Senior Underwriter, Product Technical Specialist

SageSure•Chicago, IL

About The Position

The Senior Underwriter, Product Technical Specialist works within SageSure’s Specialty Property cross-functional team, partnering with actuaries, catastrophe risk modelers, risk analysts, product analysts, data scientists, and software and database developers to develop products and determine rate and rule changes. The role serves as a subject matter expert on Specialty Property products, applying technical underwriting expertise and staying current on products, guidelines, industry trends, and state regulatory changes. It ensures compliance with carrier underwriting guidelines, policies, and procedures to minimize risk exposure. The specialist serves as an authoritative resource for day-to-day underwriting activities and timely underwriting decisions. This includes managing underwriting referrals, ensuring insurance to value, ordering and reviewing inspections, and reviewing claim files for coverage, rescissions, prior-claim and litigation disputes, and adverse risk conditions. The role provides guidance to operational teams on complex rules, forms, and procedures and collaborates with underwriters on projects, workflows, procedures, and workload management. The position works with Compliance on DOI complaint responses, statutory requirements, data calls, state emergency orders, and other regulatory changes. It interacts with wholesalers, retail agents, territory sales managers, customer care representatives, and policyholders to support service, data quality, and ease of doing business; explain coverage and underwriting requirements; and address underwriting exceptions. The specialist also works with Regulatory Compliance on filings and responses for admitted products. The role partners with Software and Enterprise Solutions teams to document business requirements for underwriting projects, new products, and system changes or enhancements. It creates, performs, and validates system testing plans, communicates results and system changes to affected departments, identifies trends and workflow improvement opportunities, and participates in special projects as needed.

Requirements

A minimum of 10–15 years of personal lines underwriting experience.
Solid analytical skills and demonstrated ability to interpret and analyze data.
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills and the ability to interact effectively with internal and external business partners at all levels.
Ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-moving environment, work effectively with minimal supervision, and leverage technology to drive efficiency.
Adaptability and resourcefulness in dynamic settings, including use of innovative tools and methods to streamline processes and optimize workflows.
Ability to independently manage responsibilities while focusing on organizational objectives and efficiency.
Strong work ethic and ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively within a team.
Expertise with Microsoft products, including Teams, SharePoint, and Loop, and experience with other insurance software.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with business process modeling tools such as Visio and reporting tools such as Tableau or Power BI.
Bachelor’s degree, CPCU, or related Insurance Institute professional designation.
Solid background in personal lines, including insurance data analysis and underwriting.
Experience with both admitted and surplus lines insurance.
Experience working directly with customers and insurance producers and agents.
Experience with insurance software, internet email, and the MS Office Suite.

Responsibilities

Work with the Specialty Property cross-functional team to develop products and determine rate and rule changes.
Serve as a subject matter expert on Specialty Property products and stay current on product guidelines, trends, and state regulatory changes.
Ensure adherence to carrier underwriting guidelines, policies, and procedures to minimize risk exposure.
Handle day-to-day underwriting activities and ensure timely underwriting actions, including managing referrals and ensuring insurance to value.
Order, review, and manage inspections.
Review and summarize claim-file content involving coverage, rescissions, prior claims, litigation disputes, and adverse risk conditions.
Guide operational departments in resolving complex rule, form, and procedural questions.
Collaborate with Senior Underwriters and Underwriters on projects, workflows, procedures, and workload management.
Work with Compliance on DOI complaint responses, statutory requirements, data calls, state emergency orders, and other regulatory changes.
Interact with wholesalers, retail agents, Territory Sales Managers, and Customer Care Representatives to support service, underwriting acumen, data quality, accuracy, and ease of doing business.
Communicate with wholesalers, retail agents, and insureds as needed to improve data quality, assess underwriting exceptions, interpret coverage, and explain underwriting requirements and philosophies.
Communicate directly with policyholders to answer questions or present information.
Work with Regulatory Compliance on regulatory filings and responses for admitted products.
Collaborate with Software and Enterprise Solutions teams to document business requirements for underwriting projects, new products, and system changes or enhancements.
Create, perform, and validate system testing plans and communicate results.
Communicate underwriting- and product-related system changes to affected departments in a timely manner.
Identify trends in daily underwriting activities, workflow inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement.
Participate in special projects as required.