An insurance auditor is responsible for investigating potential premium and liability coverage changes for policy holders. You can become an insurance auditor after completing an undergraduate program in accounting. Your career prospects might be enhanced when you use an internship to find an area of concentration. The insurance auditing profession requires ongoing certification and continuing education from auditors. You can choose from a variety of local, regional, and national employers as you become an insurance auditor.
Your path to become an insurance auditor can start with an undergraduate degree in accounting. An accounting curriculum should provide intensive work with complex formulas and documentation needed for an auditing career. You can mix accounting courses with electives in insurance law and business to help you become an insurance auditor. A law degree with an emphasis in insurance law could help you land future promotions to management positions.
You can spend time during your junior and senior years in college as an insurance auditing intern. Your internship advisor might have contacts at a local hospital with an auditing department. Such an internship allows you to ensure accuracy in insurance paperwork for physicians and patients. You could become an intern with an insurance company and assist with business audits and premium adjustments.
Every insurance company and regulatory body looks for insurance auditors with proper certifications. You may need to pass a certification exam from an industry group representing insurance auditors, and your local or regional government might require licensing of insurance auditors prior to employment. A national government agency could make ethical training and audit certification mandatory for certain types of insurance.
You become more valuable to prospective employers when you stay educated about changes in insurance auditing. Attendance at regional and national conferences of insurance providers can keep you abreast of changes in audit procedures. You can impress your employers while learning about insurance trends by attending in-house seminars. You might pick up a few tips about insurance auditing by subscribing to insurance magazines and journals.
Your first job as an insurance auditor can define your career path over the next decade. You might want to stay close to home while ensuring reliable employment with a local insurance provider. Your annual salary, benefits, and advancement opportunities can rise if you work with a national insurer. You might be able to become an insurance auditor by applying for a temporary-to-hire position through a staffing agency. Another option is to apply for an entry-level insurance job that allows you to advance to an auditing job over time.