I notice the underwriting assistant positions say hourly so I'm assuming maybe the underwriting position is a flat rate and even if you work overtime you won't make more but would like to confirm. Thanks.
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Terrible agent interactions will happen. But I never had to deal with insureds or claimants, and that was much harder for me in claims.
At this point, I think contact centers get the brunt of the terrible agency conversations, not production. Production is mostly written communication, as well, if you even need to communicate. The relationship is different, too.
I get the hesitancy to go somewhere when Mod is taking place, and in that case, you may want to continue in claims. But that's not a safe bet either -- I came to underwriting because they "transformed" my claims department, essentially closing it.
Moving to a new role is always a risk calculation, and everyone's tolerance is different.
For my 2 cents? I think moving over to be aUSA is a far bigger risk than moving over as an Underwriter, unless they massively reconfigure authority levels.
Agree with below poster. However, saying its better than claims wouldn't make me feel comfortable. Ive always avoided applying as I feel its too ripe to be automated fully, and there is a line around the building of claims people looking to escape there....likely for the marginal improvement over claims. Agents and their staff were quite ridiculous in claims, i cant imagine how they are to underwriters who might ruin their commission.
The "oops, we're going to put you in the call center" has happened, but not with that level of regularity.
Training is training. The tests can be stressful (and I think the way they are done is bs), but you usually get plenty of tries, and it really does take time to be a good underwriter. At minimum, it takes a year to even be decent at it.
And quite frankly, if you want to do underwriting work that's not high volume/low complexity work, state farm isn't really the carrier you want to work for, and particularly not in personal lines (Business lines is still really skilled).
And it's STILL better than claims.
So, no real facts or experience just things you heard….how unhelpful and pathetic.
Be careful with underwriting. You have a 95% chance to become a call center customer support worker with an underwriting title while you explain to rude and untrained agent office staff how to do their job.
Ive heard from quite a few people exiting our underwriting department that the role has been so deskilled across the board that other insurance companies consider underwriting here as customer support and not underwriting.
Be very careful with underwriting bait n switch too, ive heard of a few hiring waves that were told they would not be in a call center, and that was changed before they went live.
Training is like a year long, with another year lock out from lateral moves. You need to pass tests of you get fired so its high stress. Also they make you put a camera on you for most of training as they dont trust you...despite having tests you need to pass.
Dont let this company con you into thinking you will be a real underwriter here, maybe in 10 years on the customer support line...
Everytime they automate a function it creates twice the work. Mo--ns in charge.
Underwriting won’t won’t be automated for a decade at the earliest. Many parts of it never based on policy volume. Underwriting is much safer than claims.
@3cjt, renters mod just got paused, and there's certain segments that even in the best case scenario won't be on full mod for probably a decade, and plenty now that aren't even automated and still require full manual review.
The work is still going to be there for awhile. Go in with the knowledge that you should be gaining skills, education, and experience and keep your eyes open as modernization continues.
why would anyone apply to underwriting considering that the Mod is being designed to essentially eliminate or reduce the need for that department?
@2fbc, really depends on the segment and their volume. I was in a lower-volume segment, so we only really got OT in our busier season. If you get cross-trained into different work types, OT opportunities happen more often.
I don't know much about the auto or business side when it comes to OT, and our hours wouldn't ever cross into shift differential territory.
If you are in claims, every person I know that jumped over to underwriting, no matter the area, has preferred the environment significantly.
Op here - thanks! Do you know how often overtime is offered and also is there is a shift differential for working later hours?
former fire production: It is very much hourly, and if you are willing to do OT when it's offered, you can make some good money with it.
You get OT, that is a hourly position. Good luck on applying!