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Underwriting Assistant Job Description

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Life is full of risks that can cost sufferers thousands or even millions of dollars. Since few individuals can build up enough money to pay for all expenses, insurance companies have come about to create programs that spread risk among a large number of individuals. These insurance companies are similar to having several individuals place money in a pot and having insurance companies determine which insurance members are qualified for payouts whenever an expensive accident or mishap occurs. Insurance underwriters make it possible for insurance companies to be sustainable.

Underwriters

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Insurance underwriters are responsible for making sure that insurance companies charge just the right amount of money in order to maintain business and also cover the costs of paying out insurance premiums, according to InsureLane.com.

Underwriting Assistants

Underwriting assistants work with insurance underwriters, carrying out clerical tasks. Whenever policy changes lead to changes in prices, the assistant is responsible for recalculating customer costs, according to Zurich. These assistants review and process policy changes so that insurance underwriters can stay informed. Whenever the insurance underwriter is contacted about information, the assistant is usually the first person that the inquirer talks to. The assistant also contacts various parties to gather routine information. The assistant takes regular inventory of files in order to locate files that contain errors that must be fixed. A variety of letters such as cancellation letters must also be typed by the underwriting assistant, according to Travel Guard.

Education

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The minimum educational requirements for an insurance underwriting assistant is a high school diploma or GED. Insurance underwriting assistants must have good communication skills and must interact with upper management on a regular basis. They must be highly detail-oriented in order to spot problems with files. Organizational and time-management skills are a must to maximize productivity. Computer skills are necessary since most files are located on electronic databases. According to Travel Guard, those assistants who have more experience with insurance policies and terminology will be the most likely to be hired.

Outlook

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The need for insurance underwriters is expected to decline by 2 percent between 2020 and 2030, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This decline is due to advances in technology that have made insurance underwriters far more productive, reducing the number of insurance underwriters and insurance underwriter assistants that are needed.

Salary

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The average earnings for an underwriting assistant in 2021 is about $43,210.

Insurance Underwriters salary

  • Top 10% Annual Salary: More than $129,550 ($62.28/hour)
  • Median Annual Salary: $71,790 ($34.51/hour)
  • Bottom 10% Annual Salary: Less than $43,210 ($20.77/hour)
References
Writer

Charles Pearson has written as a freelancer since 2009. He has a B.S. in literature from Purdue University Calumet and is currently working on his M.A. He has written the ebooks "Karate You Can Teach Your Kids," "Macadamia Growing Handout" and "The Raw Food Diet."

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