20 QBE Interview Questions and Answers

When it comes to interviews, preparation is key. And if you’re hoping to land a job at QBE Insurance, you’ll need to know how to answer some specific interview questions.

QBE is a global insurance and reinsurance company with operations in all the key insurance markets. So, when you’re interviewing for a job with QBE, you can expect to be asked questions about the insurance industry, as well as questions specific to the company.

To help you prepare, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most common QBE interview questions, with sample answers to help you stand out from the competition.

QBE Interview Process

The interview process at QBE is efficient, straightforward, and enjoyable. The HR team and hiring staff are very prompt, transparent, and friendly. I had a positive experience with the process. Most of the questions are behavior questions and they really care about how your previous experiences will be matched with your exact job responsibility. The process was generally good, no hard questions. There were about four/ five video interviews and each interviewer are very nice. I went through my resume and answer questions based on my resume.

1. What do you know about the insurance industry?

This question is a great way to test your knowledge of the insurance industry and how it works. It also allows you to show that you have an interest in this field, which can be beneficial for employers who are looking for dedicated employees. When preparing for this question, make sure you research the company’s website and any other information about QBE Insurance to learn more about their operations.

Example: “I know that the insurance industry is one of the largest industries in the world. I am interested in working in this field because I enjoy helping others and providing solutions to problems. I think that being able to work with such a large organization would allow me to use my skills and talents to help many people.”

2. Why are you interested in working at QBE?

This question is an opportunity to show your enthusiasm for the role and company. When preparing for this interview, read through the job description and highlight any aspects that you are passionate about. Use these as talking points in your answer.

Example: “I am interested in working at QBE because of its reputation for innovation. I have heard many great things about how QBE has been a leader in developing new insurance products. This is something that excites me, as I love being part of a team that is pushing boundaries. Another reason why I want to work here is because of the company’s commitment to diversity. I would love to be part of a diverse workplace where everyone feels welcome.”

3. What is your experience with underwriting and risk management?

This question is an opportunity to show your knowledge of the insurance industry and how you can apply it to a new role. When answering, be sure to highlight any experience you have with underwriting or risk management. If you don’t have direct experience, consider discussing what you’ve learned about these processes in your previous roles.

Example: “I have three years of experience as an underwriter for a small general insurance company. In this role, I was responsible for reviewing applications from customers who were requesting coverage. I also worked with my team to determine which risks we should accept and which ones we should decline. This helped me develop my skills in identifying potential risks and determining how to mitigate them.”

4. How would you describe your work ethic?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your work ethic and how you approach your job. They want to know that you are a hard worker who is willing to go above and beyond for the company. When answering, think of an example from your previous job where you worked especially hard or stayed late.

Example: “I have always been someone who works hard. In my last position, I was working on a project with another employee when they had to leave early because of a family emergency. I stayed until midnight finishing their part of the project so it would be ready in time. It’s important to me to do whatever it takes to get the job done.”

5. Describe a time where you had to prioritize, how did you choose what comes first?

This question is a great way to see how you prioritize your work and what steps you take when doing so. This can be an important skill for any employee, especially those in management positions.

Example: “When I was working as a project manager at my previous job, there were many times where I had to prioritize tasks that needed to get done. One of the most common ways I did this was by using a Kanban board. I would start with the highest priority task on the left side of the board and move it to the right once it was completed. Then, I would add the next highest priority task to the left side and continue until all high-priority tasks were complete.”

6. What is your experience with analyzing claims data?

This question can help the interviewer understand your experience with a specific task that is important to QBE. Use examples from past work experiences or school projects to show how you used data analysis to make decisions and solve problems.

Example: “In my last position, I was responsible for analyzing claims data to identify trends in customer service issues. This helped me create new training programs for our customer service representatives so they could better serve customers who called into the company with questions about their policies. It also allowed me to see which areas of the business needed improvement.”

7. Do you have any experience with handling customer complaints or disputes?

This question can help the interviewer understand how you handle conflict and whether you have experience working with customers. Use examples from your previous job to highlight your problem-solving skills, communication skills and ability to work under pressure.

Example: “In my last position as a customer service representative for an insurance company, I had to deal with many complaints and disputes every day. One of my main responsibilities was to resolve issues quickly so that customers could get their questions answered or problems solved. If they were unhappy with our services, I would apologize and offer them solutions to solve their problems. This helped me develop strong communication and problem-solving skills.”

8. If hired, what are some of the issues you think will be facing the insurance industry in 5 years?

This question is a great way to see how the candidate thinks about challenges and opportunities. It also shows that you are looking for someone who can think critically about their industry and make predictions based on data.

Example: “I believe one of the biggest issues facing the insurance industry in 5 years will be cybercrime. As more people use connected devices, there’s an increased risk of hacking or other cybercrimes. I would like to work with QBE Insurance because it seems like they have already started preparing for this issue by hiring experts in cybersecurity.”

9. In this role we need someone who can make decisions quickly. Can you tell me about a time when you needed to make an important decision that impacted many people?

This question is an opportunity to show your leadership skills and ability to make important decisions. When answering this question, it can be helpful to describe a situation where you made a decision that impacted many people or saved the company money.

Example: “In my last role as a claims adjuster, I had to make a quick decision about how much we would pay out on a claim. The client was asking for more than what they were legally entitled to, but if we paid them too much, it could have cost us thousands of dollars. After speaking with the client, I determined that their initial request was reasonable and decided to approve the payment.”

10. Tell us about a time when you failed.

This question is a great way to learn more about an applicant’s character and how they respond to failure. It can also be a good indicator of their ability to learn from mistakes. When answering this question, it can be helpful to focus on the steps you took to improve your performance or behavior in the future.

Example: “When I first started working as an underwriter for QBE Insurance, I was responsible for reviewing many applications for insurance policies. One day, I noticed that one of my colleagues had approved a policy without my review. I immediately contacted her and asked why she didn’t submit it to me for review. She told me that she thought I would approve it because it was similar to another policy I had recently approved. After speaking with her, I realized that I needed to make sure all of my team members understood the process for submitting new policies for review.”

11. Where do you see yourself in five years?

This question is a common one in interviews, and it’s often asked to see if you’re planning on staying with the company for long-term. It can also be used to determine your career goals. When answering this question, try to show that you have plans for your future while also showing interest in working at QBE Insurance.

Example: “I hope to still be working here in five years. I’m very interested in learning more about the insurance industry, so I would like to continue my education in this field. In five years, I’d like to have earned my certification as an actuary.”

12. Are there any aspects of the job that you don’t feel comfortable doing?

This question is designed to assess your honesty and willingness to learn. It’s important that you are honest in your answer, but also show that you’re willing to develop the skills needed for the job.

Example: “I have a background in customer service, so I’m comfortable with phone calls and face-to-face interactions. However, I’ve never worked as an underwriter before, so there are some aspects of the job that I don’t feel completely confident doing yet. For example, I haven’t had much experience calculating risk or using modeling software. I am eager to learn these new skills though.”

13. How would you handle a difficult phone call from a client?

This question can help the interviewer assess your customer service skills. Use examples from previous jobs to show how you handled a difficult call and helped resolve it.

Example: “I once had a client who called me in a panic because they were late on their premium payment. I listened carefully to what they said, asked them questions about why they missed the payment and assured them that we would work with them to get caught up on their payments. They ended up paying us within two weeks of our conversation, and I followed up with them after that to make sure everything was okay.”

14. What other companies are you interviewing with?

This question is a great way for the interviewer to learn more about your experience and how you compare to other candidates. If you have multiple interviews scheduled, it’s important to be honest with the recruiter so they can understand why you might not be able to attend an interview on a specific day.

Example: “I am interviewing with QBE Insurance as well as another insurance company in town. I’m hoping to find a position that will allow me to use my skills and knowledge while also growing within the organization.”

15. What sort of things interest you about our company?

This question is a great way to show your interviewer that you’ve done some research on the company and are genuinely interested in working for them. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention something specific about the company’s culture or values.

Example: “I’m really impressed by how much QBE has invested in its employees’ professional development. I read an article recently where you talked about offering free online courses to all of your employees. That’s so impressive because it shows that you care about your employees’ success and want to help them grow as professionals.”

16. What was your best year as an underwriter?

This question is a great way to learn more about your potential new employer. It’s also an opportunity for you to share some of your best work and accomplishments.

Example: “My best year as an underwriter was when I closed out my portfolio with zero losses. This was the first time in company history that this happened, so it was quite an accomplishment. The company rewarded me with a trip to Hawaii, which was a nice bonus.”

17. Have you ever been involved in litigation regarding an insurance policy?

This question is a way for the interviewer to assess your experience with handling claims and disputes. If you have, explain what happened in detail and how it helped you develop skills that are relevant to this role.

Example: “I once had a client who was involved in an accident while driving my company’s car. The client claimed he wasn’t at fault but refused to provide any evidence of his claim. I contacted him several times requesting proof of his statement, but he never responded. Eventually, we settled out of court because he didn’t want to pay for the repairs.”

18. When was the last time you made an error at work, how did you resolve it?

This question is designed to assess your problem-solving skills and ability to learn from mistakes. When answering this question, it can be helpful to provide a specific example of an error you made in the past and how you resolved it.

Example: “In my previous role as a claims adjuster, I was working on a claim where I had to determine whether or not the client’s property damage was covered under their policy. In my haste to complete the task, I overlooked a clause that would have excluded the damage from coverage. Fortunately, I caught my mistake before submitting the report to the client. I went back through the entire process again, ensuring that all aspects were accounted for.”

19. What does integrity mean to you?

This question is a great way to determine if the company’s values align with your own. When answering, it can be helpful to mention how you’ve demonstrated integrity in past roles and what steps you would take to uphold this value at QBE Insurance.

Example: “Integrity means being honest and trustworthy. In my last role as an underwriter, I had a client who was unhappy with their policy because they thought we were denying them coverage for a claim. After speaking with them, I realized that they didn’t understand some of the terms of their policy. I explained everything to them so they understood why we weren’t covering their claim. They were happy with our response and even referred us more business.”

20. What kind of projects have you worked on before?

This question is a great way to show your interviewer that you have experience working on projects and can handle the responsibilities of this role. When answering, it’s important to highlight any previous work experiences that are relevant to this position.

Example: “In my last job as an underwriter for a general insurance company, I was responsible for assessing risk and determining premiums for clients. This included analyzing client information, such as their financial history and claims history, to determine how much they should pay in premiums. I also worked with other underwriters to ensure we were all making fair assessments.”