Senior Underwriter - Large Market

$66,130 - $108,640/Yr

Guardian Life - Pittsfield, MA

Full-time - Senior

Hybrid - Pittsfield, MA

Insurance Carriers and Related Activities

About the position

The Senior Underwriter is responsible for providing pricing and plan design for companies with 1,000 or more lives utilizing prior claim experience and manual rates. Products include Group Dental, Vision, FMLA, STD, LTD, Life, Accident, Critical Illness and Hospital Indemnity insurance. The underwriter will possess top technical competence, the ability to learn how to underwrite new lines of coverage and the ability to deeply analyze the key drivers of insurance plan performance. The underwriter will be an excellent negotiator who builds collaborative relationships with Sales and other areas of Guardian to solve business issues and win. The underwriter will be both a confident communicator and an independent decision-maker.

Responsibilities

• Recommend competitively priced products, funding arrangements, and services to meet customer requirements.
• Determine pricing of new business and/or renewal business, including alternate plan of benefit options.
• Communicate rate/fee development and plan design offered. Assess contract comparisons for takeover business.
• Negotiate with sales representatives or agents/brokers to resolve rate questions and risk related concerns.
• Handles administrative processing of cases. Utilize underwriting systems and databases for quotes, sales, renewals to track results.
• Document case decisions and underwriting rationale.
• Effectively works as part of a regional Underwriting Team.
• Provide mentoring/coaching to help develop technical skills of others, support team growth and development initiatives. Conducts training for sales and/or underwriting staff as needed.
• Participates in project work or on teams to develop or improve underwriting processes.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience with Group Life, Disability and/or Dental underwriting.
• Background in experience-based rating and risk assessment.
• Ability to prioritize and efficiently manage multiple work items and due dates.
• Command of Underwriting tools and systems.
• Thorough knowledge of Group Insurance products/processes.
• Knowledge of local market competition and strategy (e.g., impact on claim pricing and product choices).
• Excellent analytical and mathematical skills and ability to apply them to complex cases and issues.
• Ability to make decisions, solve problems and meet challenges in completing work.
• Strong negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
• Proven ability to work independently.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills.
• Effective use of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint applications.

Benefits

• Choice of high deductible/copay medical plans with prescription drugs, including coverage for fertility and transgender inclusive benefits
• Dental plan
• Vision plan
• Health care accounts - flexible spending, health reimbursement, and health savings accounts
• Critical illness insurance
• Company-paid Life and Disability insurance plus voluntary supplemental coverage
• Accident insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with a company match, plus an annual age/service-based Company contribution and an annual profit-sharing contribution, if applicable
• Complimentary 1:1 financial guidance with a licensed Fidelity representative
• Flexible work arrangements (part in-person/part remote)
• Unlimited paid time off for most roles plus time off for volunteering, jury duty, voting, and bereavement
• Personal holidays for colleagues to use in recognition of religious, cultural, or civic days
• Paid parental leave and paid family and medical leave policies
• Emotional well-being, mental health, and work/life resources powered by Spring Health
• Wellness programs, including fitness program and equipment reimbursement
• Child, adult, and elder back-up care support through Bright Horizons
• Adoption assistance
• College planning
• Tuition reimbursement
• Student loan assistance
• Commuter benefits in select metropolitan areas