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Health underwriter vs insurance underwriter

The differences between health underwriters and insurance underwriters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a health underwriter has an average salary of $81,313, which is higher than the $64,163 average annual salary of an insurance underwriter.

The top three skills for a health underwriter include underwriting guidelines, medical history and risk assessments. The most important skills for an insurance underwriter are health insurance, insurance underwriting, and insurance coverage.

Health underwriter vs insurance underwriter overview

Health UnderwriterInsurance Underwriter
Yearly salary$81,313$64,163
Hourly rate$39.09$30.85
Growth rate-4%-4%
Number of jobs52,92639,026
Job satisfaction-3
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 69%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age4444
Years of experience--

What does a health underwriter do?

A health underwriter is faced with the responsibility of determining if an individual who has applied for a health insurance plan truly qualifies for it. This job is very important, as they will be tasked with ensuring that individuals do not only buy a health insurance plan when they are sick or require urgent medical attention. They may be responsible for choosing which risks a health insurance company will bear and the specific conditions in which clients' health will be covered.

What does an insurance underwriter do?

An insurance underwriter specializes in identifying and assessing financial risks in insurance policies. It is their duty to gather and review insurance applications, understand the coverage of policies and claims, determine a client's ability to uphold financial obligations by studying their personal information, and develop strategies to prevent the impact of risks and financial losses. They may also negotiate with external parties while adhering to the company's rules and regulations. Moreover, there are instances when an insurance underwriter must produce progress reports and presentations for managers and executives.

Health underwriter vs insurance underwriter salary

Health underwriters and insurance underwriters have different pay scales, as shown below.

Health UnderwriterInsurance Underwriter
Average salary$81,313$64,163
Salary rangeBetween $56,000 And $117,000Between $35,000 And $116,000
Highest paying City-Hartford, CT
Highest paying state-Connecticut
Best paying company-Citi
Best paying industry--

Differences between health underwriter and insurance underwriter education

There are a few differences between a health underwriter and an insurance underwriter in terms of educational background:

Health UnderwriterInsurance Underwriter
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 69%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Health underwriter vs insurance underwriter demographics

Here are the differences between health underwriters' and insurance underwriters' demographics:

Health UnderwriterInsurance Underwriter
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 40.3% Female, 59.7%Male, 33.4% Female, 66.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 2.5% Hispanic or Latino, 10.1% Asian, 5.8% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 2.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 5.7% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between health underwriter and insurance underwriter duties and responsibilities

Health underwriter example responsibilities.

  • Perform interpretation of resting EKG's.
  • Complete formal training and certify to read EKG's.
  • Complete industry relate courses obtaining both FALU and FLMI designations.
  • Determine if an APS or lab & /or exam are need.
  • Implement Loma & ALU test taking, product ordering and award presentation procedures.
  • Correspond with MIB and various insurance companies to verify MIB coding and identity details.
  • Show more

Insurance underwriter example responsibilities.

  • Manage patient's records, appointments, and account balances while adhering to HIPPA standards.
  • Manage A/R, A/P, credentialing, surgery scheduling, and coordinate patient referrals to other physicians.
  • Manage operating procedure and accounting systems for payroll, operating expenses, supplies and inventory management and commercial accounts.
  • Prepare all HCFA billing with proper ICD-9 codes and CPT codes for accurate turn around time on payments.
  • Follow up with insurance carriers and patients to expedite the recovery of payment obligations
  • File insurance and process billing and payments, coordinate patients financial arrangements, present treatment plans, verify insurance coverage.
  • Show more

Health underwriter vs insurance underwriter skills

Common health underwriter skills
  • Underwriting Guidelines, 37%
  • Medical History, 21%
  • Risk Assessments, 12%
  • Underwriting Decisions, 9%
  • Medical Underwriting, 3%
  • Life Underwriting, 3%
Common insurance underwriter skills
  • Health Insurance, 11%
  • Insurance Underwriting, 8%
  • Insurance Coverage, 8%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • Underwriting Guidelines, 7%
  • Insurance Products, 6%

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