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CAREER PROFILE

Insurance Underwriters

Insurance underwriters help insurance companies decide whether to approve applications and what terms to offer. They review information about people, property, or businesses, check risks, set premiums, and make sure policies follow rules. The job involves careful reading, math, record keeping, and clear communication with clients and colleagues. If you enjoy business, English, and math, and like analyzing details to make fair decisions, this career could be a good fit.

EDUCATION ROUTEMultiple pathways
WORK STYLEVaries by role
CAREER FIELDFinance

HOW TO GET THERE

Typical pathway

A typical pathway is to finish secondary school with courses in English, math, and business, then start in a junior insurance or office role to learn how applications and policy documents are handled. Some people also take a college program in insurance, business, accounting, or a related field, depending on employer needs. Early experience with customer service, records, data entry, and careful reviewing of information can help. Employers usually look for strong reading, math, and communication skills, and some roles may prefer knowledge of insurance products, rules, and risk assessment.

THE WORK

What you may do

Legacy duties

  • Review individual and group applications for automobile, fire, health, liability, life, property, marine, aircraft and other insurance
  • Evaluate new and renewal applications to determine insurance risks, insurance premiums, extent of insurance coverage and other conditions of the insurance contract using medical reports, rate tables and other documents and reference materials, adjust premiums, coverage or risk itself to make acceptance of new and renewal applications possible
  • Approve sale of insurance policies and ensure compliance with government regulations
  • Provide recommendations on individual or group insurance plan designs
  • Provide underwriting advice and answer inquiries from clients and from insurance agents, consultants and other company personnel
  • Prepare underwriting reports and update insurance forms when necessary.

SKILLS TO BUILD

Skills used in this Career

Computer LiteracyData AnalysisRecord Keeping

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