Excess & Surplus - Underwriting Specialist Specialty (Remote/Hybrid)

The Hanover Insurance Group•Chicago, IL

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

For more than 170 years, The Hanover has been committed to delivering on our promises and being there when it matters the most. We live our values every day, demonstrating we CARE through our values, Sustainability initiatives and inclusive corporate culture. The Hanover’s Specialty, Excess & Surplus team is seeking a strategic, sales-minded, and dynamic Underwriting Specialist Specialty – Merit Specialty (Wholesale) to join our established and growing team. This role may be based anywhere in the United States (excluding NY & CA). The ideal candidate must have the ability to travel for meetings and client visits as needed. At the Hanover we also understand that life and the workplace have changed so we are reimagining the workplace and provide flexible work arrangements. This hire may be hybrid or 100% remote, anywhere in the US (excluding California & New York). The Hanover is a diverse and inclusive organization focused on hiring the best talent and we encourage all qualified professionals to apply. We believe that an inclusive, diverse, and equitable workplace make us a better organization and creates a stronger community. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply. The actual job title and level may be flexible dependent on candidate qualifications and experience (Underwriter Specialty or Senior Underwriting Specialist). POSITION OVERVIEW: Responsible for identifying, soliciting, underwriting, and selling new and renewal Specialty accounts that drive profitable growth and align with Industry Segments and LOB mix goals. Apply technical, sales and analytical skills to provide insurance solutions that help Hanover’s customers manage risk. Demonstrates a thorough understanding of Hanover’s strategies and appetites and will use internal and external data to make appropriate individual and portfolio risk decisions. Operates with limited daily supervision, seeks technical direction for matters outside one’s authority and general expertise. Operates within a standard letter of authority for all underwriting decisions while managing a book of business, generally with moderate to high technical complexity and coordination. THIS IS A FULL-TIME, EXEMPT ROLE.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience
Generally, 3-7+ years Specialty or standard commercial lines experience.
3-4+ years’ experience driving agency relationships resulting in profitable new and renewal business as well as complex accounts.
Demonstrates ability to adapt quickly to change, identify, analyze, and solve problems and willingness to being open to new and different ways of thinking.
Communication - ability to effectively interact and communicate with all levels of external and/or internal business partners within scope of responsibility, team, and/or matrix environment. Demonstrating ability to consult with internal and external parties on underwriting matters.
Judgment and Decision Making - Ability to exercise judgment, negotiate and make sound business decisions effectively based on level of authority. Demonstrates confidence in own abilities and is comfortable taking informed risk.
Agile and Adaptive - Strong ability to identify, analyze and solve problems as well as the ability to learn rapidly, adapt quickly to change, exercise influence, and manage and prioritize multiple concurrent projects.
Team Work and Collaboration - Openly encourages other team members to share ideas and voice concerns. Shows respect for differences and diversity in ideas and views. Involves other team members to achieve optimal performance.
Prioritization and Desk Management - Understands and seeks ways to improve the quality and results of one’s work. Monitors progress against agreed upon timeline and deliverables. Raises awareness if achievement of committed work may be compromised and actively engages in mitigating the situation.

Responsibilities

Technical Underwriting:
Knows and applies underwriting concepts including risk selection, exposure and hazard identification and control, coverage implications, and loss analysis.
Uses all appropriate underwriting tools, disciplines and strategies to ensure underwriting guidelines are followed.
Understands pricing components and rating methodology and correlates pricing to exposures.
When presented with minimal information on a risk, instinctively knows the key questions to ask to ascertain the full scope of operations and the key exposures and needed controls.
Completes file documentation according to best practices guidelines and can clearly explain account decisions.
Provides clear and concise rating instructions for quotes prior to generating proposal for presentation to the agent.
Portfolio Management & Financial Acumen:
Manages assigned portfolio to achieve gross written premium, profitability, rate, retention, product mix, new business, and portfolio management goals, by use of proven pipeline and marketing practices.
Developing an understanding of various financial reporting information and insurance performance measures in the management of risk.
Demonstrates an understanding of the market factors that can affect pricing and how it correlates to individuals book, agency’s book, the region, and countrywide.
Prepares or analyzes information on underwriting decisions, rate, underwriting requirements, company appetite, status, and declinations to drive results within the assigned territory.
Familiarizes oneself with other Hanover departments for leveraging growth in areas of business where portfolio could be more balanced.
Sales Management:
Can identify, solicit, pipeline, negotiate, and close accounts aligned with business strategy. Ability to profile assigned agency plant and to strategically market our capabilities to agents.
Keeps current on state/territory issues, regulations, and trends.
Utilizes market and competitor information to enhance relationships and individual account decision making.
Prioritizes and develops effective relationship management and producer activities to build trust, facilitate negotiation, and secure commitment in order to improve yield and retention ratios.
Operates with a franchise perspective to identify additional sell opportunities to create growth within other LOB’s and customer segments.
Partners with other business units to deliver comprehensive insurance solutions.
Demonstrates in-depth knowledge of Hanover’s products and appetite while clearly communicating Hanover’s position at the point of sale.
Builds and maintains rigorous sales practices using all systems, sales tools and disciplines outlined in the sales best practices.
Makes presentations to agents and customers. Utilize department and Specialty partners to augment sales process. Effectively utilize Claims and Loss Control to display service and/or technical expertise with present and future customers.