Outdated job title list causing insurance headaches for drivers
Thu, 06 Jul 2023
An outdated list of job titles could be putting motorists at risk of having invalid insurance, according to temporary insurance specialists GoShorty.
In a bizarre turn of events, selecting the wrong job title from a drop-down menu when applying for car insurance can potentially render the policy invalid.
Unfortunately, an outdated job title register, widely relied upon across the insurance industry, is forcing drivers to switch careers on paper in order to obtain appropriate coverage.
Not a single one of LinkedIn's top 20 most popular job titles of 2022 is included in the job title register used by insurers. This outdated register fails to account for emerging and modern industry roles in fields such as digital marketing, analytics and artificial intelligence (AI).
LinkedIn's most sought-after job searches of 2022 included positions like Customs Officer, Machine Learning Engineer, Import Specialist and Business Development Representative.
Astonishingly, these job titles, along with many other emerging roles, are completely absent from the insurers' job title register. It becomes evident that the insurance industry is not keeping up with the changing landscape of modern professions.
In contrast, when it comes to choosing a job title for insurance purposes, individuals are presented with a list that includes several antiquated options.
According to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), eight of these job titles are currently non-existent in the UK.
The list includes titles like Bacon Curer, Chicken Chaser, Clapper, Wrestler and Water Diviner. It seems comical that the majority of vehicle insurers still rely on a job title register that includes such outdated and irrelevant options.
While there are clear boundaries regarding the accuracy of job titles in insurance applications, there is a growing trend where applicants are compelled to choose options that do not accurately describe their profession but are the closest match available.
This grey area presents challenges for individuals who want their insurance policy to align with their actual occupation.
"If, as is increasingly common, a job title for an emerging industry isn’t featured on the register, people might be forced into choosing a profession that doesn’t accurately represent their job - without it being an out-and-out lie," says Matt Wood, director of data and pricing at GoShorty.
"Huge gaps between emerging sectors - including the likes of AI - which are rapidly recruiting across the globe, and the list workers are presented with, represent an industry stuck in the past. Should an AI engineer really be representing their job as that of a mechanic?"
"Of course, as with everything in the world of insurance - there’s a grey area. Whilst there are clear lines drawn - a scaffolder can’t list their profession as a nurse without invalidating their insurance, for instance - steadily, applicants are being forced to choose options which are neither true or untrue, but the closest match they can find," he adds.
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