How to hire an insurance underwriter

How to hire an insurance underwriter, step by step

Here's a step-by-step insurance underwriter hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an insurance underwriter job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new insurance underwriter
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an insurance underwriter do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an insurance underwriter, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect insurance underwriter also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of insurance underwriters.

   Type of Insurance Underwriter	Description	Hourly rate
   Insurance Underwriter	Insurance underwriters decide whether to provide insurance and under what terms. They evaluate insurance applications and determine coverage amounts and premiums.	$16-55
   Closer	The duties of a closer depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around liaising with clients to ensure that they understand and adhere to all terms of the agreement, completing all requirements and necessary documents, and maintaining records of all transactions... Show more	$9-19
   Credit Officer	A credit officer is responsible for evaluating financial documents and account statements to determine the eligibility of an applicant for a loan option. Credit officers communicate with the applicant to discuss the loan process, explain the terms of service, and provide them alternative options that would fit their payment ability and loan needs... Show more	$40-94

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Health Insurance
   • Insurance Underwriting
   • Insurance Coverage
   • Customer Service
   • Underwriting Guidelines
   • Insurance Products
   • Phone Calls
   • Life Insurance Policies
   • Underwriting Decisions
   • Financial Data
   • Underwriting Process
   • Loss Ratio
   • Risk Assessments
   • Inspection Reports

   Check all skills

   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.

   More insurance underwriter duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your insurance underwriter job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An insurance underwriter can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, insurance underwriters' average salary in hawaii is 56% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level insurance underwriters 70% less than senior-level insurance underwriters.
   • Certifications. An insurance underwriter with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an insurance underwriter's salary.

   Average insurance underwriter salary

   $64,163yearly

   $30.85 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level insurance underwriter salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average insurance underwriter salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Connecticut	$91,598	$44
   2	Massachusetts	$90,903	$44
   3	Pennsylvania	$90,085	$43
   4	New Jersey	$87,779	$42
   5	New York	$87,139	$42
   6	Illinois	$80,895	$39
   7	Ohio	$76,839	$37
   8	Washington	$71,194	$34
   9	Michigan	$70,114	$34
   10	North Carolina	$68,328	$33
   11	Colorado	$68,137	$33
   12	Minnesota	$66,770	$32
   13	California	$65,682	$32
   14	Virginia	$64,824	$31
   15	Georgia	$64,715	$31
   16	Maryland	$64,373	$31
   17	Missouri	$60,930	$29
   18	Florida	$59,000	$28
   19	Arizona	$58,281	$28
   20	Texas	$50,293	$24

   Average insurance underwriter salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Citi	$111,008	$53.37	6
   2	Chubb	$95,625	$45.97	206
   3	GPAC	$88,756	$42.67
   4	Justworks	$81,419	$39.14
   5	MassMutual	$80,829	$38.86	11
   6	American Family Insurance	$74,492	$35.81	9
   7	Swiss Reinsurance America Corporation	$72,324	$34.77	5
   8	UCA General Insurance Services	$71,281	$34.27
   9	Jencap	$70,978	$34.12	14
   10	Hylant	$70,540	$33.91	10
   11	Brookstone Capital Management	$70,444	$33.87
   12	kWh Analytics	$69,746	$33.53
   13	KENSINGTON INVESTMENT GROUP INC	$69,727	$33.52
   14	Northgroup Asset Management Company	$69,727	$33.52
   15	TheGuarantors	$69,727	$33.52
   16	The Independent Traveler	$69,683	$33.50	22
   17	Fairmont Capital	$69,667	$33.49
   18	Kore1	$69,401	$33.37
   19	Distinguished Programs	$68,772	$33.06
   20	The Jonus Group	$68,397	$32.88	54

4. Writing an insurance underwriter job description

   An insurance underwriter job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an insurance underwriter job description:

   Insurance underwriter job description example

   Description - External
   
   Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurer. With operations in 54 countries, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. The company is distinguished by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength, underwriting excellence, superior claims handling expertise and local operations globally.
   
   Position Description:
   
   The underwriter has responsibility to manage a renewal book and generate new businesss. This underwriter will handle package, auto, workers compensation, and umbrella lines with a focus on middle market customers. Underwriting duties will include developing and negotiating price, coverage, terms and conditions for all new business and renewals while actively identifying account rounding opportunities for other Chubb practices. This position must collaborate with other underwriters, operations, claims, marketing, and home office management as necessary. The underwriter must implement and manage effective pricing and rate strategies that will produce profitability, book growth, and successful producer relations. We are looking for a candidate who is highly motivated, results-oriented with solid business and underwriting acumen.
   
   Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:
   
   * Candidate will have experience in multi-line P&C underwriting including Property, Liability, Auto, Work Comp and Umbrella.
   * Strong sales and marketing skills are critical; must be able to demonstrate successful agency and broker management, including building, maintaining and managing producer and customer relationships.
   * Ability to identify opportunities for growth within new and existing production sources.
   * Knowledge of marketing principles, pricing/rate strategies and how to apply them to attain underwriting profit.
   * Candidate must possess a high degree of proficiency with the underwriting process, with a solid background in risk analysis.
   * Candidate must have ability to effectively interact with all levels of customers and collaborate with a team of underwriters, claims and loss control personnel.
   * Knowledge and proficiency with technical issues, compliance, coverage, products and pricing strategies expected.
   
   Chubb strives to offer a diverse and inclusive and rewarding work environment. Teamwork and mutual respect are central to how Chubb operates and we believe the best solutions draw upon diverse perspectives, experiences and skills. We operate in such a way where everyone, regardless of their singular background has the opportunity to contribute to our collective success.
   
   Chubb offers a competitive compensation package and comprehensive benefits package including life, health and dental, vision, a generous retirement savings plan, disability coverage, stock purchase plan, flexible spending accounts, tuition reimbursement, and business casual dress. At Chubb, we are committed to equal employment opportunity and compliance with all laws and regulations pertaining to it. Our policy is to provide employment, training, compensation, promotion, and other conditions or opportunities of employment, without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, transgender, national origin, disability, genetic information, veteran, or marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
   
   EEO Statement
   
   At Chubb, we are committed to equal employment opportunity and compliance with all laws and regulations pertaining to it. Our policy is to provide employment, training, compensation, promotion, and other conditions or opportunities of employment, without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, mental and physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, age, and pregnancy or any other characteristic protected by law. Performance and qualifications are the only basis upon which we hire, assign, promote, compensate, develop and retain employees. Chubb prohibits all unlawful discrimination, harassment and retaliation against any individual who reports discrimination or harassment.
   
   Qualifications
   
   Qualifications:
   
   * 1-3 years of experience in commercial multi-line underwriting preferred
   * Proven marketing and negotiation skills
   * Strong communication, interpersonal and time management skills
   
   EEO Statement
   
   At Chubb, we are committed to equal employment opportunity and compliance with all laws and regulations pertaining to it. Our policy is to provide employment, training, compensation, promotion, and other conditions or opportunities of employment, without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, mental and physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, age, and pregnancy or any other characteristic protected by law. Performance and qualifications are the only basis upon which we hire, assign, promote, compensate, develop and retain employees. Chubb prohibits all unlawful discrimination, harassment and retaliation against any individual who reports discrimination or harassment.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right insurance underwriter for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your insurance underwriter job on Zippia to find and attract quality insurance underwriter candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit insurance underwriters, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new insurance underwriter

   Once you've found the insurance underwriter candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new insurance underwriter. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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