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Underwriting manager skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted experts

D. Pace Porter,

Max Wilson

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical underwriting manager skills. We ranked the top skills for underwriting managers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 13.3% of underwriting manager resumes contained customer service as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an underwriting manager needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 underwriting manager skills for your resume and career

1. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how underwriting managers use customer service:

Monitored calls, resolved escalated issues, and if necessary working with my senior management directly for customer service satisfaction
Managed Risk Selection Underwriting team of 12 Underwriters which included responsibility for employee performance, customer service and expenditures.

2. Portfolio

Here's how underwriting managers use portfolio:

Manage the execution of underwriting, portfolio analysis and account- based decision making in accordance with established guidelines and processes.
Review and decision Jumbo loans, escalations and portfolio requests to ensure accuracy and overall projected performance.

3. Risk Management

Risk management is the method of recognizing, evaluating, and managing risks to an organization's resources and profits. Financial insecurity, regulatory liability, strategic management mistakes, incidents, and natural hazards are just some of the challenges or dangers that could arise. For digitalized businesses, IT security vulnerabilities and data-related threats, as well as risk management techniques to mitigate them, have become top priorities.

Here's how underwriting managers use risk management:

Manage a team of residential mortgage underwriters ensuring compliance with established policies, procedures and risk management.
Handled risk management and assessment functions used for ensuring the integrity of property - the primary collateral for the loans originated.

4. Underwriting Guidelines

Underwriting guidelines are a set of rules and requirements an insurer provides to its agents and underwriters. The underwriter then uses these instructions to judge the prospective insured, whether to accept, modify or reject it. These guidelines help the insurers set the criteria for the customer and let them know the amount of money that should be offered to the client, or whether not to offer an insurance policy in the first place.

Here's how underwriting managers use underwriting guidelines:

Review pricing/product and underwriting guidelines to maximize competitiveness
Coordinated the launch of the FSB Mortgage Lending Division, which primarily encompassed formulating operation procedures, and defining underwriting guidelines.

5. Financial Statements

A financial statement is a report of an individual or a company that includes all the information about the declared assets, the use of money, income, and also the contribution of shareholders over a certain period.

Here's how underwriting managers use financial statements:

Analyze commercial credit reports Analyze merchant financial statements Provide analysis to upper management for merchants with annual revenue up to $50MM
Reviewed applicant's credit status, including income, tax returns and related financial statements, to establish credit acceptability.

6. Underwriting Process

Here's how underwriting managers use underwriting process:

Supported other regional offices with evaluation of underwriting processes which result in establishing consistency and compliance with best practices.
Provide recommendations to lenders on methods of improving loan quality and integrating technology in loan underwriting processes.

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7. Performance Management

Here's how underwriting managers use performance management:

Drive efficient and accurate service delivery through solid coaching, communication, and performance management practices.
Developed and implemented Performance Management of underwriting staff per policy and procedures.

8. Credit Policy

A credit policy encompasses guidelines that constitute the amount of credit granted, along with means and methods of collections for delinquent accounts. A credit policy typically addresses credit terms, credit limits, information requirements, and collection progression. The credit policy is tweaked to match business strategies and reflect any change in economic conditions.

Here's how underwriting managers use credit policy:

Recommend changes to credit policy to ensure lending objectives are achieved and adherence to regulatory compliance.
Assist with Credit Policy development and implementation.

9. Profitable Growth

Here's how underwriting managers use profitable growth:

Worked closely with the State Executive to develop programs to encourage profitable growth in all lines.
Implemented agency management process to review profitability and strategic alignment of agency plant, which resulted in profitable growth.

10. Underwriting Decisions

Here's how underwriting managers use underwriting decisions:

Measure all mortgage loan submissions for underwriting decisions based on company quality control plans and investor/regulatory compliance.
Administered all ongoing audit procedures to ensure loan quality and integrity of underwriting decisions.

11. Commercial Property

Here's how underwriting managers use commercial property:

Evaluated commercial property and casualty risk by gathering data and determining whether to accept or reject based on researched information.
Experienced in underwriting complex commercial property referral accounts for property and casualty carrier for all lines.

12. Loss Ratio

Loss ratio is a term used in the insurance industry to represent the ratio of losses to earned premiums. The formula stands for adjustment expenses plus insurance claims divided by the total premiums.

Here's how underwriting managers use loss ratio:

Reviewed referral applications from underwriters and agents by analyzing loss ratios, investigative reports and other risk factors.
Implemented procedures to reduce backlog of unprocessed applications and achieve a desirable medical loss ratio.

13. Direct Reports

Here's how underwriting managers use direct reports:

Review monthly quality control loan deficiency reports while providing follow-up input to business unit and subsequent training to direct reports.
Partnered with direct reports to identify and positively impact performance trends and business results.

14. Strong Analytical

Here's how underwriting managers use strong analytical:

Applied strong analytical, problem solving, and decision making skills to achieve the highest quality rating in the company.
Review financial documents to determine workout eligibility and negotiation skills as well as strong analytical and problem solving ability.

15. Financial Analysis

Here's how underwriting managers use financial analysis:

Promoted to maintain profitability of Prudential's Houston Health Plan using strong background in financial analysis and underwriting.
Possess superior credit/financial analysis skills with the ability to make approval decisions and recommendations.

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What skills help Underwriting Managers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What underwriting manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

D. Pace Porter

Assistant Professor, South College

I am not a big fan of an accounting graduate, or any graduate for that matter, taking a gap year, but I understand if one must due to family or other legitimate reasons. You are entering a profession, not just seeking a job, so enter that profession. The accounting profession, including accounting, audit and tax disciplines, constantly changes. Therefore, it would be critical to stay on top of those technical changes in a gap year. Studies have clearly demonstrated that it is best to take the CPA exam as soon after graduation or completion of sufficient academic hours as possible. You can stay current through readings of professional journals and other resources. Other skills to enhance would include the "soft skills" of communication, critical thinking and analysis, and creativity.

What type of skills will young underwriting managers need?

Max Wilson

National Association of Health Underwriters

The ability to communicate with others is an essential skill that I have noticed many young adults have trouble with. Many of my peers have expressed difficulty when attempting to start a conversation with others. As an agent, communication is key. One thing I have noticed in the months that I shadowed an agent from Colonial was that many business owners do not realize how affordable some insurance policies can be. It's on my generation to be able to communicate these policies in effective ways.

What technical skills for an underwriting manager stand out to employers?

Dr. JP Krahel Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Accounting, Accounting Department Chair, Loyola University Maryland

First, Excel. It's the most basic, essential tool for the accounting professional. If you can come in on Day 1 knowing essential keyboard shortcuts, proper formula and reference use, and how to format a spreadsheet properly, you'll have an immediate advantage over your peers.

Second, believe it or not, is writing. People think that accounting is all about numbers, but really, it's less about the math (which Excel does for you) and more about being able to explain the deeper meaning behind the results. Can you explain complex depreciation methods to an audit client? Give bad news to a tax client in an understandable way? These are big deals.

Third is data analytics. Given the immense volume of data now available to firms, someone who can extract, clean, and present that data using modern software tools will have an edge. It's really another form of communication, and one that early-career accounting professionals would do well to familiarize themselves with before entering the workforce.

Do you want to know more?

List of underwriting manager skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for an underwriting manager resume and required skills for an underwriting manager to have include:

Customer Service
Portfolio
Risk Management
Underwriting Guidelines
Financial Statements
Underwriting Process
Performance Management
Credit Policy
Profitable Growth
Underwriting Decisions
Commercial Property
Loss Ratio
Direct Reports
Strong Analytical
Financial Analysis
Product Development
FHA

Va
Underwriting Quality
Underwriting Policies
Performance Reviews
FNMA
Tax Returns
Underwriting Functions
Loan Products
FHLMC
Renewal Business
Cash Flow
Credit Decisions
Credit Risk
Credit Reports
Account Executives
Quality Standards
Risk Analysis

SR
QC
UW
Mortgage Loans
Strong Negotiation
USDA
Due Diligence
Underwriting Authority
Underwriting Issues
SLA
Investor Guidelines
Training Programs
Credit Worthiness
Loan Applications
DU/LP

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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