interview
Denying or settling claims by default without reading the policy and evidence, or treating every claimant as a suspect.
What to look for on the CV before the interview
Caseload handled, the line of claims and settlement accuracy.
Confirm before you make an offer
Any adjuster licence required where you hire, and the line of insurance experience you need.
People who may apply under another title
This job is also called Claims Adjuster, Claims Examiner, Claims Handler, Loss Adjuster. A candidate with one of those titles can be a strong match, so ask the same questions and judge the answers, not the title.
Frequently asked questions
How many of these questions should I ask in one interview?
3-4 is realistic for a 30-45 minute interview once you leave room for follow-ups and the candidate's own questions. Divide competencies across panel members rather than every interviewer asking all of them — see the Interview Scorecard tool for a structured version of this.
How is this different from the Interview Scorecard tool?
This page is a generic starting point for the insurance claims adjuster role. The tool generates a full panel-ready kit — competency-grouped questions, a 1-5 rating rubric, and strong/weak answer examples — tailored to your actual job description and competencies.
What is a red flag when interviewing a insurance claims adjuster?
Denying or settling claims by default without reading the policy and evidence, or treating every claimant as a suspect.
What should I confirm before offering a insurance claims adjuster the job?
Any adjuster licence required where you hire, and the line of insurance experience you need.
Hiring a insurance claims adjuster? The rest of the toolkit
- How to write the job description →
Titles, must-haves, credentials and a starting posting.
- Search strings to find candidates →
Five searches from broad to narrow, with exclusions.
- Run the whole hire in one place →
Jobs, CV review, interviews, offers and checks together.