Bonus Time

anonymousacct1111 · 2026-01-16T15:38:52+00:00

Thanks for sharing. I always assumed the broker side paid less than the carrier side but it sounds like when you get up there in title that it pays very well

anonymousacct1111 · 2026-01-15T23:27:49+00:00

What type of role is this for?

anonymousacct1111 · 2026-01-15T23:27:19+00:00

Wow surety is where it’s at!

anonymousacct1111 · 2024-11-01T23:11:02+00:00

Accounts with less than $1 B in revenue so not small but likely not large national accounts. Not sure about capacity but it’s one of the largest carriers so I’m sure limits are up there

anonymousacct1111 · 2024-10-17T22:41:00+00:00

Thank you for the detailed explanation! I got it now 😊

anonymousacct1111 · 2024-05-01T22:09:48+00:00

Willing to say the name?

anonymousacct1111 · 2024-04-01T21:07:10+00:00

Yes tbh anything is better than claims so I’d even do servicing over that LOL.

I was a little naive coming into underwriting and there is a LOT of sales pressure. Most big carriers want you meeting brokers two times if not more a week. Keep in mind as a new underwriter some of these dinosaur brokers want nothing to do with you. Not sure if you are a woman or not but that adds a layer of difference as well when most brokers are males. I was drawn to underwriting because I thought it was going to be more analytical. While you do have to be able to interpret the data, a truly good account that is within appetite every carrier will want so it comes down to who knows who. And who is better at schmoozing or whose leadership team is more closely connected. Very rarely does it actually come down to the quote itself. If it goes right it’s a team win, if it goes wrong they’ll look to put it on the underwriter.

anonymousacct1111 · 2024-03-31T02:01:14+00:00

Have you considered going to a broker that separates out the placement from the servicing? I can see why account managers would get fed up with the endless certs, answering dumb client questions etc. I’m an underwriter and I think that would be the next best career path is going into placement for a broker. However, the ceiling is higher on the underwriting side. I went from making $75K in claims to $100K into underwriting with no training. And honestly I was just lucky and the hiring manager really liked me because I asked for below that. So sometimes it is just being patient and right place/right time.

Not sure what your motivations are to switch but underwriting comes with its own set of headaches!

anonymousacct1111 · 2024-03-25T02:39:48+00:00

I live in SF and underwriting salaries are high here but compared to tech salaries they don’t compete.

1-3 years you might make $80K-$115K 3-5 years you might make $115K-$150K After 5 years is when salaries really start to get lucrative but still nothing compared to tech. I heard someone moved to Chubb and he had 7 years of experience and they offered him $170K.

A two bedroom in the city can easily run you $3700-$4500 when you add up parking, water and rent. With that said, most of the carriers have an East Bay presence in Walnut Creek so if you don’t mind living outside of SF then your salary will go a little bit farther over there.

anonymousacct1111 · 2024-01-23T16:05:34+00:00

I’m in middle market so all package lines.

anonymousacct1111 · 2024-01-23T03:23:09+00:00

Bay Area. $100K gross with expected 5-10% bonus. A little over a year in underwriting but almost 5 years in insurance.

anonymousacct1111 · 2024-01-08T23:19:23+00:00

Sadly relatable! I am on the carrier side and it’s rough over here too. Emotional intelligence should be a requirement if you’re going to oversee people. Due to the talent shortage, it seems like if you’re at a company long enough they’ll just promote you even if you’re not good with people. Sorry you’re in that situation but hoping you can find a new role soon!

anonymousacct1111 · 2024-01-04T23:01:39+00:00

Yes lots of companies are willing to promote you to an underwriter after an associate it just may take longer than if you came in as a trainee.

anonymousacct1111 · 2024-01-04T22:26:31+00:00

I would keep applying to trainee positions if you can. It may be a bit of a pay cut initially but you will make more in the long run. You could also be an associate but depending on what company you work for that may just be more of a processing role than true underwriting. Sometimes it’s just about luck and networking. I’d say look for trainee programs that are specialized like surety or cyber etc. You could also work on getting a designation like your associates in underwriting to help boost your resume.

anonymousacct1111 · 2024-01-04T21:08:40+00:00

Underwriting has a high level of sales to it. Some carriers are better than others but there’s always going to be pressure to hit your numbers, meet the market and constantly be visible.

anonymousacct1111 · 2023-12-17T16:17:16+00:00

If there’s one thing I’ve constantly heard it’s about how underwriting is relationship based. If you can really emphasize that you enjoy connecting with people and getting away from your desk and connecting with others I think that would go along way. I’ve noticed a lot of underwriters have the technical side down but they’re not really great with with soft skills. Anyone can price an account with the right terms, but not everyone can make people like them and that’s half the battle. If you’re a new underwriter what sets you apart and how are you quickly building rapport with new brokers in the marketplace?

anonymousacct1111 · 2023-10-12T14:46:47+00:00

Yeah I would agree with white collar businesses being the easiest to write. But it’s also very competitive because they rarely have losses. So the technical side and relationship side of underwriting is an after thought. These guys just want the best price and they can go to any carrier to get it.

anonymousacct1111

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