Underwriter

Since Aspen was founded in 2002, we have become a leading, diversified specialty insurance and reinsurance company. We respond thoughtfully and creatively to find the best outcomes for our clients and business partners through carefully-tailored solutions.

We believe the way we work is just as important as the work we do, and we are guided by our core values of respect, honesty, trust and professionalism.

Aspen is a great place to develop your career offering an exciting and challenging environment where achievement is rewarded.

The role:

To underwrite business in accordance with the business plan and within delegated underwriting authority with the purpose of underwriting a profitable account on behalf of Aspen in the UK and Aspen Values demonstrated in the delivery and performance

Key Responsibilities:

Strategy and Planning   

• Awareness of and contribution to the delivery of the divisional business plan, making decisions as appropriate
• Contribute and participate in all relevant meetings, in order to share and develop strategy, knowledge and best practice
• Positively promote the department, division and company as a whole, in order to maximize brand leverage
• Apply the reinsurance strategy in order to safeguard the portfolio

Policy, Process and Procedures

• Perform underwriting activities in accordance with all legal and regulatory requirements to ensure obligations are met
• Adheres to underwriting standards, instructions and good practice to minimise risk and maximise efficiency
• Ensure the recording and measurement of insurance risks, including delegated underwriting authorities (DUA’s) where relevant, to ensure accuracy and good practice, assisting with the development or modify policy wordings as appropriate
• Understand and comply with any reinsurance requirement to minimize risk and to deliver business plan objectives

Environmental Awareness/Customer Focus        

• Use technical knowledge and judgement to refer and support Senior/Underwriters with identifying issues and opportunities
• Establish, develop and strengthen relationships with stakeholders including customers, brokers, business partners and colleagues to maximise influence and achieve business objectives
• Demonstrate support for market associations and trade bodies
• Demonstrate understanding and awareness of market dynamics and market cycle to drive and enhance business performance

Technical Performance

• Continually develop expertise and technical knowledge through identifying and implementing appropriate learning and development activities
• Underwriting insurance risks in accordance with the business plan and the delegated underwriting authority to meet business objectives. This includes negotiating rates, terms and conditions for existing and new business (developing or modifying policy wordings as appropriate), ensuring compliance with internal and external regulations and guidelines, ensuring contribution to the business plan and objectives, and support credit control, where required, in payment collection
• Participate in the review and analysis of the portfolio to identify progress towards business objectives
• Ensure all business is thoroughly evaluated by peer review and that risks written adhere to the Company’s underwriting standards and individual authority

Skills & Experience

• Specific professional qualification (CII) (preferable)
• Substantial experience gained within the insurance industry and within a specialised/complex underwriting area
• Strong/established customer/broker relationships
• Experienced in using risk profiling and pricing tools and loss models
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Strong negotiation skills
• Strong customer orientation skills
• Manage conflicting priorities to achieve deadlines
• Able to plan effectively and efficiently
• Ability to collaborate effectively in team environment
• Strong analytical skills using data for decision-making
• Strong level of numeracy and literacy skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to engage and positively influence colleagues
• Proficient in relevant software within Company and division

At Aspen we know that having a diverse and inclusive workforce is good for our people, good for our business and good for the environments in which we operate.  We therefore welcome applications from people which allows us to draw on diverse cultures, perspectives, skills and experiences.