Underwriter - Large Group

Why Wellmark: We are a mutual insurance company owned by our policy holders across Iowa and South Dakota, and we’ve built our reputation on over 80 years’ worth of trust. We are not motivated by profits. We are motivated by the well-being of our friends, family, and neighbors–our members. If you’re passionate about joining an organization working hard to put its members first, to provide best-in-class service, and one that is committed to sustainability and innovation, consider applying today! 

Learn more about our unique benefit offerings here. 

Want to know more? You can learn about life at Wellmark here.

Translate and interpret large group claim information, competitor data analysis, prognosis and clinical data to determine the most appropriate premium for the large group customers.  Deliver an integrated renewal package and provide consultative expertise to our large group sales staff and external stakeholders, including brokers, groups and consultants. Participate in process initiatives and/or projects that offer continuous improvement to both our internal and external stakeholders by focusing on the customer and understanding the business to support financial initiatives, corporate goals and strategies.

Required:

• Bachelor's Degree in related field or direct and applicable work experience 
• 1+ years of experience including:
• General business acumen gained through experience working from within insurance, financial services, or related industry in underwriting or a similar setting; basic knowledge and understanding of standard underwriting principles, procedures, or methodologies.
• Demonstrated consultative and analytical skills and experience interpreting, analyzing and explaining data.
• Ability to express complex concepts clearly and concisely in writing and verbally, and ability to make presentations to stakeholders, customers, and leadership.
• Ability to build and sustain relationships with stakeholders, decision makers and internal staff based on competence, trust and mutual respect.
• Excellent organization and time management skills and the ability to work independently or in a team setting to meet department goals.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in acting as a resource for professional and technical staff along with leadership.
• Conflict resolution skills and ability to work under pressure and change priorities.
• Ability to solicit cooperation, motivate team members and influence output and action from others in the department as well as those from other divisions and departments by creating a sense of urgency and teachable point of view.
• Ability to understand principles of insurance and related terms, knowledge of different types of insurance (health, life, dental).
• Understanding of how business risk affects business strategy.
• Demonstrate ability to use mathematical techniques to calculate data or solve practical problems.
• Ability to use deductive reasoning to probe, research, ask questions, seek to understand weigh alternative actions and makes decisions that incorporate data, opinions, facts, tangible and/or intangible factors.
• Attention to detail and basic Microsoft office experience.

a. Translate and interpret financial and medical data from a wide variety of sources and formats including competitor information to compile, categorize and summarize information such as trends and costs utilizations, loss ratios, risk assessments, industry variations.

b. Use statistical, economic and financial data to perform standard financial risk analysis based on specific underwriting guidelines, principles and procedures to set premiums for multiple funding arrangement options.  Information evaluated includes trends, claims experience, ongoing large claimant information including diagnosis and prognosis, group size and location information and the demographic make-up of a group based on age, gender and type of contact.

c. Apply independent decision making skills based on mixture of expertise, analysis and experience on variety of issues and requests including rating decisions.  Decisions include identifying when appropriate escalation is needed and providing consultative recommendations for senior or leadership level direction/approval.

d. Use multitude of complex systems from various internal areas to obtain and organize data while using department rating systems to evaluate current performance and project future trends of a group.  Demonstrate high level of communication skills to document rating decisions with detailed rationale.

e. Represent Wellmark and Underwriting through the support of the Sales areas in their interactions with external customers.  (accompanied by leadership or senior level).  This includes participating in various communication opportunities on a ongoing or ad-hoc basis.  Serve as an department interface with both internal and external stakeholders and work to build and maintain constructive and cooperative relationships based on trust.

f. Build and maintain general understanding of insurance industry, market segments and operations in order to evaluate group and benefit requests to ensure compliance with federal, state, corporate, and department laws, regulations, and guidelines.  Work to create internal control mechanisms.

g. Participate and serve as subject matter expert on inter-department or on cross-divisional teams on complex projects relating directly or indirectly to underwriting process, procedures, and/or guidelines.  Support projects in order to meet deadlines and deliver desired results.

h. Actively participate in corporate process improvement initiatives and activities aimed at reducing cost, improving timeliness and accuracy while enhancing the overall customer experience.  Develop, update, and maintain documentation on key processes and department guidelines.

i. Manage multitude of daily desk responsibilities, monthly department duties and project deliverables to meet deadlines.  Balance high priority requests with short turnaround timeframes to meet requests of ever changing needs of our groups.

j. Other duties assigned.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

The policy of Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield is to recruit, hire, train and promote individuals in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by law.

Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation due to a disability at any stage of the employment application process should contact us at [email protected]

Please inform us if you meet the definition of a "Covered DoD official".