Business & Finance
Insurance Underwriters
Also called: Account Underwriter, Automobile and Property Underwriter, Commercial Lines Underwriter, Health Underwriter
US median pay
$81,370
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
-3.8%
declining
Openings a year (US)
6,800
125,600 employed
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Preparation 4/5 · Considerable preparation
What this job is
Review individual applications for insurance to evaluate degree of risk involved and determine acceptance of applications.
What they do day to day
- Examine documents to determine degree of risk from factors such as applicant health, financial standing and value, and condition of property.
- Decline excessive risks.
- Write to field representatives, medical personnel, or others to obtain further information, quote rates, or explain company underwriting policies.
- Evaluate possibility of losses due to catastrophe or excessive insurance.
- Review company records to determine amount of insurance in force on single risk or group of closely related risks.
- Decrease value of policy when risk is substandard and specify applicable endorsements or apply rating to ensure safe, profitable distribution of risks, using reference materials.
- Authorize reinsurance of policy when risk is high.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Judgment and Decision Making3.5/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.0/5
- Service Orientation3.0/5
- Coordination3.0/5
- Time Management2.9/5
- Persuasion2.9/5
- Systems Evaluation2.8/5
Knowledge
- English Language4.0/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.9/5
- Mathematics3.3/5
- Sales and Marketing3.2/5
- Administrative2.9/5
- Economics and Accounting2.7/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 4 of 5 — Considerable preparation. Usually a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Bachelor's degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Bachelor's degree70%
- Associate's degree10%
- High school diploma10%
Who this job suits
Mostly Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Enterprising
Leading, persuading and starting things
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.