What are the responsibilities and job description for the Underwriter position at Haas & Wilkerson Insurance?
Why Choose Haas & Wilkerson?
Being family owned, we understand what's most important: family. Supporting our team members and their families is at the forefront of our culture. We know the importance of great pay and benefits, but we also recognize the power in having a dynamic and diverse culture – and cultivating an environment that is encouraging, fun, and empowering. Our team members enjoy:
Being family owned, we understand what's most important: family. Supporting our team members and their families is at the forefront of our culture. We know the importance of great pay and benefits, but we also recognize the power in having a dynamic and diverse culture – and cultivating an environment that is encouraging, fun, and empowering. Our team members enjoy:
- Affordable health insurance with your choice of 3 plans.
- Generous 401(k) Agency match of 6% of your compensation.
- Paid maternity/paternity leave.
- Hybrid work arrangement.
- Excellent PTO program that rewards your years of service, with up to 5 weeks off per year.
- Competitive pay with annual salary increases.
- Ten paid holidays a year, including your birthday.
- Casual dress attire everyday.
- Special bonuses for milestone anniversaries, holidays, and referrals.
- Flexible schedules to help support your family.
- Opportunities to give back to the community through various giving and volunteer campaigns.
- Financial support for professional designations, certifications and other continuing education programs.
- Engaged and experienced leadership team who is invested in you as an insurance professional and individual.
Position Summary
Our Program Underwriting department is currently seeking an Underwriter to join their team. This position is an excellent opportunity for a service-minded, insurance professional who enjoys analytical work that requires problem solving, creativity and the ability to balance competing interests. This role operates as an extension of our Program insurance carrier and decides whether applications for insurance coverage should be accepted, and on what terms. Our Program business is exclusively focused on risks within the following industries: amusement parks, carnivals, trampoline parks, family entertainment centers, festivals, fairs, rodeos and related entities.
This position analyzes detailed information supplied by prospective clients to assess risk according to the likelihood of a claim being made. This role also determines policy terms and calculates premiums on the basis of actuarial, statistical and background information. The ultimate goal is to minimize losses and increase profitability of the client and Program insurance carrier. Underwriters at Haas & Wilkerson work exclusively with prospects and clients in the Program division who utilize the Program carrier.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Underwrite new business, renewal business, and policy endorsements according to underwriting guidelines and authority limits.
- Refer files along with prepared summary and recommended course of action for those accounts outside underwriting authority and exceptions to guidelines.
- Assist in developing, enhancing and maintaining underwriting methods and techniques, which achieve underwriting integrity in a cost-effective manner.
- Work independently and make decisions on individual risk selection and acceptance.
- Negotiate and binds terms, conditions and premium for new and renewal accounts within individual assigned portfolio and authority level.
- Provide underwriting guidance and direction to production staff for writing quality and profitable Program business.
- Advise production/service staff of areas of emphasis/concern in obtaining underwriting information.
- Maintain Program underwriting files in accordance with the Program carrier's standards for their review and inspection.
- Establish and monitor loss control assignments to ensure that results are disseminated to the appropriate personnel in a timely manner and recommendations are addressed and complete.
- Assist with direction of Underwriting Assistants regarding policy and endorsement processing.
- Assist with internal audits of underwriting files to assure adherence to Program underwriting guidelines.
Requirements
Candidates must have at least three (3) years of commercial insurance underwriting experience and some college education, or a minimum of five (5) years commercial underwriting experience. A High School diploma or GED is required; a bachelor’s degree from a four-year university or college is strongly valued. Extensive knowledge of underwriting principles, procedures and commercial insurance products is highly preferred. Candidate must have their state Property and Casualty License or the ability to obtain license within 60 days.
Successful candidates will have excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills. The successful candidate also will be service-oriented with a sense of urgency to meet time sensitive deadlines and have the ability to excel in a rapidly changing environment. Our clientele is seasonal in nature, so the ability to work at a varied pace is required. Strong organizational skills and proficiency with Microsoft Office programs is required. The ability to understand and interpret complex issues and make sound, independent decisions is essential to success in this role. The position requires professional, tactful negotiation and persuasion skills to achieve objectives.
About Us
Haas & Wilkerson Insurance is a family-owned, independent insurance brokerage based in Kansas City. We provide insurance solutions to organizations throughout North America and have been doing business locally and nationally since 1939. Many know us for our specialty and niche insurance products, such as insurance for amusements, fairs, festivals, rodeos, waterparks and indoor trampoline parks. We also offer expertise in standard commercial insurance and personal insurance. Haas & Wilkerson Insurance support services include risk management, third-party administration, claims and loss control services.
Our consultative approach allows us to be a trusted advisor and to tailor insurance solutions that are appropriate and cost-effective. We seek growth in every aspect of our business. This means growing an energizing, winning culture. We start with finding and retaining the right people – the people that share our values and aspirations. We are passionate about our clients, our community and our team. Are you looking for a new opportunity? Apply today and join our team!
Haas & Wilkerson Insurance is proud to be an equal opportunity employer that values the impact of diversity upon its clients, services and workplace. Our selection process is designed to provide an equal employment opportunity for all without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, sexual orientation, marital status or status in any other protected group, and to identify the candidate who we conclude best fits our needs.