Property Underwriter

Aviva plc; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Bonus eligibility

Retirement savings plan

Health benefits

Volunteer opportunities

Career development

Job summary

Aviva U.S. seeks a Property Underwriter to independently manage a portfolio of middle‑market and large commercial property risks with senior authority and broker relationships. You will structure customized insurance solutions balancing profitability and risk appetite.

You will provide technical guidance, train colleagues, ensure policy compliance, and collaborate across stakeholders to shape underwriting strategy while supporting the growth of Aviva U.S. in a hybrid work environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Risk Management, Insurance, Economics, or related discipline; equivalent professional experience.
• Preferred professional designations CPCU, ARM, AU, AINS, or similar.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert technical underwriting guidance on complex matters while ensuring compliance with policies and regulations.
• Set technical underwriting standards and risk appetite; drive product improvements and policy wording.
• Collaborate with senior stakeholders to develop underwriting policy and lead performance reviews to improve services and compliance.
• Mentor Underwriting Assistants and Analysts and support less experienced Underwriters.

Skills

Underwriting experience

Risk assessment

Pricing methodologies

Broker relationships

Communication

Decision making

Independent work

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Finance/Risk Management/Insurance/Economics

CPCU/ARM/AU/AINS or other designation

Job description

Experience Aviva Individually, we are people, but together we are Aviva. Individually, these are just words, but together they are our Values – Care, Commitment, Community, and Confidence. At Aviva, we help customers build resilience and move forward with confidence. We foster an inclusive workplace where diverse perspectives are valued, innovation is encouraged, and employees are empowered to grow their careers while making a meaningful impact. As we establish Aviva’s presence in the United States, we’re seeking talented individuals inspired to build, shape, and lead this new organization. Joining Aviva U.S. means stepping onto the ground floor of a thoughtfully designed Commercial Insurance organization built for the long-term, blending underwriting heritage, disciplined execution and capital strength with agility and innovation.

The Opportunity

As a Property Underwriter, you will serve as a trusted underwriting professional responsible for evaluating, selecting, pricing, and managing complex commercial and specialty insurance risks. You will play a critical role in achieving Aviva's growth and profitability objectives through disciplined underwriting practices, strong broker relationships, and sound business judgment. In this role, you will independently manage a portfolio of middle-market and large commercial property risks, exercising established senior underwriting authority and meaningful account-level decision‑making responsibility. You will evaluate sophisticated risk exposures, analyze financial and operational information, structure customized insurance solutions, and balance profitable growth with Aviva’s risk appetite and portfolio objectives. Beyond individual account management, you will contribute technical knowledge and market insight to underwriting strategy and portfolio initiatives while serving as a resource and mentor to Underwriting Assistants, Underwriting Analysts, and less experienced Underwriters. You will independently resolve complex account‑level matters and refer unusually complex, strategically significant, or authority‑exceeding decisions to the Executive Underwriter, Team Leader, or Head of Property.

What You’ll Do

Responsible for providing subject matter expertise, guidance and support on complex technical underwriting matters, whilst ensuring compliance with internal policies, underwriting regulations, industry best practices and organization's overall objectives. Set technical underwriting standards, risk appetite and technical guidance, drive improvement in products, propositions and wordings, responding to technical, legal and commercial developments. Provide expert technical advice to customers/brokers and team colleagues, drive training plan and delivery of training to underwriters, key brokers and partners, manage compliance with underwriting frameworks, risk appetite, controls and regulations. Collaborate with senior stakeholders to drive technical underwriting policy development, initiate and undertake performance and process reviews to improve services and strengthen compliance with regulations and controls. Keep up‑to‑date with the latest trends and regulatory developments, provide thought leadership on emerging trends and best practices, participate in projects and initiatives, provide expert technical advice to customers/brokers and team colleagues to help develop their skills and abilities. Support the delivery of good customer outcomes through all activities and deliverables, enabling us to act in good faith towards customers, avoid causing foreseeable harm and enable and support our customers to pursue their financial objectives.

What You’ll Bring

• 3–5+ years of progressively responsible commercial or specialty insurance underwriting experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in underwriting principles, risk assessment, and pricing methodologies.
• Strong analytical and financial evaluation skills.
• Proven ability to manage broker relationships and drive business results.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and decision‑making skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a team environment.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Risk Management, Insurance, Economics, or related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
• Preferred Qualifications CPCU, ARM, AU, AINS, or other professional insurance designation.
• Specialty insurance expertise in Property.
• Established broker and agency relationships.
• Experience with portfolio management and profitability analysis.
• Demonstrated experience underwriting complex middle-market or large commercial accounts and risk structures.

What You’ll Gain

At Aviva U.S., we put people first – our employees, our customers, and our communities. We’re proud of a culture built on care, inclusion, and collaboration, where your voice matters and your growth is supported. We’re not just about insurance; we’re about making a real difference by protecting what matters most. The salary band for this position ranges from a base of $75K-$125K. Please note that individual salary is determined by factors such as job‑related knowledge, skills and experience. Compelling rewards package including base compensation, eligibility for annual bonus, retirement savings, health benefits and volunteer opportunities. Hybrid flexible work model. Outstanding career development opportunities. Competitive vacation package

Travel Requirements: Up to 40% travel for broker and client engagements, leadership meetings, strategic planning sessions, industry conferences, and business development initiatives.

Physical Requirements: This position is primarily performed in an office or remote work environment and requires prolonged periods of computer use, analysis of complex business and actuarial data, communication with internal and external stakeholders, and participation in virtual and in‑person meetings.

Aviva U.S. welcomes applications from all qualified individuals and has a process in place to provide accommodations for persons with disabilities at all stages of the hiring process and during employment. If you require an accommodation during the interview or hiring process, please contact your Aviva Talent Acquisition Partner so that an appropriate accommodation can be arranged.

We help our 19.5 million customers to save for the future and manage the risks of everyday life. To give these customers the best possible products and service we know we must make Aviva the most attractive choice for talented, entrepreneurial people with diverse backgrounds and an evolving range of expertise and insight. So, we’re passionate about helping our 23,000 people to do the best work of their lives, to enable them to make a positive difference to the lives of our customers.