• Job Description

  Req#: 1870

  Overview

  Reviews commercial lines policy applications and renewals to evaluate degree of risk, classify, and rate for insurance and either accept, modify, or decline risk following organization underwriting standards. Collects data, loss control surveys, and photographs to identify and evaluate risk exposures for the purpose of making decisions on insurance coverage eligibility. Serves as an expert resource for producers, claims, rating, loss control, reinsurance, and marketing personnel related to underwriting.

  This position qualifies for our flexible workplace options. Work at our Grinnell, Iowa, headquarters or from a home office in any of the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Please note that candidates must be eligible to work in the U.S. without Grinnell Mutual sponsorship.

  Responsibilities

  • Analyzes new account application and collects data related to the exposure to determine risk eligibility.

  • Reviews prior loss run information and company acceptability guidelines to determine acceptance, modification through negotiation, or rejection of policy application.

  • Classifies risk for rating, endorsing, pricing, and reinsurance placement by reviewing underwriting manual guidelines.

  • Analyzes policy renewals by reviewing risk experience, loss ratio, and policy audit data and determines continued acceptability of risk. Performs re-underwriting of existing business as needed.

  • Updates policy data and takes appropriate actions through review of MVRs, financial reports, and loss control requests. Monitors policies in assigned territory for policy activity, audits, changes, and claims.

  • Communicates policy information and coverages to agents related to acceptance, modification, or denial of risk acceptance or general inquiries.

  • Reviews loss review data and follows up based upon the information presented.

  • Makes field visits and attends producer schools to familiarize agents with and promote Grinnell Mutual products while increasing business relationships.

  • Designs product presentations and delivers presentations occasionally to varied small groups.

  • Attends internal and external meetings and contributes to meetings by asking questions or presenting information verbally or in written form.

  • Reviews agency performance records and contributes findings during the agency review process.

  • Performs other duties as assigned.

  Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree from four-year accredited college or university; or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

  • Knowledge of insurance policy language and insurance policy forms is required.

  • Ability to analyze data presented in insurance policy applications or renewals and determine acceptance, modification, or denial of the risk.

  • Ability to use personal judgment, experience, known facts, and figures to make decisions and resolve problems.

  • Ability to maintain confidentiality of underwriting information and proprietary company information.

  • Ability to relay policy information using multiple forms of communication and demonstrate effective writing skills to develop memos, requests for information, completion of forms, and other business correspondence obtained through conversations with agents or from data and information gathered from underwriting functions.

  • Ability to provide a high level of customer service internally and externally by delivering timely responses.

  • Ability to talk to others to convey information effectively including using negotiation skills and defending of positions.

  • Ability to manage multiple priorities and projects as required by business need.

  • Ability to organize large amount of reference materials for easy retrieval and reference while underwriting policies.

  • Knowledge and application of basic math including calculating percentages and ratios.

  • Ability to function independently and work in an environment with limited supervision.

  • Ability to use general office equipment including PCs, telephone, fax, copier/scanner, calculator, and demonstrate basic knowledge of Microsoft Office suite products.

  • Ability to use internet search engines to locate policy holder information.

  • Ability to maintain a valid driver’s license and travel from the home office to Grinnell Mutual agent offices or Grinnell Mutual insured locations. Overnight travel is required, within a multi-state region, approximately 5 - 10% of time depending on territory size.

  • Ability to maintain regular and predictable schedule to meet the needs of our customers and provide adequate coverage during our core business hours.

  • Must be able to maintain confidentiality and proprietarty information.

  • Demonstrated ability to adhere to all Grinnell Mutual policies.
  • Demonstrated ability to incorporated Grinnell Mutual core values in all areas of work.

  Working conditions and physical efforts

  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each job duty and responsibility satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform job duties and responsibilities.

  • The Commercial Underwriter deals with many types of people, which can be stimulating, yet demanding and stressful.

  • This position involves repetitive work with computer keyboard and phone.

  • Requires visual actuity and may cause eye strain.

  • The Commercial Underwriter frequently works under externally imposed deadlines with expected interruptions to the workflow making it difficult to anticipate the nature and volume of work to perform.

  • The position is physically located in an agreed upon location per the Grinnell Mutual Work from Anywhere policy. All work arrangements must put the business needs of the organization first and ensure the coverage of all job duties.

  • The position requires the individual to frequently communicate with internal and external customers through the telephone or email.

  • Required to be stationary for long periods of time.

  • The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

  This job description is not intended to describe, in detail, the multitude of tasks that may be assigned, but rather to give the employee a general sense of the responsibilities and expectations of his/her position. As the nature of the business demands change, so too may the job duties and responsibilities.

• About the company

  Grinnell Mutual is a property-casualty mutual insurance company and reinsurer based in Grinnell, Iowa, United States.

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