Small CL Field Underwriter

Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.; Hartford, Northern (CT, KY); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. is seeking a New Business Underwriter for its Small Commercial Underwriting team. This full-time, exempt role supports underwriting new business across POS and Non-POS, builds agency relationships, and guides underwriting decisions through first renewal.

The position offers a hybrid or fully remote arrangement, with opportunities to travel as needed and to leverage partnerships with agents and internal colleagues to grow small commercial book of business.

Qualifications

• Strong underwriting skill and coverage knowledge.
• Ability to make underwriting decisions on POS and CPP accounts.
• Experience interacting with agents to communicate decisions.
• Ability to manage workload to meet goals and service standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead the triage of new business with UT and POS.
• Assess submissions and direct UT on next steps.
• Provide guidance to UT on new business accounts including declines.
• Gather information required for underwriting analysis.
• Interact with agency to collect needed information.
• Order and analyze reports for underwriting.
• Prepare and deliver quote proposals to agents.
• Document underwriting decisions in systems like ARF/CAAMS.
• Ensure submissions reach quoting status or decline.
• Identify pricing coverages and cross-sell opportunities.
• Refer accounts requiring higher authority.
• Own all aspects of New Business underwriting through inception and validation.

Skills

Underwriting skills

Relationship building

Communication

Time management

Sales orientation

Workflow management

Deal closing

Tools

Underwriting systems

Job description

Our Small Commercial Underwriting department is currently seeking a New Business Underwriter to join our team.

This is a full time, exempt role. This role is eligible for a hybrid or fully remote arrangement.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

Field Underwriters are responsible for driving the growth of Small CL business by underwriting new business across all lines and sizes of POS and Non-POS accounts, within Small CL definition, and building and maintaining strong agency relationships, partnering with Agency staff and SCSMs. The Field UW should work closely with and direct the activities of their UT partner(s), following established workflows, to ensure all policies are underwritten in the most efficient and effective manner while meeting service standards and performance goals, up through first renewal.

IN THIS ROLE YOU WILL:

• Lead the daily triage of new business with UT, including POS business.
• Assess submissions, categorize, and direct UT on next steps to be taken based on assessment and categorization.
• Provide direction and guidance to UT to properly prepare a new business account including Quick Declines and how to communicate with Agent (ex. Declination letter or phone call)
• Collect additional information needed for underwriting analysis.
• Interact with the agency to gather needed information in an organized manner.
• Order and analyze necessary reports to perform underwriting analysis.
• Provide accurate instructions to rating.
• Prepare and deliver quote proposals to agents. Also, follow up with agents on open quotes.
• Document underwriting decisions within standards and expectations in Underwriting systems, including ARF and CAAMS.
• Ensure all submissions are effectively managed to reach decline or quoting status.
• Determine the pricing, coverages, including coverage advantages to highlight in the quoting process, account rounding opportunity, and identify cross-sell opportunity for Specialty businesses on accounts being quoted.
• Refer accounts as appropriate if additional authority is required.
• Own all aspects of the New Business underwriting process including acceptability and documentation at inception as well as subsequent validation through other sources including Loss Control.
• Underwriter is responsible for reviewing and responding to back-end underwriting reviews and new business audits. After these steps, the account responsibility falls to the Portfolio underwriter, although consultation between Field and Portfolio Underwriter is expected as required.
• Clearly communicate appetite, declination reasons and coverage advantages to Agents to improve hit ratio.
• Leverage relationships with Agents and SCSMS to identify opportunities to help write business.
• Communicate proactively with agents to convey a sense of ownership and service during all interactions; instill confidence with agents in their decision to place new business with The Hanover.
• Engage in agency travel as needed to build and maintain strong relationships.
• Partner with internal colleagues, mainly SCSMs, UTs and Renewal UW colleagues, to most effectively communicate difficult messages with agent partners and on overall agency management.

KEY MEASURES OF SUCCESS:

• New Business production (approx. $2 Million annually)
• UW profitability based on quality of referrals, quality of audits/ file reviews, and achievement of mix goals
• Service metrics, aligned with workflows
• Agency relationships – as measured by agency feedback
• Hit and Yield ratios
• LOB and class mix targets

WHAT YOU NEED TO APPLY:

• Strong underwriting skill and coverage knowledge; ability to make underwriting decisions on POS and CPP accounts up to $50,000 premium size
• Underwriting systems knowledge to document and underwrite accounts within workflow expectations
• Ability to manage workload to meet goals and service standards, while following workflow standards
• Thorough understanding of Agent partners, including agency personnel, agency business plan and results with The Hanover across the Franchise, Hanover’s position with the agency, etc.,
• Sales orientation; able to solicit, qualify, negotiate and close accounts in a manner that promotes deeper partnership with Agents.
• Demonstrated commitment to service and partners; high level of responsiveness- Able to build and maintain close working relationships with Agents, UTs, SCSMs, and renewal UWs, demonstrating strong relationship building, teamwork and collaboration skills
• Able to understand and execute to strategic priorities (Ex. mix targets, CAT strategy, pricing strategy, agent strategy, etc.)
• Knowledge of competition and current marketplace; apply to all aspects of performing the role
• Excellent time management skills, responsiveness and willingness to bring appropriate level of underwriting to each opportunity, ranging from exception only underwriting on the small BOP to more thorough review on the larger or more complex accounts
• Above average verbal and written communications skills
• Achievement orientation – must understand Small CL goals and strategies (often changing) and execute on them effectively and have a positive track record of achievement.