How to hire a personal lines underwriter

How to hire a personal lines underwriter, step by step

Here's a step-by-step personal lines underwriter hiring guide:

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

What does a personal lines underwriter do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The personal lines underwriter hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   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 personal lines 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of personal lines underwriters and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Personal Lines Underwriter	Description	Hourly rate
   Personal Lines Underwriter	Insurance underwriters decide whether to provide insurance and under what terms. They evaluate insurance applications and determine coverage amounts and premiums.	$20-53
   Mortgage Banker	A Mortgage Banker is specialized in offering financing to buy homes or refinance previous mortgages. They work as part of a banks loan department.	$4-37
   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:

   • Insurance Policies
   • Underwriting Decisions
   • Loss Ratio
   • Strong Analytical
   • Inspection Reports
   • Renewal Retention
   • Insurance Coverage
   • Insurance Applications
   • Loss Control
   • Risk Analysis
   • Risk Assessments
   • Risk Management
   • Underwriting Standards
   • Underwriting Territory

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

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

   More personal lines underwriter duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, personal lines underwriters' average salary in hawaii is 55% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level personal lines underwriters 61% less than senior-level personal lines underwriters.
   • Certifications. A personal lines 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 a personal lines underwriter's salary.

   Average personal lines underwriter salary

   $69,706yearly

   $33.51 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level personal lines underwriter salary

   $43,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average personal lines underwriter salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$96,649	$46
   2	Massachusetts	$88,660	$43
   3	Washington	$81,830	$39
   4	New Hampshire	$76,970	$37
   5	Pennsylvania	$76,749	$37
   6	Connecticut	$76,284	$37
   7	Michigan	$74,628	$36
   8	California	$74,505	$36
   9	Illinois	$72,997	$35
   10	Indiana	$72,428	$35
   11	Wisconsin	$71,619	$34
   12	Virginia	$71,224	$34
   13	Minnesota	$70,883	$34
   14	Maryland	$69,544	$33
   15	Arizona	$69,404	$33
   16	North Carolina	$68,681	$33
   17	Georgia	$68,613	$33
   18	Nevada	$67,753	$33
   19	Texas	$67,454	$32
   20	Ohio	$63,228	$30

   Average personal lines underwriter salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Capital Group	$111,779	$53.74
   2	AIG	$103,629	$49.82	82
   3	Chubb	$98,823	$47.51	245
   4	Berkshire Hathaway	$95,862	$46.09	8
   5	Odyssey Group	$89,244	$42.91	3
   6	American Family Insurance	$87,917	$42.27
   7	Odyssey Re	$86,863	$41.76
   8	Utica National Insurance Group	$85,717	$41.21	1
   9	Zurich	$84,956	$40.84	81
   10	The Hanover Insurance Group	$84,725	$40.73	74
   11	Frankenmuth Insurance	$84,226	$40.49	1
   12	Swiss Reinsurance America Corporation	$83,726	$40.25	9
   13	Ryan Specialty Group	$82,421	$39.63	42
   14	Gallagher	$81,488	$39.18
   15	Concord Group Insurance	$81,229	$39.05
   16	United States Liability Insurance Co Inc	$80,952	$38.92	3
   17	H. W. Kaufman	$80,399	$38.65	31
   18	Selective Insurance	$80,067	$38.49	31
   19	Donegal Insurance Group	$79,382	$38.16
   20	West Bend Mutual Insurance	$79,178	$38.07

4. Writing a personal lines underwriter job description

   A good personal lines underwriter job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a personal lines underwriter job description:

   Personal lines underwriter job description example

   Would you like a career where you have the opportunity to develop your skills awnd continuously learn? Do you thrive in a work environment where you must multi-task and have strong organizational skills? Are you a go-getter with high initiative, a positive attitude and strong customer service experience? If so, this could be a great opportunity for you!
   
   What You'll Do: As a Personal Lines Associate Underwriter, you will assure the continuous growth of the company by the selection of desirable personal lines business. You will assist agency staff in selecting and writing new business, as well as respond to underwriting questions and concerns from the agency force. These questions are answered via phone, email as well as workflow. Your duties will include re-underwriting existing business with the objective of modifying or eliminating undesirable risks in a manner that will promote the best interest of the company.
   What It Takes to Join Our Team:
   
   * High school diploma or equivalent plus at least 3 years of relevant work experience is required. Past insurance/underwriting experience is preferred.
   * Progress towards industry education is expected.
   * Must have excellent problem solving, analytical and organizational skills.
   * Strong customer service skills, including strong verbal and written communication skills. Ability to spend 30-40% of your day on the telephone, while spending the majority of your time at a desk.
   * Ability to work under pressure and shift priorities to achieve corporate and business unit goals. Must be able to meet deadlines.
   * Ability to negotiate and cope with stressful situations.
   * Strong computer skills are required to quickly learn our multiple systems.
   * Must keep up-to-date regarding local, state and federal rules and regulations to insure government compliance and meet company guidelines.
   * A valid driver's license and satisfactory Motor Vehicle Records are required (some travel including overnight stays may be required).
   * Work from our office in Gilbert, AZ.
   
   If this sounds like you, apply today!
   
   Work Authorization/Sponsorship: At this time, we are not considering candidates that need any type of immigration sponsorship now or in the future, such as additional or permanent work authorization. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time, permanent basis. We are not able to sponsor now or in the future, or take over sponsorship of, an employment visa or work authorization for this role. For example, we are not considering candidates with OPT status.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right personal lines 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 personal lines underwriter job on Zippia to find and attract quality personal lines underwriter candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit personal lines underwriters, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   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 personal lines underwriter

   Once you have selected a candidate for the personal lines underwriter position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new personal lines underwriter. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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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How much does it cost to hire a personal lines underwriter?