In Aug. 2006, Claims Magazine published the National ClaimsWriting Test, a series of 25 objective questions that aimed to giveclaim professionals a “snapshot” of a their writing skills whenwriting up reports. Part two of the test goes further, offeringeven more breadth and accuracy in helping to assess the talents ofnew hires, and showing which people should be on a fast tracktoward management. It also helps identify the specific needs offuture writing training.

You are about to answer 25 questions about writing skills. Thesequestions range across a number of writing topics that were eithermissing from the earlier test or were mentioned in passing,including the formatting of inside addresses of letters,capitalization, organization, breaking up lengthy sentences,misused words, jargon, tone, use of apostrophes, serial commas,slash constructions, visual appeal of letters, and correctspelling.

Please note that these questions are not aimed at measuringknowledge of the claim industry; they are meant to measure skillsin and sensitivity to business writing, using common problems foundin property/casualty claim correspondence as its milieu. Of course,writing is only one aspect of a claim professional's job. They mustalso be decisive, adaptable, and versatile problem solvers —coincidentally, a skill set shared by effective writers. Goodluck!