Sr Underwriting Specialist
About the role
The Long-Term Care Underwriter evaluates, classifies, and renders appropriate risk decisions on Long Term Care insurance applications in accordance with established underwriting guidelines, company standards, and service expectations. This position requires sound analytical judgment, strong communication skills, and the ability to manage cases effectively while supporting a professional and responsive experience for field partners, clients, and internal stakeholders.
Candidates with Long Term Care underwriting experience or relevant individual insurance underwriting experience will be strongly preferred.
Responsibilities
Field & Client Experience
- Establishes and maintains credible, professional, and effective communication with field partners and clients, including responding to case inquiries, appeals, and placement-related questions.
- Provides guidance and support to the Financial Network and Financial Representatives regarding case underwriting, risk assessment, and related underwriting considerations.
- Reviews and responds to prescreen inquiries in accordance with established underwriting practices and service expectations.
Underwriting Analysis
- Analyzes and appraises Long Term Care insurance applications; approves, classifies, modifies, or declines applications based on established underwriting guidelines and sound risk judgment.
- Independently reviews applications and applies Long Term Care underwriting standards, product knowledge, and risk selection principles with limited guidance as needed.
- Evaluates medical, functional, and cognitive information to assess morbidity risk and determine the best appropriate offer.
- Demonstrates ongoing learning and adaptability through the effective adoption of new underwriting practices, tools, and processes.
- Underwrites applications while maintaining expected morbidity outcomes, providing active case and requirement management, and delivering a customized service experience.
- Communicates and negotiates with field partners to explain modified or declined underwriting decisions and support policy placement when appropriate.
- Applies sound medical, functional, and cognitive underwriting assessment skills and identifies practical solutions to support policy placement when appropriate.
- Uses the most effective available resources to obtain necessary information, including medical records, digital health data, direct contact with the applicant, and communication with third-party advisors as appropriate.
- Consults with peer reviewers, medical resources, and technical staff on complex cases, as needed.
- Meets established quality, service, cycle time, and production expectations while maintaining underwriting integrity.
- Resolves case-related issues and escalations, seeking guidance as appropriate based on case complexity and authority level.
- Partners with Underwriting Support to facilitate effective case management and timely completion of underwriting requirements.
Cross-functional Leadership
- May serve as an underwriting representative on product, process, or operational improvement initiatives in collaboration with functional partners.
- Participates in additional projects as assigned.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience is preferred.
- Minimum of 1.5 years of traditional underwriting experience; Long Term Care underwriting experience is strongly preferred.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to make independent decisions, apply sound judgment, and interpret underwriting guidelines consistently.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain underwriting decisions clearly, handle confidential information appropriately, and exercise tact and diplomacy.
- Proficiency with computer applications and relevant software platforms required to perform underwriting responsibilities.
- Ability to work accurately while maintaining appropriate speed, flexibility, and productivity in both team-based and independent work environments.
- Strong organizational skills, including the ability to establish priorities, manage competing responsibilities, and meet established deadlines.
- Demonstrated agility and adaptability in managing multiple priorities within a changing work environment.
Skills
- Change Adaptability - Advanced
- Information Optimization - Advanced
- Underwriting Ecosystem - Advanced
- Customer Support - Advanced
- Technical & Digital Acumen - Advanced
- Customer Centricity - Intermediate
- Insurance Acumen - Advanced
- Information Gathering - Advanced
- Attention to Detail - Advanced
- Adaptive Communication - Advanced
- Consulting - Advanced
- Training, Educating & Awareness - Intermediate
- Data Application - Advanced
- Decision Making - Advanced
- Negotiation & Managing Objection - Advanced
- Mortality, Morbidity, & Risk Analysis - Advanced
- Learning Agility & Critical Thinking - Advanced
- Underwriting Practices - Advanced
- Reasoning - Advanced
Pay
Pay Range - Start: $70,320.00
Pay Range - End: $105,480.00
Geographic Specific Pay Structure:
- $77,360.00 USD - $116,040.00 USD (Structure 115)
- $80,880.00 USD - $121,320.00 USD (Structure 115 for California, New York City, or other eligible locations)
Final salaries are based on skills, experience, location, and other factors uncovered during the hiring process.
Benefits
- Flexible work schedules
- Concierge service
- Comprehensive benefits
- Employee resource groups