Why Should “Office Manager” Pay More Than “Administrator”?
It sounds absurd. But it happens. One job pays more, even though the actual work is practically the same.
This isn't about who's better at Excel or who makes the tea. It's about risk; or at least, what insurers think the risk looks like on paper. And your job title? That’s one of the clues they use.
Tweak a word or two, and your premium might drop. Not because anything changed in real life; but because you've stepped into a different data bucket.
How Insurers Use Job Titles in Risk Calculation
Your occupation is part of your profile. Along with age, car type, postcode, and driving history, it feeds into the algorithm that estimates how likely you are to make a claim.
They don’t ask for a CV. They just want a title. But that title puts you into a statistical category. Some are seen as high-risk. Others aren’t.
And yes, even the difference between "actor" and "performing artist" might shift your quote.
What’s Considered a “High-Risk” Job?
Certain professions have a reputation; rightly or wrongly; for being linked to more claims. These might include:
- Entertainers and musicians
- Journalists or photographers
- Bar staff and door supervisors
- Delivery drivers or couriers
- Builders or scaffolders
- Students and unemployed drivers (less stable patterns)
It’s not personal. It’s probability. But it does mean that someone who lists their role a certain way might pay more; even if their day-to-day tasks are exactly the same as someone else’s.
How Wording Might Change Your Premium
Let’s say you work in a garage. If you list yourself as a “mechanic”, that might be priced differently to “technician” or “engineer”. Or take someone in design; “graphic designer” might return a different quote than “visual artist”.
The difference isn't always huge, but sometimes it's noticeable. And if you’ve got multiple cars or a tight budget, it adds up.
Is It Legal to Adjust Your Job Title?
Here’s the line: it has to be truthful. But there’s often more than one way to truthfully describe what you do.
If you manage a bar but also do the books and ordering, you might be “bar manager”; but “hospitality administrator” might also apply. One might trigger fewer red flags than the other.
The point is not to lie. It’s to be accurate; and flexible; when selecting from drop-down lists that don’t always reflect real jobs anyway.
What to Try (and What to Avoid)
- Check multiple variations; use different quote tools to explore similar titles
- Stick to the truth; don’t mislead, even slightly
- Match your title to how your role would appear on paper
- Avoid exotic or rare job descriptions; if there's a common word, use it
- Keep it consistent; especially if you’re asked for employer contact details or payslips later
This Isn’t About Gaming the System; It’s About Being Smart
Job titles aren’t protected species. They shift from employer to employer, and no two companies write them the same way. So don’t let a badly-worded dropdown box define what you pay.
Your job is your job. But how you describe it? That might be up for honest negotiation.
Final Thought: Don't Leave the Same Info in Every Time
It's easy to copy last year’s answers and hit renew. But the truth is, your quote might depend on small, seemingly irrelevant details. Your job title is one of those details. And now that you know that, why not try a few honest variations before locking anything in?
You might be doing the same job; but your policy doesn’t need to pay the price for lazy labelling.