Post job

Life underwriter vs health underwriter

The differences between life underwriters and health 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 $78,633 average annual salary of a life underwriter.

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

Life underwriter vs health underwriter overview

Life UnderwriterHealth Underwriter
Yearly salary$78,633$81,313
Hourly rate$37.80$39.09
Growth rate-4%-4%
Number of jobs16,76752,926
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age4444
Years of experience--

What does a life underwriter do?

A life underwriter is a person who helps give the insurer a detailed outlook on their health and presents them with a premium. An underwriter works for an insurance company and examines an insurer's eligibility for certain benefits. They then evaluate the application depending on their capacity to pay and their current health status. Also, they need to inform them about the advantages and disadvantages of having life insurance.

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.

Life underwriter vs health underwriter salary

Life underwriters and health underwriters have different pay scales, as shown below.

Life UnderwriterHealth Underwriter
Average salary$78,633$81,313
Salary rangeBetween $53,000 And $116,000Between $56,000 And $117,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between life underwriter and health underwriter education

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

Life UnderwriterHealth Underwriter
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Life underwriter vs health underwriter demographics

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

Life UnderwriterHealth Underwriter
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 41.7% Female, 58.3%Male, 40.3% Female, 59.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 2.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 5.6% White, 73.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black 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%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between life underwriter and health underwriter duties and responsibilities

Life underwriter example responsibilities.

  • Review individual mortgage origination/post origination documentation and perform database research.
  • Review individual mortgage origination/post origination documentation and perform database research.

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

Life underwriter vs health underwriter skills

Common life underwriter skills
  • Underwriting Decisions, 9%
  • Risk Selection, 8%
  • Health Insurance, 8%
  • Medical History, 6%
  • Strong Analytical, 6%
  • EKG, 5%
Common health underwriter skills
  • Underwriting Guidelines, 37%
  • Medical History, 21%
  • Risk Assessments, 12%
  • Underwriting Decisions, 9%
  • Medical Underwriting, 3%
  • Life Underwriting, 3%

Browse business and financial jobs