Senior Underwriter

Title: Senior Underwriter

Location: Illinois, USA

Job Description:

The Miscellaneous Professional Liability team is seeking a Senior Underwriter to join our growing organization. This is a full-time, exempt role and may be based remotely or in a hybrid arrangement anywhere within the United States.
POSITION OVERVIEW:
The Senior Underwriter is responsible for identifying, underwriting, and growing profitable E&O business sourced through wholesale distribution partners. This role serves as a trusted underwriting and business development partner to wholesale brokers, applying advanced technical underwriting expertise, sales acumen, and market knowledge to deliver responsive, creative insurance solutions that align with Hanover's appetite and profitability objectives. The successful candidate will cultivate strong relationships with wholesale partners, drive new business production, manage renewal retention, and contribute to profitable portfolio growth while operating within an established Letter of Authority and with a high degree of autonomy.
 
IN THIS ROLE, YOU WILL: 
Technical Underwriting:

Possess thorough knowledge and understanding of business strategy.
Know and apply advanced underwriting concepts including risk selection, exposure and hazard identification and control, coverage implications, and loss analysis.
Advance knowledge of pricing components and rating methodology and correlates pricing to exposure, financial and competitive analysis.
Identify types of coverages including gaps in coverages typically provided within given operations, can explain coverages and correlating exposures and controls to agents to complete our value-added proposition.

Portfolio Management & Wholesale Distribution:

Establishes and executes territory and distribution plans focused on expanding production, increasing submission flow, and improving profitability within the wholesale channel.
Develops and maintains strong relationships with wholesale brokers and key distribution partners to drive profitable new business opportunities and strengthen Hanover's market presence.
Serves as a trusted underwriting resource and strategic partner for wholesale producers, providing expertise, responsiveness, and creative solutions for complex E&O risks.
Reviews portfolio metrics, production trends, and market opportunities to identify growth areas and optimize distribution strategies.
Manages an assigned portfolio of E&O business to achieve gross written premium, profitability, retention, rate, and growth objectives.
Collaborates with internal business partners to drive portfolio and profit improvement initiatives within key wholesale relationships.
Identifies cross-sell and account rounding opportunities by partnering with Specialty and other business units to deliver comprehensive solutions.
Maintains a strong understanding of industry trends, market conditions, and competitive dynamics to support underwriting and distribution decisions.

Sales & Relationship Management:

Drives profitable growth through the development and management of strategic wholesale broker relationships.
Partners with wholesale producers to identify, evaluate, and structure opportunities that align with Hanover's appetite and underwriting strategy.
Delivers exceptional service and responsiveness throughout the underwriting process to create a differentiated broker experience.
Utilizes Hanover's value proposition to increase partner engagement, strengthen broker loyalty, and enhance conversion and retention results.
Conducts regular agency and broker visits, pipeline meetings, and business planning discussions to identify opportunities and strengthen relationships.
Negotiates terms, pricing, and coverage solutions while balancing customer needs with Hanover's profitability objectives.
Collaborates with internal stakeholders to ensure timely service, effective account management, and successful execution of business strategies.
Provides product expertise, underwriting guidance, and market intelligence to wholesale partners to promote Hanover as a preferred market.
Makes presentations to wholesale organizations, broker teams, and industry groups to increase brand awareness and drive business development opportunities.
Maintains a strong pipeline of opportunities and proactively manages broker relationships to achieve sustainable profitable growth.

WHAT YOU NEED TO APPLY:

5+ years of E&O underwriting experience.
Proven success in building agency relationships and driving profitable growth.
Strong knowledge of risk assessment, pricing, and coverage analysis.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience.
Ability to travel as needed.