Senior Underwriter - New Business

Who Are We?

Taking care of our customers, our communities and each other. That’s the Travelers Promise. By honoring this commitment, we have maintained our reputation as one of the best property casualty insurers in the industry for over 170 years. Join us to discover a culture that is rooted in innovation and thrives on collaboration. Imagine loving what you do and where you do it.

Underwriting1Business Insurance helps companies in the UK and Ireland identify, prepare for and mitigate risks by offering a broad array of industry-specific, combined property and casualty insurance solutions to customers. This includes SME solutions traded directly, Commercial Accounts traded via brokers, and Corporate Solutions to FTSE 350 Risk Managed companies.

We're looking for a driven Senior Property & Casualty Underwriter to join our high-performing Birmingham Branch here at Travelers. In this role, you'll take the lead on developing and managing new business submissions, quotes, and binds, working strategically alongside broker partners to develop relationships and craft smart insurance solutions that genuinely meet customer needs. You'll bring sharp analytical thinking to evaluate and manage risk across your portfolio, with the confidence to negotiate terms, close deals, and thrive in competitive markets, driving sustainable growth and profitability.

Travelers Europe currently offers flexibility to employees who wish to work on a hybrid basis in accordance with our Hybrid Work Arrangements Policy. This entails full time employees working three days a week in the office and two days at home (or pro rata for part-time employees). This policy may be changed at the Company’s discretion.

What Will You Do?

• Manage the profitability, growth, and retention of an assigned book of business primarily comprised of moderate to complex accounts across all our products.
• Underwrite and skillfully negotiate moderate to complex risks to minimise risk and maximise profitability, including Mid Term Adjustments (MTAs).
• Proactively manage your portfolio, ensuring key performance indicators are consistently achieved and you actively target new business and retention.
• Identify and take corrective action based on individual risk characteristics identified through Portfolio Management to actively manage your portfolio of risks.
• Identify and capture opportunities to write additional lines of business using knowledge of products, risk characteristics and appetite.
• Proactively utilise various technology platforms to quote and bind risk efficiently.
• Prepare, lead and present Underwriting Reviews for individual policies or portfolios/schemes and manage action points.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with internal partners within the business unit and across the enterprise to identify cross-selling opportunities.
• Foster and maintain relationships with brokers by phone, email or other communication channels to market and sell Travelers products with a goal of writing and retaining accounts consistent with our risk appetite. Must be able to travel to meetings.
• Develop and execute pipeline plans and support the renewal team in the retention of business that aligns with the team’s sales plans to drive success working in partnership with the sales team.
• Train and mentor less experienced underwriters.
• Support and collaboration for more junior members of the team, including referrals.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What Will Our Ideal Candidate Have?

• A Levels or similar qualification.
• Knowledge: Deep knowledge of products, the regulatory environment, and the local insurance market.
• Analytical/Critical thinking: Strong critical thinking skills with the ability to underwrite, market products, identify financial challenges, and analyse available information to make decisions in alignment with our risk appetite.
• Communication/Influence: Excellent communication skills with the ability to successfully negotiate in difficult situations with brokers.
• Inclusion: Ability to work with people from different backgrounds, experiences, cultures, races, etc. and views those differences as assets to be leveraged to accomplish business goals and objectives.
• Leadership: Experience coaching and mentoring others.
• Industry / Competitor Analysis: Review competitor press releases and industry trade press for helpful insights, linking key themes together and identifying applicability to team strategies.
• Project Management: Participate in and/or lead projects that involves complex analysis and implementation of non-complex, routine business and regulatory changes relating to the enhancement, maintenance or introduction of new products.

What is a Must Have?

• Strong experience of underwriting, product knowledge, financial analysis, or risk assessment experience.