Sr. Consultant, Brokerage Excess Underwriting - E&S/Specialty

If you’re passionate about helping people protect what matters most to them at a Fortune 100 company with nearly $70 billion in annual sales, as well as innovating and simplifying processes and operations to provide the best customer value, then Nationwide’s Property and Casualty team could be the place for you! At Nationwide®, “on your side” goes beyond just words. Our customers and partners are at the center of everything we do and we’re looking for associates who are passionate about delivering extraordinary care.

Job Description Summary

Are you a critical thinker who can analyze complex risk and find insurance solutions that balance customer needs with business goals? If you can take initiative, use both your analytical and creative abilities to make sound decisions and have a desire to help people solve real challenges, we want to hear from you!

Our Excess & Surplus/Specialty (E&S/S) lines allow us to provide insurance that other carriers may not offer. It’s a fast-paced environment in a collaborative, team-oriented culture, working in an always-changing, growing industry.

As a Senior Underwriting Consultant in Brokerage Excess, you will underwrite individual risks for acceptability, pricing, coverage, terms and conditions, by developing, analyzing and evaluating information and exposures on risks of the most complex technical nature with the highest level of authority for the Excess Casualty line of business. In addition, you achieve production and loss ratio goals with assigned brokers and program managers by reviewing and analyzing claims, loss history and taking appropriate action on accounts.

Broker assignments are the most complex in terms of coverage and broker relationships. You will exercise a high level of authority and judgment with minimal direction and be responsible for determining appropriate reinsurance placement if any on individual accounts. We will count on you to foster positive business relationships with co-workers, brokers, and reinsurers.

You will also be responsible for research, development and presentation of new classes of business including market viability forms development, manuals, available reinsurance and assisting the manager with department strategies. Managing the workflow of assigned underwriters, employee coaching and development, and mentoring underwriters at all levels are important elements of this role. In absence of the Manager, you’ll have authority to approve referrals that exceed the authority of lower level underwriters.

You will have opportunities to represent the department in various division and company committees/initiatives.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Researches and develops new classes of business as directed.  Researches market trends and competition. Assesses market viability, creates forms & endorsements, and develops rates with actuarial support. On large, complex accounts, partners with Actuarial team to develop rates/pricing, Finance team to review potential insureds profitability profile and claims team to review SIR viability and potential frequency and severity of losses.
• Reviews individual risks with assigned brokers and either declines or accepts business based upon information necessary to make the decision. The underwriter analyzes, with the highest level of technical expertise and accuracy, exposures to loss, develops an adequate premium charge for the exposure, determines endorsements and exclusions to address loss exposures for the insurance contract, including developing manuscript wording appropriate to the risk. Within department guidelines places reinsurance, if any, for the account.
• Achieves team/individual production and loss ratio goals with assigned brokers through sound broker management and marketing. The underwriter continually analyzes premium and loss results of assigned brokers; by state, major classes of business, etc. Continually assesses quality of broker submissions and makes corrective action recommendations.
• Oversees or handles policy maintenance items and other mid-term requests.  Reviews endorsement requests and authorizes necessary changes to the policy.  Reviews Loss Control reports and recommendations; partners with the broker to ensure loss control compliance. Follows up on outstanding information as required. Reviews claim activity and takes appropriate action.
• Fosters positive business relationships with brokers, through frequent contact. Develops and maintains good rapport and resolves broker conflicts. Travels to broker offices as required for training or marketing visits. Entertains brokers visiting the Company as required. Assists with development of marketing ideas and strategies for Underwriting events and other marketing campaigns.
• Demonstrates a thorough understanding of facultative reinsurance and places reinsurance per department guidelines based upon the appropriate use of all reinsurance facilities used by the department, including various treaty, semiautomatic and facultative reinsurance.  Maintains good working relationship with reinsurers.
• Responsible for the resolution of technical questions of the highest complexity.
• Proactively develops technical and business knowledge through internal and external venues. Teaches classes to build technical underwriting knowledge to brokers, SSU students and other underwriters. Mentors new and existing underwriting talent.
• May perform other responsibilities as assigned.
• Reporting Relationships:   Reports to Underwriting Manager.  May have up to three direct reports.  Indirect reports not typically assigned.
• Typical Skills and Experiences: Education:   Undergraduate degree preferred. Equivalent work experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.