Senior Underwriter, Excess Casualty - Northeast

Ascot Group • New York, NY

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

This is an opportunity to join Ascot Group, a leading specialty risk underwriting organization. Ascot operates as a modern-era company with interconnected global platforms, united by a common mission. The company values a talented team that thrives in a collaborative, inclusive, and entrepreneurial culture, emphasizing underwriting excellence, integrity, and innovation. Ascot's underwriting platforms work together to creatively deploy capital through client-centric, risk-centric, and technology-centric strategies. The company is built for resilience, offering clients financial security and bespoke products with world-class service. Ascot aims to solve clients' future challenges through agility, collaboration, resilience, and discipline. The organization is integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and automation to improve decision-making, efficiency, and outcomes, and expects employees to work confidently with AI tools, apply sound judgment, and adapt to evolving technology. Curiosity, critical thinking, and a willingness to embrace change are highly valued. Ascot’s Excess Casualty Business Unit is expanding, seeking a Senior Underwriter, Excess Casualty, to join the National Accounts team to support their assigned region. The role involves generating new business, overseeing a portfolio of renewable business, analyzing data, evaluating liabilities, and cultivating broker and client relationships.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• At least three years of underwriting experience in the property and casualty insurance industry; Excess Casualty underwriting experience is strongly preferred.
• Working knowledge of Excess Casualty products, underwriting practices, and applicable insurance regulations; established retail broker relationships are preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to assess complex risks, interpret financial and loss information, and apply strong technical, analytical, quantitative, and critical-thinking skills.
• Strong negotiation, relationship-management, and influencing skills, with the ability to navigate challenging discussions with brokers, agents, clients, and internal stakeholders.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate underwriting decisions clearly and credibly.
• Highly organized and able to manage a portfolio, prioritize competing demands, meet deadlines, and work effectively with limited supervision.
• Collaborative, solution-oriented, and self-motivated, with the adaptability to succeed in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and the ability to work effectively with data, analytics, and AI-enabled underwriting tools.
• Ability to travel approximately 10–15%.

Nice To Haves

• Excess Casualty underwriting experience is strongly preferred.
• Established retail broker relationships are preferred.
• ASLI, CPCU, ARM, or another relevant professional designation is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Own the profitability, growth, and retention of an assigned Excess Casualty portfolio by executing disciplined risk selection and underwriting strategies aligned with the business unit’s objectives.
• Evaluate, structure, price, negotiate, and bind complex accounts, balancing customer needs with risk appetite and long-term profitability.
• Monitor premium, exposure, loss activity, expenses, and claims trends at the account and portfolio levels; take timely corrective action when performance falls outside expectations.
• Exercise sound independent judgment within delegated underwriting authority and promptly refer risks that fall outside established guidelines or authority.
• Build collaborative relationships with underwriting peers, leaders, and cross-functional partners to identify cross-selling opportunities, support product development, and improve operational effectiveness.
• Develop and maintain strong broker and client relationships, effectively communicating Ascot’s value proposition and generating profitable new business opportunities.
• Apply underwriting guidelines consistently and uphold underwriting integrity, prioritizing sustainable profitability over top-line growth.
• Provide practical, constructive feedback to regional and home-office leadership to improve processes, increase efficiency, and enhance the broker and client experience.
• Use internal and third-party data, analytics, and AI-enabled tools to strengthen risk assessment, improve underwriting productivity, and support informed decision-making.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Demonstrate The Ascot Way in daily interactions by fostering collaboration, inclusion, colleague development, engagement, and individual accountability.

Benefits

• Medical (including prescription coverage)
• Dental
• Vision
• Health Savings Account
• Commuter Account
• Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Life Insurance
• AD&D
• Work/Life Resources (including Employee Assistance Program)
• Paid holidays
• Annual Paid Time Off (includes paid state /local paid leave where required)
• Short-term Disability
• Long-term Disability
• Other leaves (e.g., Bereavement, FMLA, Adoption, Maternity, Military, Primary & Non-Primary Caregiver)
• Contributory Savings Plan (401k)

What This Job Offers

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