The Importance of a Background Check for an Insurance Company

Hiring managers in every industry need to be certain that the people they’re hiring are trustworthy, qualified individuals who will be able to perform the requirements of the position. However, when it comes to insurance companies, it’s even more important that hiring managers can believe an applicant’s qualifications.

After all, an insurance agent is responsible for handling very sensitive and personal information on a daily basis as well as dealing with client and company finances. In this article, we’ll walk you through the reasons why it’s so important for insurance companies to run a background check on every candidate they’re considering hiring. We will also give some insight into some of the perks of choosing to use the services at Affordable Background Checks.

Why It’s Important to Check a Candidate’s Background

Earlier this year, a reference checking company ran a survey of 400 job applicants and 400 hiring managers. In that survey, they found that a huge majority (78%) of applicants have lied or would consider lying about aspects of their accomplishments when submitting a job application.

That is an incredibly alarming number, especially for such a high-stakes job as insurance. What’s more, the study also found that a significant majority (66%) of hiring managers aren’t bothered by these questionable actions from potential candidates.

With these overwhelming percentages, it should be clear why it’s necessary to run a background check on every potential employee at an insurance company.

Insurance agents are regularly trusted to deal with information that needs to remain confidential. So, a hiring manager cannot always take what a candidate’s resume says at face value. When something as important as a client’s finances, livelihood, and health are hanging in the balance, hiring managers at an insurance company need to be absolutely certain that their employees are qualified for their roles. That’s where a background check comes in.

What People Lie About on Their Resumes

With so many applicants misrepresenting themselves in their applications, the only sure way to find the truth about their history is through a background check.

Some of the important things that a background check can help you confirm are criminal records, marriage/divorce records, contact information, asset records, bankruptcy records, legal judgments, birth records, and personal details. This means that with a background check, you’ll never have to wonder about a candidate’s story. Instead, you’ll have it all right in front of you.

A background check will help you see through some of the most common lies people tell in their resumes.

Education

People may alter their education records in a number of ways to make themselves seem more impressive. This could include claiming they received a degree from a university when they only took one or two classes, pretending that they attended a more prestigious university than they actually did, or saying that their GPA was significantly higher than the reality.

Employment Dates

People know that having time gaps in their resume might look bad to potential employers. However, instead of simply explaining the gap in an interview or cover letter, some people may attempt to close it by claiming they worked at a particular company for longer than they actually did. Alternatively, people may stretch out their employment dates to hide an employer that they don’t want to include on their resume.

Job Tasks and Skills

Applicants may augment or exaggerate their skills, such as saying they are fluent in a foreign language when they only took a class or two in high school. They might also claim to have specific technical skills like a familiarity with industry software, even though they only haven’t had experience with programs insurance companies utilize.

A Background Check Can Give You Hiring Confidence

At Affordable Background Checks, we believe that background checks are one of the most important parts of the hiring process, and they should never be skipped over because of the price. That’s why we’re dedicated to giving you the most thorough background check possible at the lowest possible cost to you.

If you’re in need of a reliable and affordable background check service, feel free to reach out to us here at Affordable Background Checks. We look forward to meeting you and helping your company achieve your goals by making the safest choices for your business.

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