Underwriting Consultant - Life Underwriting - Remote
About the role
At Symetra, we believe in empowering people to make a meaningful impact—and that includes our underwriters. As an Underwriting Consultant, you’ll bring your expertise, judgment, and curiosity to a role where thoughtful decisions truly matter. You’ll assess complex mortality risks with consistency and care, balancing sound underwriting principles with our commitment to meeting customer and market needs.
Responsibilities
- Review individual life insurance applications and underwrite standard and substandard risks within authorized limits of authority in accordance with department guidelines, including:
- Determining whether to accept, reject or modify life insurance risks by evaluation of applicant’s medical history, financial background, insurable interest and financial need.
- Conferring with other Consultant-level Underwriters and up, Medical Director, Director of Indv Underwriting and/or Chief Underwriter on complex cases and situations not established by practice.
- Obtaining second signature on cases that exceed designated underwriting authority.
- Maintaining established time service standards.
- Serve as a role model for other underwriters by establishing themselves as underwriting experts and as a “go to” person for underwriting issues; and
- Designee to handle high-visibility/high face amount or otherwise special cases.
- Communicate effectively with agents/producers to explain adverse underwriting decisions, while maintaining agency relationship and encouraging future business.
- Actively seek out/identify resources and projects to improve underwriting staff, and improve understanding of business line within the company and industry.
- Represent the underwriting function in inter-departmental meetings/projects.
- Represent Symetra at external functions as appropriate.
Qualifications
- At least 7-10 years of cumulative, relevant experience
- Proven analytical and problem-solving skills
- Strong attention to detail and ability to manage large caseloads and provide quick turnaround times while maintaining Symetra’s mortality standards
- Strong technical and financial underwriting skills
- Service-oriented with commitment to meet deadlines, prioritize and handle multiple tasks in a demanding work environment
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal)
- Mastery of underwriting principals, practices, insurance medicine, financial underwriting, field operations, product offerings and life insurance contract law
- Strong negotiation skills
- College degree preferred, high school diploma required.
Benefits and Perks
- Flexible full-time or hybrid telecommuting arrangements
- Plan for your future with our 401(k) plan and take advantage of immediate vesting and company matching up to 6%
- Paid time away including vacation and sick time, flex days and ten paid holidays
- Give back to your community and double your impact through our company matching
Who You Are
- At least 7-10 years of cumulative, relevant experience
- Proven analytical and problem-solving skills
- Strong attention to detail and ability to manage large caseloads and provide quick turnaround times while maintaining Symetra’s mortality standards
- Strong technical and financial underwriting skills
- Service-oriented with commitment to meet deadlines, prioritize and handle multiple tasks in a demanding work environment
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal)
- Mastery of underwriting principals, practices, insurance medicine, financial underwriting, field operations, product offerings and life insurance contract law
- Strong negotiation skills
- College degree preferred, high school diploma required.
What We Offer You
- Salary Range: $96,700 - $161,200 plus eligibility for annual bonus program
Why Work at Symetra
Here’s what some of our employees have to say about why they work at Symetra:
- “Working across different departments at Symetra has been a fantastic experience. What truly stands out is how much the leaders genuinely care about every employee, regardless of role. It’s inspiring to be part of a company so deeply focused on its people and committed to making a positive impact in the community.” - Bill G., Underwriting Consultant
- “Symetra is truly a great place to work. The positive work climate, strong sense of team, and the resources available make it feel like one cohesive family. What stands out most to me is the company’s deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion—it’s not just a statement, it’s an active and ongoing priority that’s felt throughout the organization.” - Charlotte G., Sr. Underwriter - Consultant
Stop Loss
For more information about our careers visit: https://symetra.eightfold.ai/careers
Work Authorization
Employer work visa sponsorship and support are not provided for this role. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States at hire and must maintain authorization to work in the United States throughout their employment with our company.
Identity Verification
Symetra is committed to fair and secure hiring practices. For all roles, candidates will be required (after the initial phone screen) to be on video for all interviews. Symetra will take affirmative steps at key points in the process to verify that a candidate is not seeking employment fraudulently, e.g. through use of a false identity. Failure To Comply With Verification Procedures May Result In Disqualification from the recruitment process Withdrawal of a job offer Termination of employment and other criminal and/or civil remedies, if fraud is discovered.