Personal Lines Underwriter

JOB OBJECTIVE:

The Personal Lines Underwriter is responsible for managing an assigned territory by growing a profitable book of business. This position builds strong relationships with our agency partners and provides them with timely service and expertise on risk selection and book management. This role is responsible for ensuring Encova's risk appetite, underwriting guidelines and philosophies are maintained while minimizing loss potential for the company through proper risk selection while retaining a quality book of business.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Make decisions on new business acceptability when outside of underwriting guidelines, but within your letter of authority, and clearly document your rationale and thought process
• Utilize available policy endorsements, coverage exclusions, and deductibles at their discretion to select and manage exposures and pricing of risks
• Evaluate exposures and use discretionary judgement to determine continued risk acceptability and solution for risk management concerns identified to ensure long-term profitability
• Work with agency partners on a portfolio basis and look for opportunities to improve book performance and prevent premium leakage
• Monitor and analyze agency performance using agency profiles and Tableau reports to drive production to meet established new business, retention, and profitability goals
• Plan and conduct regular agency visits in assigned territory to develop and promote profitable personal lines growth opportunities, build relationships, and solve problems
• Work with Personal Lines Territory Managers and Agency Managers to develop specific strategies at an agency level to achieve targeted growth and profit goals
• Improve automated risk selection by identifying gaps and recommending refinements to our automated underwriting rules
• Provide input to drive and implement strategic underwriting initiatives
• Assist with the development and presentation of onboarding and continued training programs for agencies
• Ability to travel and meet with customers in your assigned territory

OTHER FUNCTIONS:

• Monitor assigned agents and develop strategies to address issues including corrective actions for growth and profit targets not met
• Develop a thorough knowledge of agency operations at an individual agency level within assigned territory
• Maintain a working knowledge of personal lines insurance statutes in assigned territory
• Interact collaboratively with business partners including customer service, claims, sales, compliance and actuarial
• Develop additional subject matter expertise in underwriting to improve our capabilities as an underwriting organization

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Previous insurance experience is preferred
• Customer service experience is strongly preferred
• A bachelor's degree in risk management or business is strongly preferred
• Strongly encouraged to pursue continuing education in one or more of the following areas: College degree and/or INS, API, CPRM, CPCU or AU courses/certifications
• The ability to analyze risk and interpret available data and make effective decisions to support profitability is required
• Strong communication skills, time management skills, negotiation tactics, and presentation skills are required