Lead Disability Underwriter

MassMutual•Springfield, MA

About The Position

This role will primarily lead and support the modernization of MassMutual’s Disability Income underwriting manual, including evaluation, redesign, and ongoing maintenance of evidence-based medical underwriting guidelines. This is a high-impact, strategic role shaping the future of DI underwriting at MassMutual and an opportunity to build next-generation underwriting guidelines that will support digital transformation and long-term risk performance. Ideal candidate will be a highly experienced Disability Underwriter. This position is not generally attainable by all incumbents.

Requirements

10+ years of relevant work experience in DI Insurance Underwriting
Experience with research and writing guidelines
Mastery knowledge of individual DI insurance practices, underwriting standards, and operations
Demonstrated ability to research and interpret medical literature and translate into underwriting action
Must have an established approval limit without second signature

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s Degree
Have an established approval limit
Industry exams/designations completed, e.g., ALU 101, 201, 202, LOMA, ALMI, FMLI, ALU, FALU, DIA, DIF, RHU, CLU
Direct experience developing or maintaining medical underwriting manuals or formal guideline frameworks
Familiarity with impairment-based underwriting frameworks and clinical risk stratification
Experience supporting automated / digital underwriting rule implementation

Responsibilities

Lead the modernization and ongoing evolution of MassMutual’s Disability Income medical underwriting manual, ensuring it remains innovative, evidence-based, and aligned with business objectives.
Develop and maintain medical underwriting guidelines using clinical research, claims experience, emerging trends, and industry best practices.
Partner with Claims, Pricing, Medical Directors, Compliance, and Product teams to ensure underwriting guidance is competitive, effective, and appropriately aligned with risk objectives.
Translate complex medical, actuarial, and claims insights into clear, actionable underwriting guidance that promotes consistent risk assessment and decision-making.
Assess current underwriting frameworks and identify opportunities to improve guideline structure, usability, consistency, and scalability.
Support the development of digital and automated underwriting capabilities, including rules-based decisioning tools, knowledge bases, and future underwriting technologies.
Champion the adoption of new underwriting practices through training, change management, and ongoing engagement with underwriting teams.
Serve as a subject matter expert and strategic partner to underwriting leadership, helping strengthen risk governance, underwriting quality, and profitable growth.