Underwriting Technical Specialist I/II

Emergent Holdings•Lansing, MI

About The Position

The Underwriting Technical Specialist provides customer service and underwriting technical support to agencies and policyholders concerning underwriting rules, procedures, regulations, policies, and audit information. The role reviews and approves or declines endorsement requests, responds to bureau criticisms, verifies coverage for policies and named insureds, DBAs, and locations, and completes experience rating promulgations or Loss Pricing & Projection Models. The specialist mentors Policy Processing Representatives and Customer Billing Representatives on basic questions and policy information. The position interacts with state rating bureaus and internal teams, including Service Center staff, Business Development Consultants and Managers, Corporate Underwriting, Finance, and Claims, as well as agents and policyholders. The role analyzes policy and endorsement requests, researches state manuals, laws, and bureau information, and coordinates coverage changes and required documentation. It investigates bureau, NCCI, and audit inquiries; resolves customer complaints and service issues; manages workflow inventories and service goals; and works with internal departments and agencies to address policy, audit, and coverage matters. The Specialist also researches policyholder financial, safety, loss, and payroll history and analyzes loss and payroll data to assess experience modification factors or prepare loss projections. The work is performed in an office setting with no unusual hazards. The position requires the education and experience specified for the applicable level. For the additional CSR II level, the description specifies further experience in the Underwriting Technical Specialist I role or an alternative combination of degree and experience. A successful business writing course is preferred.

Requirements

Associate degree in business, insurance, or a related field, with progress toward or completion of an Insurance Institute of America (IIA) or other insurance-related designation; combinations of education and experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
For the base level, either two years of experience with Accident Fund Insurance Company of America as a Policy Processing Representative II or Customer Billing Representative; or a bachelor’s degree in business, insurance, or a related field with progress toward or completion of an IIA or other insurance-related designation, plus two years of relevant underwriting, bureau rules, policy, audit, endorsement, or premium billing/customer service experience.
One year of technical or administrative office experience including relevant underwriting duties in an insurance organization or legal duties, or three years of the necessary skills, knowledge, and abilities, may be considered.
For CSR II, either one year as an Underwriting Technical Specialist I with demonstrated technical decision-making, policy-contract interpretation, underwriting knowledge, and experience applying manual rules across multiple states and regulatory authorities; or a bachelor’s degree in business, insurance, or a related field with progress toward or completion of an IIA or other insurance-related designation, plus three years of relevant underwriting, bureau rules, policy, audit, endorsement, or premium billing/customer service experience.
Ability to work effectively in a multifunctional and multistate business unit.
Knowledge of state-specific underwriting and audit rules, procedures, and workers’ compensation classifications across multiple states.
Knowledge of workers’ compensation underwriting terminology and concepts.
Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, including the ability to interpret and explain policy contract language.
Knowledge of eLink or other agency rating tools and online portals.
Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities and meet deadlines.
Ability to work with minimal supervision.
Computer and spreadsheet skills, including accurate data entry at 40 words per minute.
Basic word-processing knowledge.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Knowledge of a multiline telephone system and ability to process transactions on core processing systems.
Ability to proofread documents for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and format.
Math skills, including the ability to use a ten-key adding machine.
For CSR II, ability to recognize and negotiate solutions for unique requests; apply manual rules across core and non-core states and regulatory authorities; think proactively and independently about customer needs; understand policy exposures and the implications of changes; and knowledge of Accident Fund/3CU/CompWest products and services.
Ability to perform essential duties satisfactorily; reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities.

Nice To Haves

Successful completion of a business writing course.

Responsibilities

Respond to policy inquiries and provide customer service to agents, including interpreting and explaining rating algorithms, policy contracts, workers’ compensation laws, manual rules, experience rating calculations, anniversary rating dates, and state-specific factors and rules.
Analyze agent requests, research state manuals and laws, advise on or coordinate appropriate coverage changes, and obtain required documentation.
Review and approve or decline endorsement requests, including requests involving states, names, entities, locations, ownership, payroll, class codes, credits, waivers of subrogation, wrap-ups, alternate employers, identifiers, officers, payment plans, and cancellations.
Analyze policy structures, endorsements, and amendments, and research state and rating bureau websites to verify coverage for entities or locations.
Provide technical support to agents using online tools.
Train new agents and agency employees to use company automation systems.
Research and coordinate resolution of customer complaints, errors, and service issues, and respond to agents, policyholders, and regulatory entities.
Explain the benefits of workers’ compensation insurance products and services to customers.
Work with internal departments to resolve problems and maintain company relations, making decisions based on policy and procedure interpretation.
Investigate and determine appropriate responses to Bureau, NCCI, internal, and external audit inquiries.
Negotiate and direct action to resolve policy change requests and bureau requests.
Manage individual and team workflow inventory in Notes & Tickets to achieve service-time goals.
Research and analyze policyholder financial, safety, loss experience, and payroll histories for multiple operating units.
Analyze loss and payroll data to determine modification-factor variances or enter data for calculation of an updated factor or Loss Pricing & Projection.
Compose written correspondence for internal and external customers as needed.
Review audit findings to determine whether retroactive or current policy changes are needed and coordinate with agents to obtain documentation.
Correct policy structures or cancel coverage based on audit findings to maintain compliance with company and bureau rules and regulations.
Identify solutions for issues affecting multiple or cross-functional business areas and evaluate industry direction and related impacts.
Determine which policies require further review and coordinate resolution with internal departments and agency staff.
Identify exposure impacts that may affect risk desirability in connection with endorsement requests or audit findings.
Train and mentor Underwriting Technical Specialist I employees.