Senior Technical Underwriter - Excess & Umbrella

The Excess Liability Division specializes in offering large limits of liability to protect its clients' corporate assets from catastrophic loss. The Division offers significant capacity of up to $20 million dollars for both Lead Umbrella and Excess Liability placements. This protection is made available to companies varying in size from single location light hazard risks to a wide variety of more difficult to place manufacturers and processors. 

https://www.greatamericaninsurancegroup.com/about-us/business-operations/division/excess-liability  

We are seeking a Divisional Assistant Vice President (AVP) or Vice President (VP) of Underwriting to join our team. This individual is responsible for a broad spectrum of technical underwriting, pricing and coverage issues for P&C insurance and reinsurance in the home office. They should bring strong leadership in cross-functional teams ensuring high-quality underwriting, adequate pricing, innovative product development, sensible business processes and regulatory compliance. 

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in insurance / reinsurance liability underwriting and will be responsible for handling underwriting referrals, ensuring SOX compliance, and conducting audits. This role requires a technical expert who can provide oversight and approval, working closely with field underwriters and managers to maintain and update underwriting guidelines.

Great American’s culture is built on connection, shared learning, and strong relationships. To support this, employees in this role are expected to be on-site four days a week, with the flexibility to work one day remotely. Core in‑office days are Tuesday–Thursday, with the fourth day determined by business needs.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Acts as a resource for field offices with respect to technical underwriting issues.  

• Manage and process referrals from field underwriters, providing clear approval or denial with detailed reasoning and appropriate documentation. 

• Provide advice and guidance to the field to enable the company to achieve business objectives. 

• Work closely with the Divisional President and Vice President in carrying out all strategic objectives with respect to these underwriting duties and responsibilities. 

• Ensure compliance with SOX regulations and conduct regular audits. 

• Maintain a detailed understanding of underwriting guidelines and product knowledge and provide guidance to the team. 

• Act as a key point of contact for regulatory and policy compliance, ensuring all activities meet legal and internal standards. 

• Conduct limited travel (less than 10%) to perform audits and meet with clients as needed. 

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree, with background in Insurance, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.  

• Generally, 10+ years of liability underwriting experience, with exposure to reinsurance and referral processes. 

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to assess complex risks and develop sound underwriting strategies. 

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with internal and external stakeholders.