Underwriting Associate I (Trainee Program)

Who are we?

Western National Insurance Group is a private mutual insurance company with over 120 years of experience serving policyholders' property-and-casualty insurance needs in the Midwestern, Northwestern, and Southwestern United States. Known as “The Relationship Company®,” we have always defined success as a measure of the relationships we’ve built over time. In everything that we do, we know that delivering a friendly and helpful interaction makes for a better experience for everyone involved. That’s the power of “nice”. At Western National, nice is something we work to bring to every person and organization with whom we partner and serve.

Does this opportunity interest you?

Western National Insurance Company’s Commercial Lines Department has an exciting opportunity for an Underwriting Associate Trainee to join our team! This opportunity will allow you to work closely alongside our underwriters to assist them and our customers throughout the underwriting lifecycle.

Underwriting Associate Developmental / Training Program Summary:

Western National provides a training program for those interested in the insurance industry. This training includes both classroom and hands-on opportunities designed to teach you the fundamentals of insurance and underwriting. Overall, this training will help prepare you to serve our customers.

We anticipate the Associate/Trainee class to begin in March of 2025.

What are the responsibilities and opportunities of this role?

As an Underwriting Associate in our Trainee Program, you will assist underwriting in profitable premium growth through policy processing and technical support for both new and renewal business.

• Assists underwriters in the daily underwriting and processing of new and renewal business and endorsements.
• Uses established practices, processes, and procedures to renew and write new policies based on underwriting authority.
• Reviews new and renewal business application documents and gathers additional information as needed to accurately underwrite policies.
• Makes decisions and recommendations for varied situations, applying judgment to interpret related information, policies, and procedures.
• Executes policies within established authority level or recommends solutions when outside of authority level.
• Communicates with assigned agencies and underwriters.

What are the must-have qualifications for a candidate?

• Recent or upcoming college graduate with a Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent work experience.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously while maintaining strong attention to detail.
• Ability to follow established processes and procedures.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent time management skills.
• Intermediate experience with Word and Excel required.
• Ability to work onsite at our corporate office in Edina, MN.

Compensation Overview

The salary for this position will be $25.00/hour.

Culture and Total Rewards

Western National has long been known as “The Relationship Company®” and caring for our employees is part of that relationship commitment. We value connectiveness, empowerment, and accountability, and we believe that our employees are our biggest asset.

Currently ranked as the 41st largest private company by revenue in Minnesota (Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal), Western National has earned accolades year-over-year as an employer of choice and garnered multiple awards for wellness in the workplace. Western National has also been named a Top Workplace by the Star Tribune for the past four consecutive years. In addition, the Group is consistently recognized as a Ward’s 50 property-and-casualty insurance company for its outstanding financial results.

Western National offers full-time employees a significant Total Rewards Package, including:

• Medical insurance plan options and other standard employee benefits, including dental insurance, vision benefits, life insurance, disability insurance, and more!
• Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k) Plan (participants are eligible for 100% matching on the first 6% of their contributions)
• Wellbeing Program, including onsite fitness studio
• Paid Time Off – including holiday, vacation, and volunteer
• 100% company-paid tuition reimbursement for approved job-relevant coursework and access to The Institutes (Risk and insurance education)
• Paid parental leave
• Bonus opportunities

Western National believes in supporting balance between work and life by providing a flexible work environment, which includes a variety of hybrid and remote work arrangements designed to balance individual, job, department, and company needs.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

Western National provides employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

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