Best Interview Questions to Ask an Underwriter

The interview process for an underwriter is quite extensive. The skills that are important to make the cut are organizational, quantitative, and quantitative reasoning skills.

Because underwriting is done on a computer, underwriters must be able to communicate with a computer and manipulate the data accordingly.

Become familiar with what you will find in an interview, including what skills and attributes employers seek in an insurance underwriter.

Let’s get started.

Who Is an Underwriter?

The underwriter of a policy of insurance is the person ultimately accountable for the policy’s financial viability. This individual evaluates insurance applicants to establish risk and recommends premium amounts. 

The underwriter of an insurance policy must analyze the application and the associated risk to reach a reasonable conclusion.

Underwriters must have the appropriate critical thinking skills to assess a situation and recommend insurable actions. 

Common Interview Questions for an Underwriter

Underwriters act as risk management and capital markets professionals who help ensure the various capital markets function as intended. 

They work with investors to determine the risk of a financial instrument and protect their interests by assessing the likelihood of failure. Here are likely interview questions for underwriters.

• Have you ever dealt with massive amounts of data? 
• So, what are the most important traits an underwriter must possess?
• Where do you start evaluating an individual’s suitability for an insurance policy? 
• Please describe the most challenging part of your work. 
• Give an instance of when you had to make a tough choice. 
• What would you do if a policyholder filed a claim? 
• What would you do if you had a disagreement with a coworker over a choice? 
• How well do you comprehend insurance law? Are you familiar with foreign insurance policies?

Great Underwriter Interview Questions to Ask

Underwriters are risk managers capable of assessing the risk that accompanies a particular transaction and, in some cases, denying it. Here are some questions that you should ask an underwriter.

• When was the last time you reviewed the latest developments in the field of risk management? 
• To maximize profits, how would you recommend we structure our insurance plans? 
• Explain how you determine an insurance applicant’s ability to pay premiums. 
• In comparison to other applicants, what sets you apart? 
• What fields do you have the most expertise in? 
• Is there one aspect of customer service that is crucial for an underwriter to provide? 
• Ask yourself how often you make a mistake when deciding whether or not to grant an insurance application. A cutting-edge system could facilitate your evaluation of insurance candidates. 
• Will you commit to getting the hang of it?

Final Thoughts

Asking these questions to an underwriter will provide you with insight into what makes a good underwriter and what their role entails. 

You can also use this interview guide to learn about the background and experience of the underwriter. Also, ensure that the candidate can answer these questions clearly, concisely, and professionally.