Commercial Underwriter

Job Description
Underwriter

Department:Commercial Underwriting
Reports To:Commercial Underwriting Manager
FLSA Status:Exempt; Regular Full Time

Location:Wisconsin
Primary Purpose
Formulates profitable commercial underwriting decisions by acquiring, evaluating, and analyzing information to make selection and pricing decisions that are consistent with company’s underwriting philosophy and in accordance with departmental and company guidelines and standards.
Essential Functions and Responsibilities
(Other duties may be assigned)
•Determines degree of risk by evaluating renewal and new business accounts for acceptability based on profit potential and company guidelines.
•Prices business by applying expertise and judgment in conjunction with company guidelines and underwriting decisions.
•Minimizes risk and improves profitability by communicating over the phone, through written correspondence, and through on-site visits with agents and insureds.
•Attracts business and improves relationships by traveling to agents’ offices as necessary.
•Acts a liaison by helping customers solve problems with other departments such as claims, billing, auditing, etc.
•Proposes recommendations by reviewing and analyzing Risk Control reports.
•Contributes to team effort by participating in scheduled underwriting meetings.
Key Competencies
The following competencies are specific to this position. These competencies are above and beyond the company competencies that all employees should meet. For more information, please refer to the Company Competencies Appendix at the end of this document.
•Dealing with Ambiguity: Can effectively cope with change, shift gears comfortably and handle uncertainty.
•Composure: Is cool under pressure and does not become defensive or irritated when times are tough. He/she is considered mature, can be counted on to hold things together during tough times and can handle stress. He/she is not knocked off balance by the unexpected and is a settling influence in a crisis.
•Customer Focus: Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers. He/she acts with customers in mind, establishes and maintains effective relationships and gains their trust and respect.
•Decision Quality: Makes good decisions based upon a mixture of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment. He/she is sought out by others for advice and solutions.
•Functional/Technical Skills: Has the functional and technical knowledge and skills to do the job at a high level of accomplishment.
•Interpersonal Savvy: Relates well to all kinds of people, up, down, and sideways, inside and outside the organization. He/she builds appropriate rapport and constructive and effective relationships using diplomacy and tact and can diffuse even high-tension situations comfortably.
•Negotiating: Can negotiate skillfully in tough situations with both internal and external groups, settle differences, win concessions without damaging relationships and be direct, forceful and diplomatic. He/she gains trust quickly of other parties to the negotiations and has a good sense of timing.
•Organizing: Can orchestrate multiple activities at once to accomplish a goal, use resources effectively and efficiently and arrange information and files in a useful manner.
•Technical Learning: Picks up on technical details quickly, can learn new skills and knowledge and is good at learning new industry, company, product, or technical knowledge developments. He/she does well in technical courses and seminars.
•Written Communications: Is able to write clearly and succinctly in a variety of communication settings and styles and can get messages across that have the desired effect.
Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Required:
•Bachelor’s degree in business, insurance or related field.
•2-5 years of current, relevant, commercial underwriting experience.
Preferred:
•5+ years of commercial underwriting experience with accounts similar to company’s accounts.
•Continuing education in the insurance field (i.e. CPCU, CIC, ARM).
•Experience working in a paperless office environment.
Supervisory Responsibilities
•None.
Working Conditions and Environment
•Most work is performed at the corporate location, with an office setting, indoor and climate-controlled.
•Some travel is required within assigned territory (at least 5 to 6 trips per year).
Physical Demands
•Light (up to 10 lbs.) lifting occurs frequently.

Company Competencies Appendix
At company, each position has its own unique set of competencies for performing the required work successfully. There are also some competencies that apply universally to our employees. These skills and attributes, known as company competencies, are characteristics that company seeks in all of our employees.
•Adaptability/flexibility/enthusiasm: Learns quickly, is flexible when facing challenges, welcomes opportunities, and remains open to change.
•Drive and perseverance: Can be counted on to meet goals, seeks continuous improvement, focuses on business needs, and takes responsibility for completing assignments.
•Fun: Takes work seriously, but not themselves.
•Integrity and trust: Is trusted, seen as truthful, and keeps confidences. He/she can present the truth in an appropriate, helpful manner and admits mistakes.
•Peer relationships: Works well with others despite differences that may exist, can be candid with peers, encourages collaboration, and is seen as a cooperative team player.
•Self-knowledge: Knows own strengths and weaknesses, is receptive to feedback, and learns from mistakes and successes.
•Time/priority management: Uses time effectively to accomplish assignments to meet organizational objectives.
•Work/life balance: Maintains an effective balance between work and personal life while understanding the need to meet organizational objectives.
REQUIREMENTS
•Bachelor’s degree in business, insurance or related field.
•2-5 years of current, relevant, commercial underwriting experience.
Preferred:
•5+ years of commercial underwriting experience with accounts similar to company’s accounts.
•Continuing education in the insurance field (i.e. CPCU, CIC, ARM).
•Experience working in a paperless office environment.
Supervisory Responsibilities
•None.
Working Conditions and Environment
•Most work is performed at the corporate location, with an office setting, indoor and climate-controlled.
•Some travel is required within assigned territory (at least 5 to 6 trips per year).