Insurance Underwriters

Career Overview

Review individual applications for insurance to evaluate degree of risk involved and determine acceptance of applications.

Also Known As

• Account Underwriter
• Life Underwriter
• Personal Lines Underwriter
• Underwriter

Alternate Job Titles

• Account Manager Underwriter
• Account Underwriter
• Automobile and Property Underwriter
• Bond Underwriter
• Casualty Underwriter
• Commercial Credit Underwriter
• Commercial Insurance Underwriter
• Commercial Lines Underwriter
• Commercial Underwriter
• Credit Underwriter
• Direct Endorsement Underwriter (DE Underwriter)
• Excess Casualty Underwriter
• Field Underwriter
• Group Underwriting Consultant
• Health Underwriter

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

• Examine documents to determine degree of risk from factors such as applicant health, financial standing and value, and condition of property.
• Decline excessive risks.
• Write to field representatives, medical personnel, or others to obtain further information, quote rates, or explain company underwriting policies.
• Evaluate possibility of losses due to catastrophe or excessive insurance.
• Review company records to determine amount of insurance in force on single risk or group of closely related risks.
• Decrease value of policy when risk is substandard and specify applicable endorsements or apply rating to ensure safe, profitable distribution of risks, using reference materials.
• Authorize reinsurance of policy when risk is high.

Emerging Responsibilities

As this field evolves, you may also:

• Answer agents' questions about insurance coverage.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• English Language
• Customer and Personal Service

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

1. Reading Comprehension
2. Active Listening
3. Writing
4. Critical Thinking
5. Speaking

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Written Comprehension
• Written Expression
• Inductive Reasoning
• Oral Expression
• Oral Comprehension
• Deductive Reasoning
• Speech Clarity
• Problem Sensitivity
• Category Flexibility
• Speech Recognition

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Cautiousness
• Attention to Detail
• Dependability
• Integrity
• Achievement Orientation

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Relationships
• Independence
• Support
• Achievement
• Working Conditions

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree

On-the-Job Training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months

Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

• C++
• Microsoft Access
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Windows
• Microsoft Word

Tools & Equipment

• 10-key calculators
• Desktop computers
• Laptop computers
• Notebook computers
• Personal computers

Work Environment

• E-Mail
• Spend Time Sitting
• Telephone Conversations
• Time Pressure
• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled

Salary & Job Market

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$51,640
Median	$79,880
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$138,020

Workers Employed Nationally: 107,820

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.