Come join Penn National Insurance's excellent Personal Lines Underwriting Team! Candidates desiring hybrid work can work out of one of our offices in Harrisburg, PA; Greensboro, NC; Nashville, TN; Waukesha, WI; or Pittsburgh, PA. Fully remote candidates will be considered. Only candidates from the following states will be considered for positions at Penn National Insurance: Alabama, Delaware, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin.

The Personal Lines Underwriter is responsible for making decisions on the acceptability of insurance risks through the application of various underwriting and risk selection techniques. This position also assists in the management of assigned agents. 

COMPETENCIES AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES OF THE PERSONAL LINES UNDERWRITER

Business Acumen

• Communicates underwriting decisions, techniques, and interpretation of policy forms and coverages with agents.
• Documents the underwriting file for all referred risks, including the actions taken, reasons for exception made, and any follow-up diary needed.
• Communicates to the Underwriting Manager and Territory Manager any underwriting quality or integrity concerns with individual agents.
• Provides input to the Branch Management team about individual agency underwriting performance. (i.e., Agency Review meeting, Quarterly Results Management meeting, etc.).
• Provides underwriting and marketing philosophy or practices to agents and assists with training issues within agency, making periodic physical visits.
• Maintains documentation on risk exceptions and large losses based on certain agency-specific or policy specific information.

Embraces Data Analytics

• Applies data to solve common business problems.
• Compiles, manipulates, and analyses data of varying complexity.
• Knowledgeable and proficient about what tools are available for data analysis and when they are appropriate to use.

Negotiation

• Identifies product risks and recommends solutions to mitigate those risks. Advises Underwriting Manager on recommended risk reduction actions and solutions.
• Exercises underwriting flexibility within the scope of authority in making appropriate exceptions, as warranted, based on agency relationships, results, and company strategies.
• Leverages exceptions to achieve additional business opportunities from agencies.

Results Oriented

• Applies underwriting and risk selection techniques to determine the acceptability of new and renewal insurance risk referrals.
• Contributes to the training/mentoring of the Underwriter Trainee.
• Contributes to the development of company underwriting policy, procedures, and guidelines to assure they reflect current market conditions and contribute to the attainment of division goals.

Time & Priority Management

• Conducts re-underwriting programs for selected agencies to improve the profitability of their books of business.
• Completes claim referrals.
• Communicates underwriting and marketing philosophy or practices, to agents and assist with training issues within agency, making periodic physical visits.
• Works independently within established standards.
• Conducts special re-underwriting programs in conjunction with Branch and/or Home Office Management team[s] for selected agencies to improve the profitability of their books of business.
• Provides support for prospective book transfers, including the gathering of policy, product, and underwriting information about a book transfer opportunity.

Decision Making

• Ensures the proper risk placement and/or classification for referrals to obtain adequate premium for the exposure.
• Responds to Insurance Department complaints and attend periodic hearings.

Performs various projects requested or assigned by the Personal Lines Underwriting Manager

CORPORATE CORE COMPETENCIES OF THE PERSONAL LINES UNDERWRITER

Effectively Communicates and Connects

• Communicates and negotiates effectively with peers regarding work outcomes.
• Influences by making a strong case, bringing other people on the team to understand the presented viewpoint.
• Provides feedback and is clear when disagreeing with an approach; offers suggestions for improvement.
• Attentively listens and asks clarifying questions and paraphrases to enhance understanding.
• Builds and nurtures positive relationships within the workplace.

Customer Focused

• Identifies explicit and implied customer needs.
• Asks probing questions to fully understand business requirements.
• Develops positive relationships with customers by meeting their needs as well as incorporating their feedback.
• Responds quickly and takes action with high quality solutions that address needs and improve overall customer experience.
• Owns resolution of customer experience outcome.

Talent Development Mindset

• Discusses technical and professional development with peers to gain suggestions for further development.
• Actively seeks and acts on opportunities to recognize peers for high performance.
• Stays alert to identify learning opportunities for self.

Demonstrates Adaptability

• Contributes to progressive thinking within the team by posing questions that challenge traditional methods or processes.
• Proposes ideas and suggests new approaches to tackling own work tasks and issues in a better way to drive organization success.
• Participates in and actively supports change initiatives, and provide ideas to promote their success.
• Recognizes and manages an ambiguous work environment.
• Demonstrates flexibility in generating alternative solutions and recommendations.

Demonstrates Accountability

• Applies judgment in making decisions about own work, and takes responsibility for actions.
• Demonstrates reliability by producing steady work results and delivering on commitments to team members on time.
• Takes responsibility for regularly seeking and applying feedback and actively learning from errors and setbacks.
• Understands the mission of the organization.

SPECIAL RELATIONSHIPS FOR THE PERSONAL LINES UNDERWRITER

• Daily contact with agents and periodic physical visits to agency. Develops and maintains ongoing strong positive relationships with agents.
• Maintains strong communication with Territory Managers to keep them abreast of agency interactions. Contributes to the development of unit and agency plans, enforcement of the objectives, and monitoring of results to assure they reflect attainment of goals and current market conditions.
• Interacts with internal customers, external customers, and insurance related entities, ie., Department of Insurance.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE PERSONAL LINES UNDERWRITER

Education/Credentials

• 4 - year degree or equivalent work experience.
• Continuing education in specialized insurance courses such as IIA & AU preferred

Experience

• Completion of Underwriter Trainee curriculum; or a minimum of 1 year experience in a property/casualty underwriting position such as a Personal Lines Underwriting Assistant [UA].

Technical/Professional Knowledge

• Good working knowledge of underwriting and pricing risks
• Good working knowledge of company underwriting standards and philosophy
• Good working knowledge of all insurance coverages
• Good math aptitude
• Excellent research, analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Good PC skills, with an emphasis on Microsoft Office Suite; along with demonstrated proficiency in all supplied desktop tools, including the automated underwriting and email systems

JOB REQUIREMENTS (as required by ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act)

• This position is primarily a sedentary position that requires occasional standing and walking throughout the office environment.
• Must be able to see and effectively use a computer monitor.
• Must be able to operate a computer, keyboard and applicable printers and other general office equipment.
• Must be able to access and enter information accurately using automated systems.
• Must be able to hear and communicate via the telephone and/or monitoring devices to both internal and external clients.
• Must be able to present information to individuals and groups.
• Must be able to interpret and apply concepts that may or may not be based upon established guidelines.
• Must be able to maintain acceptable attendance and adhere to scheduled work hours.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and be able to operate a motor vehicle.
• Must be able to travel, with overnight stays as required.