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Insurance Underwriters
Review individual applications for insurance to evaluate degree of risk involved and determine acceptance of applications.
Other titles employers use
Account Underwriter · Automobile and Property Underwriter · Commercial Lines Underwriter · Health Underwriter · Life Underwriter · Personal Lines Underwriter · Underwriter · Underwriting Consultant
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Examine documents to determine degree of risk from factors such as applicant health, financial standing and value, and condition of property.
- Decline excessive risks.
- Write to field representatives, medical personnel, or others to obtain further information, quote rates, or explain company underwriting policies.
- Evaluate possibility of losses due to catastrophe or excessive insurance.
- Review company records to determine amount of insurance in force on single risk or group of closely related risks.
- Decrease value of policy when risk is substandard and specify applicable endorsements or apply rating to ensure safe, profitable distribution of risks, using reference materials.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to organizing, persuading and analytical work.
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Persuading
- Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Judgment and Decision Making
Subjects to know
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mathematics
- Sales and Marketing
Useful strengths
- Written Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Inductive Reasoning
- Oral Expression
- Oral Comprehension
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.1 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 1.7 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.4 | A regular part of the day |
| Working with your hands | 2.9 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a bachelor's degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A four-year degree 70%
- High school or less 10%
- A two-year degree 10%
- A certificate or some college 7%
- A master's degree 3%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Data base user interface and query software
- Object or component oriented development software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Electronic mail software
- Presentation software
- Operating system software
- Word processing software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 9,790
- Job openings each year
- 720
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 7.3%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 9,790 | 720 | 7.3% |
| New York | 8,850 | 50 | 6.4% |
| Florida | 6,970 | 500 | 5.1% |
| Illinois | 6,940 | 440 | −8.6% |
| California | 6,600 | 430 | −5.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 5,980 | 390 | −4.9% |
| Georgia | 5,870 | 420 | 3.5% |
| Ohio | 4,570 | 300 | −5.4% |
| North Carolina | 3,980 | 280 | 3.6% |
| Arkansas | 3,540 | 270 | 12.4% |
| New Jersey | 3,330 | 210 | −8.0% |
| Wisconsin | 3,140 | 220 | 2.3% |
| Missouri | 3,010 | 200 | −3.2% |
| Arizona | 2,580 | 180 | 2.8% |
| Virginia | 2,530 | 170 | −4.2% |
| Colorado | 2,460 | 160 | −6.1% |
| Minnesota | 2,350 | 160 | −2.9% |
| Connecticut | 2,290 | 140 | −11.2% |
| Michigan | 2,270 | 150 | −2.2% |
| Iowa | 2,190 | 150 | −2.7% |
| Indiana | 1,630 | 110 | −3.0% |
| Kansas | 1,580 | 100 | −4.8% |
| Nebraska | 1,470 | 100 | −2.6% |
| South Carolina | 1,440 | 110 | 10.8% |
| Washington | 1,260 | 80 | — |
| Puerto Rico | 1,230 | 90 | 13.9% |
| Alabama | 1,110 | 70 | −3.5% |
| Louisiana | 1,090 | 70 | −6.0% |
| Tennessee | 1,090 | 90 | 14.7% |
| Maryland | 1,080 | 70 | −8.5% |
| Oklahoma | 950 | 60 | −2.1% |
| Massachusetts | 860 | 50 | −6.5% |
| Nevada | 710 | 50 | — |
| Utah | 570 | 40 | 5.6% |
| Maine | 510 | 30 | −10.5% |
| Oregon | 450 | 30 | −2.2% |
| Rhode Island | 450 | 30 | −4.3% |
| Mississippi | 430 | 30 | 2.4% |
| New Hampshire | 410 | 30 | — |
| North Dakota | 200 | 10 | −9.1% |
| Idaho | 190 | 10 | 5.6% |
| South Dakota | 170 | 10 | — |
| West Virginia | 170 | 10 | −5.6% |
| Vermont | 160 | 10 | −5.9% |
| New Mexico | 150 | 10 | 7.1% |
| District of Columbia | 130 | 10 | −13.3% |
| Montana | 130 | 10 | — |
| Alaska | 100 | 10 | — |
| Delaware | 100 | 10 | −9.1% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Southern New Hampshire University
- Degrees each year
- 5,892
- Admit rate
- 96%
- Annual cost after aid
- $37,000
Western Governors University
- Degrees each year
- 2,505
- Admit rate
- Not reported
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
California State University-Fullerton
- Degrees each year
- 2,134
- Admit rate
- 87%
- Annual cost after aid
- $6,000
San Diego State University
- Degrees each year
- 2,008
- Admit rate
- 34%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
San Jose State University
- Degrees each year
- 1,657
- Admit rate
- 80%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
University of Maryland Global Campus
- Degrees each year
- 1,600
- Admit rate
- Not reported
- Annual cost after aid
- —
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
- Degrees each year
- 1,523
- Admit rate
- 74%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
Liberty University
- Degrees each year
- 1,519
- Admit rate
- 99%
- Annual cost after aid
- $27,000
Compare every college offering business administration, management and operations