Ongoing natural catastrophes are continuing to bolster demand for claims and assessment staff, according to recruitment specialist Hays.

The July-September quarter forecast says that even six months after the flood and cyclone catastrophes, “organisations are still dealing with a backlog of claims, creating ongoing staffing needs”.

And the demand on succession planning is also seeing high recruitment possibilities in all levels of insurance, including the more technical roles of underwriters, loss adjusters and account executives.

Hays says while there is not a shift from the previous year’s level of skill shortages, there is increasing demand for the insurance industry to plan for a future without the Baby Boomer generation.

“Broking demand for account executives remains high, particularly for entry-level candidates to service existing clients and ensure future succession planning,” the report said.

The continuing level of skills shortages in these technical areas is also opening the door for less qualified candidates, with employers remaining flexible in their expectations.

“When recruiting in claims many employers have employed individuals with good phone-based experience and strong customer service skills but no direct insurance experience in order to handle the volume,” Hays said.

“And as well as providing a vital injection to Australia’s insurance talent pool, many of these candidates have achieved exceptional results in customer service roles and are being promoted into senior claims positions.”

Hays believe there is plenty of room for permanent and temporary vacancy activity during this quarter, with a particular focus on claims and technical skilled positions.

The report says the use of temporary staff has also increased with most being used to help support claims activity spikes.