Senior Underwriter

AXA Group; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 108,000 - 209,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible Working Arrangements

Family-friendly leave

Diversity & Inclusion programs

Job summary

AXA XL, the P&C and specialty risk division of AXA, is seeking an underwriter for Excess Casualty in the US. You will manage a portfolio across construction, manufacturing, real estate, hospitality, and wholesale distribution, handling new and renewal business and collaborating with actuarial, claims, legal, and risk engineering teams.

You will analyze submissions, use underwriting tools, and ensure timely quotes, binders, and endorsements while aligning with guidelines and referral

Qualifications

• Effective relationships within National and Regional brokerages.
• Progressive underwriting experience, including umbrella & excess casualty.
• Experience underwriting construction casualty risks, including general contractors and project-specific exposures.
• Thorough knowledge of commercial insurance coverages and contracts.
• Experience working hands-on with actuarial colleagues.
• Effective project and time-management skills.
• Effective sales, marketing and negotiation skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Market and solicit new business opportunities from retail broker partners.
• Analyze submission data including applications, policy wording, inspection reports, loss runs, and financial reports while conducting appropriate research to determine degree of risk for each account.
• Utilize underwriting tools including exposure, experience and industry ratings to analyze complex casualty exposure.
• Underwrite and manage a portfolio of complex casualty risks across a broad range of industries.
• Adhere to underwriting guidelines, underwriting authorities and referral requirements as needed to regional management, product management and chief underwriting officers.
• Collaborate with internal colleagues in the assessment of current and prospective risks, including actuarial, claims, legal and risk engineering.
• Pro-active service of business to ensure timely and accurate delivery of quotations, binders, policies and endorsements.
• Cross-sell with other business units including primary casualty, property and other professional lines to maximize deployment of AXA XL’s capital.
• Monitor trends within the Marketplace to ensure we stay aware and ahead of emerging issues.
• Contribute to regional planning through the development and execution of your own annual desk-level underwriting plan.
• Travel throughout the territory (20%) for client, broker and internal meetings.

Skills

Broker relationships

Underwriting experience

Construction casualty

Communication skills

Time-management

Sales & negotiation

Education

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent

Job description

AXA XL's Excess Casualty business unit offers Umbrella and Excess Liability coverage to North American based Insureds. Underwriting teams are based in the United States, Bermuda and Canada. Coverage is written on an occurrence, claims-made or occurrence reported basis. Our broad range of appetite includes clients in manufacturing, retail, hospitality, real estate, banking, wholesale distribution and many more.

What you’ll be doing

The candidate will handle both new and renewal business. This includes:

• Market and solicit new business opportunities from retail broker partners.
• Analyze submission data including applications, policy wording, inspection reports, loss runs, and financial reports while conducting appropriate research to determine degree of risk for each account.
• Utilize underwriting tools including exposure, experience and industry ratings to analyze complex casualty exposure.
• Underwrite and manage a portfolio of complex casualty risks across a broad range of industries, including construction, manufacturing, real estate, hospitality, retail, and wholesale distribution.
• Adhere to underwriting guidelines, underwriting authorities and referral requirements as needed to regional management, product management and chief underwriting officers.
• Collaborate with internal colleagues in the assessment of current and prospective risks, including actuarial, claims, legal and risk engineering.
• Pro-active service of business in conjunction with our Middle Office to ensure timely and accurate delivery of quotations, binders, policies and endorsements.
• Cross-sell with other business units including primary casualty, property and other professional lines to maximize deployment of AXA XL’s capital.
• Monitor trends within the Marketplace to ensure we stay aware and ahead of emerging issues.
• Contribute to regional planning through the development and execution of your own annual desk-level underwriting plan.
• Travel throughout the territory (20%) for client, broker and internal meetings.

You will report to the U.S. Underwriting Manager for Excess Casualty.

What you’ll bring

We’re looking for someone who has these abilities and skills:

• Effective relationships within National and Regional brokerages.
• Some years of progressive underwriting experience, including umbrella & excess casualty.
• Experience underwriting construction casualty risks, including general contractors, trade contractors, and project-specific exposures, is preferred but not required.
• Thorough knowledge of commercial insurance coverages and contracts.
• Experience working hands-on with actuarial colleagues.
• Effective project and time-management skills.
• Effective sales, marketing and negotiation skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience.

Who we are

AXA XL, the P&C and specialty risk division of AXA, is known for solving complex risks. For mid-sized companies, multinationals and even some inspirational individuals we don’t just provide re/insurance, we reinvent it.

How? By combining a comprehensive and efficient capital platform, data-driven insights, leading technology, and the best talent in an agile and inclusive workspace, empowered to deliver top client service across all our lines of business − property, casualty, professional, financial lines and specialty.

With an innovative and flexible approach to risk solutions, we partner with those who move the world forward. Learn more at axaxl.com.

What we offer

Inclusion

AXA XL is committed to equal employment opportunity and will consider applicants regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity and origins, marital status, religion, disability, or any other protected characteristic. At AXA XL, we know that an inclusive culture and enables business growth and is critical to our success. That’s why we have made a strategic commitment to attract, develop, advance and retain the most inclusive workforce possible, and create a culture where everyone can bring their full selves to work and reach their highest potential.

• Five Business Resource Groups focused on gender, LGBTQ+, ethnicity and origins, disability and inclusion with 20 Chapters around the globe.
• Robust support for Flexible Working Arrangements
• Enhanced family-friendly leave benefits
• Named to the Diversity Best Practices Index
• Signatory to the UK Women in Finance Charter

Learn more at Inclusion & Diversity at AXA XL | AXA XL. AXA XL is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Total Rewards

AXA XL’s Reward program is designed to take care of what matters most to you, covering the full picture of your health, wellbeing, lifestyle and financial security. It provides competitive compensation and personalized, inclusive benefits that evolve as you do.

We’re committed to rewarding your contribution for the long term, so you can be your best self today and look forward to the future with confidence.

Sustainability

At AXA XL, Sustainability is integral to our business strategy. In an ever-changing world, AXA XL protects what matters most for our clients and communities. We know that sustainability is at the root of a more resilient future. Our 2023-26 Sustainability strategy, called “Roots of resilience”, focuses on protecting natural ecosystems, addressing climate change, and embedding sustainable practices across our operations.

Our Pillars:

• Valuing nature: How we impact nature affects how nature impacts us. Resilient ecosystems - the foundation of a sustainable planet and society – are essential to our future. We’re committed to protecting and restoring nature – from mangrove forests to the bees in our backyard – by increasing biodiversity awareness and inspiring clients and colleagues to put nature at the heart of their plans.
• Addressing climate change: The effects of a changing climate are far-reaching and significant. Unpredictable weather, increasing temperatures, and rising sea levels cause both social inequalities and environmental disruption. We're building a net zero strategy, developing insurance products and services, and mobilizing to advance thought leadership and investment in societal-led solutions.
• Integrating ESG: All companies have a role to play in building a more resilient future. Incorporating ESG considerations into our internal processes and practices builds resilience from the roots of our business. We’re training our colleagues, engaging our external partners, and evolving our sustainability governance and reporting.
• AXA Hearts in Action: We have established volunteering and charitable giving programs to help colleagues support causes that matter most to them, known as AXA XL’s “Hearts in Action” programs. These include our Matching Gifts program, Volunteering Leave, and our annual volunteering day – the Global Day of Giving.

For more information, please see Sustainability at AXA XL.

The U.S. base salary range for this position is USD$107,600- $209,100. Actual pay will be determined based upon the individual’s skills, experience and location. We strive for market alignment and internal equity with our colleagues’ pay.

At AXA XL, we know how important physical, mental, and financial health are to our employees, which is why we are proud to offer benefits such as a competitive retirement savings plan, health and wellness programs, and many other benefits. We also believe in fostering our colleagues' development and offer a wide range of learning opportunities for colleagues to hone their professional skills and to position themselves for the next step of their careers. For more details about AXA XL’s benefits offerings, please visit US Benefits at a Glance 2026.