Underwriter

Highmark Health; Pennsylvania; Hybrid; USD 63,000 - 97,000; Full time

Job summary

Highmark Inc. in Pennsylvania is seeking an underwriting professional who serves as the primary contact for sales teams and assigned customers, delivering insights to aid acquisition and retention while meeting performance goals.

You will analyze industry type, financial condition, and other client characteristics to assess risk for a mid-sized book, prepare reports, and collaborate with cross-functional teams on client-level quotes, acting as a trusted advisor to support strategic decisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a quantitative field or relevant experience as determined by the company

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of clients with underwriting engagement from identification to final sold-contract details
• Serve as owner for all quotes delivered to sales partners
• Develop a client-package perspective for deliverables
• Communicate underwriting positions on client risk profiles
• Respond to questions and draw insights to support sales decisions
• Calculate rates using rating algorithms and adjust for unusual situations
• Maintain accurate book management details including concession budgets
• Assess risk using risk scores, demographics, and turnover considerations
• Communicate case-specific underwriting results to internal departments
• Perform administrative tasks and support workload coordination
• Other duties as assigned or requested

Skills

Health knowledge

Consultative mindset

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mathematics, Actuarial Science, Finance, Business, Computer Science, Science, Technology, or related quantitative field

Job description

Company: Highmark Inc.

Job Summary

This job serves as a point of contact for sales teams and assigned customers, delivering insights and recommendations to aid customer acquisition and retention while maintaining performance goals. This role analyzes data such as type of industry, financial condition, and other characteristics to assess risk for a book of business consisting of standard small and mid‑sized clients in conformance with established underwriting policies, practices, and standards. May prepare a variety of reports to support developed rating actions. The incumbent will collaborate with cross‑functional team members on client‑level quotes and function as a trusted advisor by providing financial and risk management support to sales as well as strategic insight.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work with the sales team and underwriting peers and leaders to manage a portfolio of clients, including all rating methods and owning the underwriting engagement from initial identification through documentation of final sold‑contract details.
• Serve as the accountable owner for all quotes delivered to sales partners.
• Develop a perspective on each client package deliverable.
• Clearly communicate underwriting’s position on the risk profile of each client.
• Respond to questions and draw insights from quote details, client understanding, and regional insights to deliver the best possible recommendation to sales.
• State and maintain an independent perspective, identifying opportunities and concerns.
• Calculate rates utilizing company rating algorithms, adjusting accordingly to cover questionable claim patterns or unusual situations not otherwise contemplated within the standard formula.
• Maintain accurate book management details, including concession budget.
• Assess risk by looking at various risk measures such as risk scores, demographic analysis, and turnover considerations.
• Utilize a basic understanding of the department and the company’s strategic goals and competitive position to drive client‑level results towards these ends.
• Communicate case‑specific underwriting results with other internal departments.
• Complete workload within established production and timeliness standards.
• Perform administrative tasks and aide in workload coordination.
• Other duties as assigned or requested.

EDUCATION

Required Bachelor's degree in Mathematics, Actuarial Science, Finance, Business, Computer Science, Science, Technology, or other quantitative analysis discipline or relevant experience as determined by the company in lieu of a bachelor’s degree

Preferred None

EXPERIENCE

Required 2 years of relevant underwriting, risk management, or actuary experience applying advanced mathematics or quantitative analysis

Preferred 1 year of health care underwriting, risk management, actuary work, or applying advanced mathematics.

LICENSES OR CERTIFICATIONS

Required None

Preferred None

SKILLS

• Understanding of health products, services, risk assessment and techniques
• Consultative mindset
• Strong Oral and Written Communications skills Language (Other than English): None

TRAVEL REQUIREMENT

0% - 25%

PHYSICAL, MENTAL DEMANDS and WORKING CONDITIONS

• Position Type Office-based
• Teaches / trains others regularly
• Rarely Travel regularly from the office to various work sites or from site-to-site
• Occasionally Works primarily out-of-the office selling products/services (sales employees)
• Never Physical work site required Yes
• Lifting: up to 10 pounds
• Constantly Lifting: 10 to 25 pounds
• Rarely Lifting: 25 to 50 pounds
• Never

Disclaimer: The job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this job title. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to do this job.

Compliance Requirement: This job adheres to the ethical and legal standards and behavioral expectations as set forth in the code of business conduct and company policies. As a component of job responsibilities, employees may have access to covered information, cardholder data, or other confidential customer information that must be protected at all times. In connection with this, all employees must comply with both the Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) as described in the Notice of Privacy Practices and Privacy Policies and Procedures as well as all data security guidelines established within the Company’s Handbook of Privacy Policies and Practices and Information Security Policy. Furthermore, it is every employee’s responsibility to comply with the company’s Code of Business Conduct. This includes but is not limited to adherence to applicable federal and state laws, rules, and regulations as well as company policies and training requirements.

Pay Range Minimum: $62,700.00

Pay Range Maximum: $97,200.00

Base pay is determined by a variety of factors including a candidate’s qualifications, experience, and expected contributions, as well as internal peer equity, market, and business considerations.

The displayed salary range does not reflect any geographic differential. Highmark may apply for certain locations based upon comparative markets.

Highmark Health and its affiliates prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on any category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

California Consumer Privacy Act Employees, Contractors, and Applicants Notice Highmark Health is a national, blended health organization that includes one of America’s largest Blue Cross Blue Shield insurers and a growing regional hospital and physician network. Based in Pittsburgh, Pa., Highmark Health’s 35,000 employees serve millions of customers nationwide through the nonprofit organization’s affiliated businesses, which include Highmark Inc., Allegheny Health Network, HM Insurance Group, United Concordia Dental, HM Health Solutions and HM Home & Community Services. Highmark Health’s businesses proudly serve a broad spectrum of health-related needs including health insurance, health care delivery, population health management, dental solutions, reinsurance solutions, and innovative, technology solutions.