AVP, Policy Wording & Forms

Aviva • New York, NY

1d • $160,000 - $175,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The AVP, Policy Wording & Forms reports to the Chief Underwriting Officer and plays a significant role in establishing and maintaining the policy wordings, forms, and endorsements supporting Aviva Specialty’s U.S. products. The role leads drafting, review, governance, and regulatory filing of policy forms across the specialty lines portfolio, ensuring language is clear, consistent, and compliant with applicable laws and regulations. It translates underwriting strategy and risk appetite into coverage language that supports disciplined underwriting and good customer outcomes.

The successful candidate brings deep expertise in policy wording and forms, strong regulatory knowledge, sound coverage judgment, and the ability to influence outcomes across underwriting, product, claims, legal, compliance, actuarial, and operations. The position also develops wording governance, serves as a senior technical resource, and supports training, reporting, product development, and the establishment of Aviva Specialty’s U.S. insurance business.

Requirements

• 8–12+ years of experience in policy wording, forms development, product development, coverage, or underwriting within commercial or specialty property and casualty insurance.
• Demonstrated experience drafting and maintaining policy forms, endorsements, and manuscript wordings across multiple specialty lines.
• Strong working knowledge of U.S. state insurance regulation and the forms filing process for excess and surplus lines markets.
• Experience managing Department of Insurance filings and objections, including through tools such as SERFF.
• Strong understanding of coverage interpretation, policy construction, and how wording affects underwriting, claims, and reinsurance outcomes.
• Excellent analytical, drafting, communication, and stakeholder-influence skills, including the ability to explain complex coverage matters clearly.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Law, Insurance, Risk Management, or a related discipline.

Nice To Haves

• JD or legal background with experience in insurance coverage.
• CPCU, AIC, ARM, RPLU, or another relevant professional insurance designation.
• Experience across specialty lines such as Cyber, Financial Lines, Casualty, Property, or delegated authority programs.
• Familiarity with ISO, AAIS, or other bureau forms programs.
• Experience supporting the build or launch of a new insurance carrier, product suite, or forms library.

Responsibilities

• Lead drafting, review, and maintenance of policy wordings, forms, endorsements, and clauses across U.S. specialty lines, including new products and enhancements to existing programs.
• Ensure policy language is clear, consistent, and aligned with underwriting intent, risk appetite, reinsurance terms, and product strategy.
• Establish and maintain a forms library, standard wording templates, and version control.
• Review manuscript wordings and non-standard coverage requests, advising underwriters on coverage intent, exposures, and potential unintended coverage.
• Analyze market forms, competitor wordings, and ISO or bureau developments to inform product positioning and coverage enhancements.
• Manage the regulatory filing strategy and process for forms across excess and surplus lines markets.
• Prepare and coordinate form filings, respond to Department of Insurance objections and information requests, and track filing status and approvals.
• Monitor regulatory, legislative, and judicial developments affecting policy language and recommend wording or procedural changes.
• Partner with Compliance and Legal on regulatory inquiries, examinations, and audits related to policy forms.
• Develop and implement a risk-based wording governance framework, including approval authorities, review protocols, and periodic reviews.
• Review issued policies and forms usage to confirm approved wordings are applied correctly, identify gaps, and recommend corrective action.
• Assess wording-related risks, including ambiguity, systemic or silent exposures, and claims trends, and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Support internal audits, quality-assurance reviews, and underwriting governance activities related to policy wordings and forms.
• Serve as a senior technical resource on policy wording and coverage matters for the Chief Underwriting Officer, underwriting leaders, and line heads.
• Partner with Claims to incorporate coverage interpretation lessons and claims trends into wording improvements.
• Collaborate with Product, Actuarial, Operations, and Technology to align forms with rating, policy issuance systems, and product launches.
• Engage with brokers and program partners on wording questions, manuscript requests, and coverage negotiations as needed.
• Participate in projects and strategic initiatives, including product development and platform build activities.
• Develop and deliver training on policy wordings, coverage intent, forms usage, and regulatory requirements.
• Prepare reports and presentations for the Chief Underwriting Officer and senior management on forms inventory, filing status, wording risks, and regulatory developments.
• Support good customer outcomes through clear, fair, and transparent policy language.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary ranging from $160,000 to $175,000, depending on experience, qualifications, location, and market considerations.
• Eligibility for an annual bonus.
• Retirement savings.
• Health benefits.
• Volunteer opportunities.
• Flexible hybrid work model.
• Professional development and career growth opportunities.
• Competitive vacation package.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior