1. Home: Explore careers
  2. Insurance risk surveyor

Insurance risk surveyor

Alternative titles for this job include Risk consultants, risk control surveyors, risk control advisers

Insurance risk surveyors carry out surveys of items that need to be insured.

Average salary (a year)

£22,000 Starter

to

£100,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

37 to 39 a week

You could work

9am to 5pm away from home

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become Insurance risk surveyor

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • applying directly
  • a graduate training scheme

University

You could get a degree before applying to join an organisation's management training scheme. Most subjects are accepted but you may have an advantage if you study:

  • actuarial science
  • building surveying
  • business and management
  • economics
  • engineering

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

More Information

Apprenticeship

You could complete a senior insurance professional degree apprenticeship.

This typically takes about 36 months to complete.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship

More Information

Work

You could start working as an administrator for a risk team to build up your skills and knowledge.

Your employer may give you the chance to take industry qualifications so you can apply for promotion to risk surveyor when you've got more experience.

Direct Application

You can apply directly for jobs if you've got relevant qualifications and experience in a related profession like building surveying, health and safety, engineering or fire safety.

Other Routes

Some of the large insurance companies run graduate training schemes. You'll usually need an upper second class degree in any subject to apply.

More Information

Further information

You can find out more about working in insurance from the Chartered Insurance Institute and Step Forward.

What it takes

Find out what skills you’ll use in this role.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • maths knowledge
  • knowledge of economics and accounting
  • legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • analytical thinking skills
  • the ability to work well with others
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • excellent written communication skills
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

What you’ll do

Discover the day to day tasks you’ll do in this role.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

In your day-to-day duties you could:

  • carry out commercial and personal surveys
  • check building plans and fire protection systems
  • prepare risk reports and recommendations for underwriters
  • advise clients on how to reduce the risk of future insurance claims
  • work closely with health and safety inspectors and fire officers
  • monitor the work of the risk control team
  • keep up to date with technical issues affecting risk, like hazardous materials

Working environment

You could work in an office or visit sites.

Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time and you'll travel often.

Career path and progression

Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities.

Career path and progression

You could become a senior surveyor, head of a risk management department, or lead a compliance and governance unit.

You could also move into insurance loss adjusting or set up your own consultancy.

Current opportunities

Find apprenticeships, courses and jobs available near you.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

We can't find any apprenticeship vacancies in England for an Insurance risk surveyor right now.

The Find an apprenticeship service can help you with your search, send alerts when new apprenticeships become available and has advice on how to apply.

Courses In England

A Level Business Studies

  • Provider: PARK HALL ACADEMY
  • Start date: 04 September 2025
  • Location: BIRMINGHAM

Business Studies

  • Provider: GEORGE ABBOT SCHOOL
  • Start date: 03 September 2025
  • Location: Guildford

Jobs In the United Kingdom

The Find a job service can help you with your search for jobs and send alerts when new jobs become available.

Skills assessment

Take an assessment to learn more about your skills and the careers that might suit you.

Is this page useful?

Yes No

Thank you for your feedback.

Thank you for your feedback. Click here if you'd like to let us know how we can improve the service.