Sr Underwriting Specialist - Long Term Care (LTC)

Northwestern Mutual; Wisconsin; On-site; USD 70,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work schedules

Concierge service

Comprehensive benefits

Employee resource groups

Job summary

Northwestern Mutual is seeking a Long-Term Care Underwriter to evaluate applications, assess medical, cognitive, functional, and lifestyle risk factors, and determine appropriate underwriting decisions in line with company guidelines.

The role emphasizes collaborative communication with Financial Advisors, field partners, and internal teams, ensuring a professional and responsive experience for clients while maintaining underwriting integrity.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience preferred.
• Minimum of 1.5 years of traditional underwriting experience; Long Term Care underwriting experience strongly preferred.
• Strong analytical skills with independent decision-making and sound judgment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including handling confidential information discreetly.
• Proficiency with computer applications and underwriting software platforms.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate Long Term Care insurance applications and render underwriting determinations based on guidelines and risk assessment.
• Communicate decisions and guidance to field partners and clients with diplomacy and clarity.
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners to support policy placement and service expectations.
• Manage case workflows, deadlines, and escalation of issues as needed.
• Continuously learn and adapt to new underwriting practices, tools, and processes.
• Provide support and guidance to Financial Advisors regarding underwriting considerations.

Skills

Change Adaptability

Information Optimization

Customer Support

Underwriting Ecosystem

Technical & Digital Acumen

Customer Centricity

Insurance Acumen

Information Gathering

Attention to Detail

Training, Educating & Awareness

Consulting

Adaptive Communication

Data Application

Negotiation & Managing Objection

Decision Making

Mortality, Morbidity, & Risk Analysis

Learning Agility & Critical Thinking

Reasoning

Underwriting Practices

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Job description

The Long-Term Care Underwriter is responsible for evaluating, classifying, and rendering appropriate risk decisions on Long Term Care insurance applications in accordance with established underwriting guidelines, company standards, and service expectations. This position requires sound analytical judgment, strong communication skills, and the ability to manage cases effectively while supporting professional and responsive experience for field partners, clients, and internal stakeholders.

• PLEASE NOTE: Candidates with Long Term Care underwriting experience or relevant individual insurance underwriting experience will be strongly preferred.

Job Summary

The Long-Term Care Underwriter develops and maintains effective working relationships with Financial Advisors, field partners, internal business partners, and clients. The incumbent evaluates Long Term Care insurance applications, assesses medical, functional, cognitive, occupational, and lifestyle risk factors, and makes appropriate underwriting determinations consistent with company guidelines, production standards, and service objectives.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

Field & Client Experience

• Establishes and maintains credible, professional, and effective communication with field partners and clients, including responding to case inquiries, appeals, and placement-related questions.
• Provides guidance and support to the Financial Network and Financial Representatives regarding case underwriting, risk assessment, and related underwriting considerations.
• Reviews and responds to prescreen inquiries in accordance with established underwriting practices and service expectations.

Underwriting

• Analyzes and appraises Long Term Care insurance applications; approves, classifies, modifies, or declines applications based on established underwriting guidelines and sound risk judgment.
• Independently reviews applications and applies Long Term Care underwriting standards, product knowledge, and risk selection principles with limited guidance as needed.
• Evaluates medical, functional, and cognitive information to assess morbidity risk and determine the best appropriate offer.
• Demonstrates ongoing learning and adaptability through the effective adoption of new underwriting practices, tools, and processes.
• Underwrites applications while maintaining expected morbidity outcomes, providing active case and requirement management, and delivering a customized service experience.
• Communicates and negotiates with field partners to explain modified or declined underwriting decisions and support policy placement when appropriate.
• Applies sound medical, functional, and cognitive underwriting assessment skills and identifies practical solutions to support policy placement when appropriate.
• Uses the most effective available resources to obtain necessary information, including medical records, digital health data, direct contact with the applicant, and communication with third-party advisors as appropriate.
• Consults with peer reviewers, medical resources, and technical staff on complex cases, as needed.
• Meets established quality, service, cycle time, and production expectations while maintaining underwriting integrity.
• Resolves case-related issues and escalations, seeking guidance as appropriate based on case complexity and authority level.
• Partners with Underwriting Support to facilitate effective case management and timely completion of underwriting requirements.

Cross-functional leadership

• May serve as an underwriting representative on product, process, or operational improvement initiatives in collaboration with functional partners participating in additional projects as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience is preferred.
• Minimum of 1.5 years of traditional underwriting experience; Long Term Care underwriting experience is strongly preferred.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to make independent decisions, apply sound judgment, and interpret underwriting guidelines consistently.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain underwriting decisions clearly, handle confidential information appropriately, and exercise tact and diplomacy.
• Proficiency with computer applications and relevant software platforms required to perform underwriting responsibilities.
• Ability to work accurately while maintaining appropriate speed, flexibility, and productivity in both team-based and independent work environments.
• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to establish priorities, manage competing responsibilities, and meet established deadlines.
• Demonstrated agility and adaptability in managing multiple priorities within a changing work environment.

Compensation Range

Pay Range - Start: $70,320.00

Pay Range - End: $105,480.00

We believe in fairness and transparency. It’s why we share the salary range for most of our roles. However, final salaries are based on a number of factors, including the skills and experience of the candidate; the current market; location of the candidate; and other factors uncovered in the hiring process. The standard pay structure is listed but if you’re living in California, New York City or other eligible location, geographic specific pay structures, compensation and benefits could be applicable,

Grow your career with a best-in-class company that puts our clients' interests at the center of all we do.

Northwestern Mutual is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes talented individuals of all backgrounds. We are committed to creating and maintaining an environment in which each employee can contribute creative ideas, seek challenges, assume leadership and continue to focus on meeting and exceeding business and personal objectives.

Skills

Change Adaptability (NM) - Advanced, Information Optimization (NM) - Advanced, Customer Support (NM) - Advanced, Underwriting Ecosystem (NM) - Advanced, Technical & Digital Acumen (NM) - Advanced, Customer Centricity (NM) - Intermediate, Insurance Acumen (NM) - Advanced, Information Gathering (NM) - Advanced, Attention to Detail (NM) - Advanced, Training, Educating & Awareness (NM) - Intermediate, Consulting (NM) - Advanced, Adaptive Communication (NM) - Advanced, Data Application (NM) - Advanced, Negotiation & Managing Objection (NM) - Advanced, Decision Making (NM) - Advanced, Mortality, Morbidity, & Risk Analysis (NM) - Advanced, Learning Agility & Critical Thinking (NM) - Advanced, Reasoning (NM) - Advanced, Underwriting Practices (NM) - Advanced

FIND YOUR FUTURE

We’re excited about the potential people bring to Northwestern Mutual. You can grow your career here while enjoying first-class perks, benefits, and our commitment to a culture of belonging.

• Flexible work schedules
• Concierge service
• Comprehensive benefits
• Employee resource groups