How To Become An Underwriting Assistant: What It Is and Career Path

What is an underwriting assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

An underwriting assistant works in the insurance industry to support underwriters in the process of evaluating and approving insurance applications. They gather and analyze data, complete paperwork, and communicate with clients and agents. Underwriting assistants also ensure that policies meet standards and regulatory requirements. They provide underwriters with reports and recommendations. Additionally, they may assist in billing, claims processing, and customer service. Overall, an underwriting assistant helps insurers assess risk and provide coverage.

ScoreUnderwriting AssistantUS Average

Salary

3.2

Avg. Salary $41,000

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.6

Growth rate -3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.48%

Asian 3.89%

Black or African American 13.78%

Hispanic or Latino 14.38%

Unknown 4.28%

White 63.20%

Gender

female 79.83%

male 20.17%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress level

7.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.5

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an underwriting assistant?

Pros

Opportunities for career advancement within the industry
Potential for competitive salary and benefits
Satisfaction in helping clients protect their assets
Ability to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment
Opportunity to develop strong communication skills

Cons

High stress and pressure due to deadlines and client demands
Long hours and irregular schedules during busy periods
Exposure to confidential information that requires strict confidentiality
Risk of making errors that can result in financial losses for the company
May require working on weekends or holidays due to client needs

Key steps to become an underwriting assistant

Explore underwriting assistant education requirements

Most common underwriting assistant degrees

Bachelor's

54.4 %

Associate

21.4 %

High School Diploma

13.4 %

Start to develop specific underwriting assistant skills

Skills	Percentages
Insurance Policies	14.55%
Data Entry	9.82%
Loss Runs	8.74%
Strong Analytical	5.37%
Insurance Applications	4.92%

Complete relevant underwriting assistant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New underwriting assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an underwriting assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real underwriting assistant resumes.

Gain additional underwriting assistant certifications

Underwriting assistant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific underwriting assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for underwriting assistants include Associate in General Insurance (AINS) and Medical Assistant.

More About Certifications

Research underwriting assistant duties and responsibilities

Create and manage a file documentation checklist for all UW's and UT's.
Manage midterm transactions of assign book of business including: endorsements, cancellations and non-renewals.
Process documentation within manage database systems and ImageRight system for the legal binding of commercial insurance risk.
Assist underwriters in expediting new business, processing endorsements and/or modifying existing policies while achieving broker relationships.

Prepare your underwriting assistant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your underwriting assistant resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an underwriting assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable underwriting assistant resume templates

Build a professional underwriting assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your underwriting assistant resume.