Senior Farm Marketing Underwriter

Summary: Responsible for driving the acquisition of profitable new business through leads and field work, specifically with in person client/member interaction. In this role, you will collaborate with Independent Agents working with both prospective and current client-members throughout South Dakota and Nebraska. You will look at farm properties alongside an agent before the policy is bound. You will be responsible for exercising underwriting judgments to determine rate and risk selection for the farm line of business. This includes making modifications, rejections, cancellations, and non-renewal decisions in accordance with our guidelines. You will also monitor the current book of business to reduce the company's losses. In this position, it is important to have marketing, agriculture and insurance experience so you can build rapport with our policyholders. As a Farm Marketing Underwriter, you will be working from home and will have control over your territory to grow farm business. You will cover and must reside in the South Dakota or Nebraska area.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Drive the acquisition of profitable new business through leads and field work.
• Collaborate with Independent Agents working with prospective and current policyholders
• Exercise underwriting judgments to determine rate and risk selection for the Farm line of business.
• Make modifications, rejections, cancellations, and non-renewal decisions in accordance with guidelines.
• Monitor the current book of business to reduce the company's losses.
• Build rapport with policyholders using marketing, agriculture, and insurance experience.
• Documents files and properly closes out work per file. 
• Participates in company meetings and educational opportunities. 
• Performs underwriting training and assists as directed with advanced training. 
• Assists with the development and implementation of necessary training for underwriting development as directed.
• Assists Operations Project Management & IS with the development and testing of various products/projects as directed.  
• Initiates positive suggestions for more effective and/or more efficient ways to underwrite and service business.

Education and Experience: 

• Bachelor’s degree; or one to two years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.  

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

• Valid driver's license and ability to travel (50% during workday). 
• Valid and active drone license and skill necessary to operate drone for farm inspections will be required within 6-12 months.
• Insurance designations preferred (ie, CPCU, AFIS, AINS, AU)

Required Knowledge and Skills: 

• College degree or equivalent plus 5 years of relevant insurance experience required.
• Ag/farming experience is preferred.
• Strong customer service skills, including solid verbal communication and business professional writing skills.
• Excellent problem solving, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Strong computer skills to quickly learn multiple systems.
• Up-to-date knowledge regarding local, state, and federal rules and regulations.
• Ability to meet deadlines, work under pressure, and shift priorities.

Physical Requirements: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear and taste or smell. The employee
must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. 

American West Insurance Company complies fully with all federal, state, and local employment laws and shall provide equal employment and advancement opportunities for all persons regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, the presence of any mental or physical disability, status with regard to public assistance or marriage, or any other category protected by local, state or federal law.