Underwriter

About the Role

Underwrite a profitable and growing book of business with acceptable loss and expense ratios while maintaining strong agency relationships and supporting corporate goals.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate risks for acceptance, renewal, modification, or declination within established departmental underwriting criteria and individual authority documents to produce an underwriting profit.
• Analyze underwriting information such as applications, change requests, inspections, credit reports, MVRs, and cost estimators. Evaluate alternative outcomes, make appropriate underwriting decisions, and include proper and accurate file documentation. Performance will be measured by underwriting audit scores and total profitability of the territory.
• Answer questions from agents and other team members concerning risk analysis, eligibility, underwriting rules, rating, and company practices and procedures.
• Evaluate the underwriting results of the assigned territory and make recommendations for corrective action as necessary. Participate in feedback for Product Managers, evaluation of the agency force, and development of underwriting guidelines. Territory size, reflected by total written premium, indicates the level of responsibility and skill required.
• Communicate with agents in a professional manner to:
  • Explain the reasons behind underwriting decisions.
  • Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability as risk or market conditions change.
  • Build professional working relationships with agents, customers, and other company personnel.
  • Use persuasion and influencing skills to encourage application submissions, business retention, appropriate coverage sales, and loss control promotion.
• Look up policy information using computer systems and databases to answer policy, coverage, and billing questions.
• Participate in marketing efforts, including agency visits, company/agency meetings, and training sessions.
• Complete special assignments and other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Develop a strong knowledge and understanding of rating requirements and policy forms within your underwriting responsibilities.
• Demonstrate effective time management, organizational, and computer skills.
• Strong listening, decision-making, and detail-oriented skills with a focus on accuracy and efficiency.
• Active participation in team processes, both internally and externally, with excellent customer service skills.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree is preferred.
• Required to complete the Associate in Personal Lines Insurance (API) or Associate in Commercial Lines (AU) designation and at least one other insurance course within 48 months. Timing determined by the underwriting manager.
• Successful completion of the Personal Lines section of CIC and Associate in Service (AIS) program is also necessary.
• Completion of the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation is strongly encouraged.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

• Regularly required to sit, use hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, and telephone keypad, reach with hands and arms, and talk or hear.
• Occasionally required to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, or crouch.
• Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.