Underwriter

Farmers Alliance Companies; McPherson (KS); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Farmers Alliance Companies is seeking an underwriting professional to manage risk evaluation, policy analysis, and adherence to underwriting criteria in a dynamic agency network. The role emphasizes profitability, loss control, and strong agent communication.

The position requires knowledge of rating rules, strong organizational skills, and a collaborative approach with product managers and field staff. Candidates should be prepared to participate in marketing and training activities within the

Qualifications

• Knowledge of rating requirements and policy forms used in underwriting.
• Strong time management and organizational skills.
• Excellent listening, decision‑making, and customer service abilities.
• Ability to work in a team and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate risks for acceptance, renewal, modification, or declination to produce underwriting profit.
• Analyze underwriting information such as applications, inspections, credit reports, and MVRs.
• Answer questions from agents and team members concerning risk analysis, eligibility, underwriting rules, rating and company practices.
• Evaluate territory underwriting results and suggest corrective actions; assist Product Managers and agency development.
• Communicate with agents to explain underwriting decisions and promote loss control measures.
• Look up policy information and maintain working knowledge of systems and databases for policy questions.
• Participate in marketing efforts, including agency visits and training sessions.
• Complete special assignments and other duties as assigned.

Skills

Time management

Decision making

Customer service

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred

API designation

AU designation

CIC certification

Job description

Summary

Underwrite a profitable and growing book of business with acceptable loss and expense ratios, while maintaining good overall agency relationships. Support corporate goals and objectives.

• Evaluate risks for acceptance, renewal, modification, or declination within established departmental underwriting criteria and individual authority documents to produce an underwriting profit.
• Analyze underwriting information such as applications, change requests, inspections, credit reports, MVR's, cost estimators. Evaluate alternative outcomes, make appropriate underwriting decisions and include proper and accurate file documentation. The gauge of this duty will be underwriting audit scores and total profitability of the territory.
• Answer questions from agents and other team members concerning risk analysis, eligibility, underwriting rules, rating and company practices and procedures.
• Evaluate the underwriting results of the assigned territory and make recommendations for corrective action, as necessary. Participate as needed with feedback for Product Managers, evaluation of the agency force and development of underwriting guidelines. The size of your territory, reflected by the total written premium, is indicative of the level of responsibility, underwriting capability, organizational skills and marketing skill demonstrated
• Communicate with agents, in a business‑like manner:
  • Explain the reasons behind underwriting decisions.
  • Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability as risk conditions or market conditions change.
  • Build professional working relationships with agents, customers, and other company personnel.
  • Use persuasion and influencing skills to encourage application submissions and business retention, selling the appropriate coverages and promoting loss control measures.
• Look up policy information on the computer and possess a working knowledge of systems and databases to facilitate in answering policy, coverage, and billing questions.
• Participate in marketing efforts, including individual agency visits, company/agency meetings, and/or training sessions.
• Complete special assignments.
• Other duties as assigned.

Summary

Underwrite a profitable and growing book of business with acceptable loss and expense ratios, while maintaining good overall agency relationships. Support corporate goals and objectives.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Evaluate risks for acceptance, renewal, modification, or declination within established departmental underwriting criteria and individual authority documents to produce an underwriting profit.
• Analyze underwriting information such as applications, change requests, inspections, credit reports, MVR's, cost estimators. Evaluate alternative outcomes, make appropriate underwriting decisions and include proper and accurate file documentation. The gauge of this duty will be underwriting audit scores and total profitability of the territory.
• Answer questions from agents and other team members concerning risk analysis, eligibility, underwriting rules, rating and company practices and procedures.
• Evaluate the underwriting results of the assigned territory and make recommendations for corrective action, as necessary. Participate as needed with feedback for Product Managers, evaluation of the agency force and development of underwriting guidelines. The size of your territory, reflected by the total written premium, is indicative of the level of responsibility, underwriting capability, organizational skills and marketing skill demonstrated
• Communicate with agents, in a business‑like manner:
  • Explain the reasons behind underwriting decisions.
  • Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability as risk conditions or market conditions change.
  • Build professional working relationships with agents, customers, and other company personnel.
  • Use persuasion and influencing skills to encourage application submissions and business retention, selling the appropriate coverages and promoting loss control measures.
• Look up policy information on the computer and possess a working knowledge of systems and databases to facilitate in answering policy, coverage, and billing questions.
• Participate in marketing efforts, including individual agency visits, company/agency meetings, and/or training sessions.
• Complete special assignments.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required Skills and Abilities

• Develop a strong knowledge and understanding of the rating requirements and policy forms used within your underwriting responsibilities.
• Demonstrate effective time management, organizational, and computer skills.
• Good listening and decision‑making skills, detail oriented, accurate and efficient.
• Active participation in the team process, both internally and externally, and excellent customer service skills.

Education And/or Experience

• College bachelor's degree preferred.
• Will be required to complete the Associate in Personal Lines Insurance (API) or Associate in Commercial Lines (AU) designation and at least one other insurance course within 48 months.
• Successful completion of the Personal Lines section of CIC, and Associate in Service (AIS) program will also be necessary. Timing of these classes will be determined by the underwriting manager.
• CPCU completion is strongly encouraged as well.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, and telephone keypad., reach with hands and arms, and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; and stoop, kneel, or crouch. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus.