Insurance Internship
“Something I’ll take with me into my career is how important it is to like everyone you work with. Everyone here has been amazing, every department that I’ve been in, it’s been a pleasure for me to work under people who really care about me and want to see me succeed.”
Timothy Speir; Former Insurance Intern and Current Agent
The purpose of this internship is to introduce students to the major areas and departments of an insurance company. The insurance intern will be exposed to career opportunities in Underwriting, Claims, Brokerage, Information Technology (IT), and Human Resources.
Claims
The Claims Department strives to handle claims for and on behalf of our members in a prompt, fair and professional manner in accordance with any applicable contracts. The Claims Department employs a specialized claims model. Claims are assigned to representatives based on their area of expertise such as automobile estimating, property estimating, automobile and bodily injury investigation, or litigation.
While in the Claims Department, the interns will gain invaluable hands-on experience by engaging with various units, including auto, property, litigation, SIU (Special Investigations Unit), and Operations. They will have the opportunity to learn about processing and assessing claims from beginning to end, investigating fraud, and ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory standards. The exposure in Claims will deepen the intern’s understanding of the insurance industry and enhance their problem-solving skills, preparing them for a successful career in the insurance industry.
Underwriting
The Underwriting Department’s fundamental objective is to provide professional underwriting expertise, including support services, to our agents and members using established guidelines and sound business principles that will drive profitable results. Underwriting can be defined in several ways, which in the simplest terms, is the process of selecting and classifying risks according to the level of their insurability, so that appropriate rates may be assigned. The process also includes the rejection (or reassignment) of those risks that do not qualify.
While in the Underwriting Department, the interns will spend time in the following areas: commercial lines, personal lines, field underwriting, support operations, and development and training. The interns will learn about the different lines of business, risk appetite, the various form types and policies, inspection of properties with a field underwriter, liability risk evaluations, county office visits, and an overview of the mailroom operations and development and training.
Information and Technology
The IT Department is responsible for increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance Companies using technology and automation. The IT Department is responsible for the evaluation, acquisition, development, deployment, management and protection of all software, equipment, technology, system processing and data for the insurance companies.
During an intern’s time in the Information Technology (IT) department, an Insurance Intern will gain beneficial hands-on experience and insights into various critical areas. They will observe and participate in project planning and execution with the Project Management Group, learning about strategic planning and project risk management. Engaging with the Support Training Team, they will understand how training programs are designed and implemented. At the Support Desk Call Center, they will see how support specialists handle technical assistance and the importance of effective communication. In the IT Data Center, they will learn about data center management, including production cycle monitoring and print center support. Working alongside the IT Technicians Group, they will gain insights into troubleshooting techniques and hardware & software installations. Additionally, interns will spend time with the Software Development Group, gaining exposure to application and web development processes and methodologies. Finally, observing IT Quality Assurance Testers, they will understand the process of writing test cases and ensuring software quality. This comprehensive exposure will provide interns with a well-rounded understanding of the IT department's role in supporting the insurance company's business goals.
Brokerage
The Brokerage Department provides alternative markets for insurance products that complement and support the Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance profitability and Underwriting initiatives. Brokerage has an in-house, staffed insurance agency that partners with other insurance providers to offer GFB agents access to commercial lines and other specialty personal lines insurance products that do not fit the GFB Mutual Insurance Company guidelines.
The interns will spend time with Brokerage support and risk placement staff to observe various Brokerage functions such as new business & renewal quoting, binding & servicing of Brokerage Agency business. This includes real life scenarios in which Brokerage is asked to find P&C insurance coverage solutions for current & prospective GFB members for risks that are unacceptable/undesirable to GFB Mutual Insurance Company.
Human Resources (HR)
The Human Resources Department provides Georgia Farm Bureau support in the areas of recruiting, onboarding, employee retention, employee relations, payroll, compensation, and employee benefits. We serve as business partners that support the goals and mission of Georgia Farm Bureau. We align people processes with the values and goals of the organization through proactive efforts, modeling core competencies of trust, open communication, personal accountability, and mutual respect.
The interns will learn the life cycle of an employee and the procedures that include recruitment, onboarding, benefit administration, and employee relations. They will be introduced to the laws and regulations that impact employers and how HR complies with these requirements. They will be introduced to payroll processes as well as the functions of an HRIS platform. The interns will see how the role of Human Resources works with other departments to ultimately accomplish the goals of both the Federation and Mutual Insurance Company.
Follow us on Linkedin to stay on top of all of the latest positions.