I

ICW Group

National commercial insurer with risk management

Senior Business Development Underwriter - Commercial Lines

Full-Time
$104.1k - $175.6k/yr+ Bonus
Senior
Bachelor's
Pleasanton, CA, USA+1 moreMore locations: Sacramento, CA, USA
HybridRequires 50–75% travel and 20–30% of work time from home.

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Risk Management, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
  • A minimum of five years of underwriting experience is required, with demonstrated experience handling more complex risks and agency relationships.
  • A current driver's license is required.
  • Demonstrated success in building and managing high-value agency relationships and driving profitable growth.
  • Proven ability to underwrite complex risks and apply advanced underwriting judgment.
  • Strong business development, negotiation, and relationship management skills.
  • Ability to balance advanced underwriting discipline within assigned lines of business with production and cross-sell expectations across Commercial Lines.
  • Ability to evaluate submissions, financials, and loss data to support complex decision-making.
  • Advanced knowledge of Commercial Lines products, including Workers' Compensation and/or Commercial Package and its component coverages.
  • Ability to mentor, coach, and influence others.
  • Strong analytical, communication, and presentation skills.
Responsibilities
  • Underwrite, select, and price moderately complex to complex risks within assigned lines of business in accordance with Company guidelines.
  • Maintain accountability for the profitability, growth, and retention of the assigned portfolio.
  • Evaluate detailed risk characteristics, including operations, financials, management, and loss history.
  • Exercise advanced underwriting judgment and authority to structure, price, and manage complex accounts.
  • Use underwriting authority to apply appropriate pricing, credits or debits, deductibles, and alternative rating structures.
  • Quote and explain complex pricing structures, such as retros, deductibles, and large account programs, where applicable.
  • Monitor portfolio performance and take proactive corrective action to achieve underwriting targets.
  • Remain current on regulatory, rating, and coverage changes, including WCIRB, NCCI, ISO, and AAIS.
  • Drive new business production and achieve growth objectives through proactive agency engagement, prospecting, and cross-sell execution.
  • Develop, manage, and optimize a high-performing producer force aligned with Company strategy.
  • Hold producers accountable for production, quality, and profitability expectations.
  • Drive profitable sales across all Commercial Lines products, including increasing penetration of existing products and supporting new product introductions.
  • Actively identify and lead cross-sell opportunities, partnering across underwriting teams to deliver total account solutions.
  • Prospect, prequalify, and appoint new producers aligned with target business segments.
  • Set and manage production goals and performance expectations with key agency partners.
  • Maintain deep knowledge of the assigned territory, including competitor positioning and market dynamics.
  • Influence and provide input on distribution strategy, product positioning, and market opportunities.
  • Serve as a lead Company representative with key and strategic agency partners.
  • Build and maintain collaborative relationships through regular agency engagement, presentations, and strategic planning.
  • Lead complex account and pricing discussions with agents and insureds.
  • Provide underwriting and distribution guidance to agents, including structuring solutions for more complex risks.
  • Deliver responsive, professional service in all interactions.
  • Present agency performance insights, growth opportunities, and strategic recommendations to internal leadership and agency partners.
  • Mentor and support the development of Business Development Underwriters and junior staff.
  • Provide guidance on underwriting approach, agency management, and deal structure.
  • Participate in training, onboarding, and knowledge sharing across the team.
  • Contribute to special projects, product initiatives, and process improvements as assigned.
  • Travel 50% to 75% to meet with clients, attend industry events, and develop new business opportunities, including occasional air travel.
  • Work 20% to 30% of the time from home in an office-based role.
Desired Qualifications
  • Seven or more years of underwriting experience, with demonstrated experience handling more complex risks and agency relationships.

About the company

ICW Group provides commercial insurance across the United States, focusing on workers' compensation, catastrophe coverage, and assumed reinsurance. Its products protect businesses from workplace risks and major losses, while its risk-management services help policyholders reduce claim frequency and financial impact. These services emphasize improving workplace safety, employee care, and overall productivity, enabling businesses to manage costs more effectively. To broaden its reach, ICW Group launched ICW Specialty through VerTerra Insurance, offering Excess and Surplus lines to cover niche or higher-risk customers. What sets ICW Group apart is its active risk-management approach and cost-containment services integrated with traditional insurance products, rather than just selling coverage. The company’s goal is to help policyholders minimize claims and costs through proactive risk management while expanding access to specialized insurance markets.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Round Rock, Texas

Founded

1972

Get referred to ICW Group

See people who can refer or advise you

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • ICW added Travis Murnan in January 2026 to build Alternative Risk Transfer.
  • Rob deViere and Mark Moitoso strengthen distribution and operating execution across growing lines.
  • Legacy Solutions and Excess Casualty target sticky workers' comp and complex liability demand.

What critics are saying

  • ICW Group's NLRB case 21-CA-329099 remains open, exposing labor-relations costs.
  • ICW Specialty still depends on launching new lines before 2027 profitability arrives.
  • VerTerra's E&S push invites underwriting volatility; one bad cycle can erode capital quickly.

What makes ICW Group unique

  • ICW Group couples workers' compensation underwriting with in-house loss control and claims management.
  • ICW Specialty launched in 2025, adding Excess Casualty, ART, and Legacy Solutions.
  • AM Best affirmed ICW's A stable rating on July 24, 2026.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Performance Bonus

Paid Vacation

Paid Holidays

Professional Development Budget

Company News

PR Newswire
Aug 20th, 2026
ICW Specialty launches Legacy Solutions platform with Lisa Walsh as head

ICW Specialty, the specialty insurance business unit of ICW Group, has launched Legacy Solutions, a new platform to help self-insured corporations manage and transfer long-term insurance liabilities. The platform will focus on loss portfolio transfers largely associated with workers' compensation claims and is expected to launch this September. Industry veteran Lisa Walsh has joined ICW Specialty as Head of Legacy Solutions to lead the new platform. Walsh brings more than 35 years of insurance industry experience, including 20 years at Swiss Re in senior leadership roles. She is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries. The introduction of Legacy Solutions follows ICW Specialty's 2025 launch.

Recruit Rooster
Mar 30th, 2026
Recruit Rooster wins four Gold and Silver honors in the 2026 MUSE Awards.

Recruit Rooster wins four Gold and Silver honors in the 2026 MUSE Awards. Recruit Rooster is proud to announce four wins in the internationally recognized MUSE Creative Awards, earning two Gold and two Silver honors for work spanning career site strategy and recruitment-focused video storytelling. The MUSE Creative Awards recognize outstanding creative achievement across digital media, branded storytelling, and communications from organizations worldwide. Recruit Rooster's wins highlight the impact of collaborative employer brand strategy paired with thoughtful creative execution designed specifically for candidate audiences. Together with valued client partners, the Recruit Rooster team delivered award-winning work across healthcare, insurance, and workforce community engagement initiatives. ICW Group career site redesign - Gold. Recruit Rooster partnered with ICW Group to redesign their career site into a modern employer brand-focused experience built to attract and engage today's job seekers. As ICW Group evolved its corporate brand, the new career site was intentionally designed to feel distinct from the corporate website while remaining visually aligned so the employer brand could take center stage. The redesigned experience highlights ICW Group's culture, values, and employee experience through custom content pages and thoughtful visual storytelling. A dedicated benefits experience transforms total rewards into a clear and engaging feature of the site that helps candidates quickly understand what makes ICW Group a compelling place to build a career. Designed with candidates in mind, the site includes a responsive layout and an enhanced job search experience that makes it easy to browse and filter opportunities by location, category, and interest. Custom job listing templates create clarity and consistency across roles while supporting a seamless application journey. This award-winning project reflects collaboration across the Recruit Rooster team, including Senior Director of Marketing Nathan Zarse, VP of Client Success & Implementation Seth Flater, and Director of Web Design Jim Brown, alongside partners at ICW Group. The result is a career site that does more than list open positions. It tells ICW Group's employer story and creates a meaningful connection with candidates from the moment they arrive. DEAMcon25 highlight reel - Gold. Recruit Rooster's Creative Services team partnered with DirectEmployers Association to capture the full DEAMcon25 experience through a fast-paced highlight reel produced entirely on site during the conference. From keynote sessions and breakout content to networking conversations, exhibit activity, and experiential moments throughout the venue, the goal was to produce a polished recap video in time to premiere before the event concluded. Coverage included morning coffee cart gatherings, shared meals, evening entertainment, and the in-between moments that help define the energy of the event experience. Working in real time throughout the three-day conference, the team captured footage across multiple areas of the venue and completed editing within the conference window so the video could premiere before the event concluded. This work was filmed and edited on-site by Video Production Specialist Layla Absalon and Marketing & Communications Manager Sierra Sieracki. The finished highlight reel reflects the scope, momentum, and community connection that define the DEAMcon experience. Gentiva "day-in-the-life" Recruitment video - Silver. Recruit Rooster partnered with Gentiva to create a Day-in-the Life recruitment video offering an authentic look into hospice care through the perspective of a hospice nurse. The story follows the responsibilities, environments, and emotional dynamics that define the role, with scenes thoughtfully recreated alongside staff members across multiple locations to reflect the range of settings hospice professionals encounter each day. Rather than focusing on the sadness often associated with end-of-life care, the creative direction emphasized connection, purpose, and the meaningful relationships formed through hospice work. Produced entirely by Video Production Specialist Layla Absalon and Marketing & Communications Manager Sierra Sieracki in collaboration with Gentiva partners, the video uses close-range visuals, personal testimonials, and an uplifting tone to highlight the dedication and compassion that define hospice care. The finished piece helps candidates better understand not only what hospice professionals do but why the work matters. ZoomCare recruitment highlight video - Silver. Recruit Rooster partnered with ZoomCare to produce a recruitment-focused highlight video showcasing a variety of clinic environments across multiple locations in the Pacific Northwest. Designed to support healthcare hiring efforts, the video emphasizes schedule flexibility, workplace collaboration, and the reasons providers choose to build their careers with ZoomCare. The storytelling approach relies heavily on natural B-roll footage capturing provider-patient interactions, team testimonials, and daily clinical operations alongside regional landscape visuals that reinforce a strong sense of place and community. This project was produced by Video Production Specialist Layla Absalon and Marketing & Communications Manager Sierra Sieracki in collaboration with partners at ZoomCare to create a dynamic recruitment piece designed to help candidates better understand the culture and environment that define the organization. Supporting employer brand storytelling through creative collaboration. Across all four winning entries, collaboration between Recruit Rooster teams and client partners played a central role in shaping recruitment experiences that connect meaningfully with candidates. From career site strategy to real-time event coverage and culture-focused recruitment video storytelling, these projects reflect how thoughtful creative execution supports stronger employer brands and more engaging candidate journeys. Looking to strengthen your employer brand through engaging career site experiences or authentic recruitment video content? Recruit Rooster partners with organizations to showcase culture, highlight employees, and create meaningful connections with candidates through strategic career sites and on-site video storytelling. Learn more about how we can bring your employer brand to life by exploring our career sites and creative services.

ICW Group
Jan 15th, 2026
ICW Group Expands ICW Specialty with Alternative Risk Transfer; Appoints Travis Murnan to Lead New Capability

ICW Group expands ICW Specialty with Alternative Risk Transfer; appoints Travis Murnan to lead new capability. SAN DIEGO (Jan. 15, 2026) - ICW Group announced the continued expansion of its ICW Specialty business unit with the addition of Alternative Risk Transfer (ART) solutions and the appointment of Travis Murnan as Head of Alternative Risk Transfer. The addition of ART represents ICW Group's broader growth strategy and underscores the company's commitment to diversifying its product portfolio while delivering innovative risk solutions for complex and evolving customer needs. ART is expected to go to market later this year as part of ICW Specialty, which was launched in 2025 to support Excess and Surplus products and other coverage solutions. To lead this effort, Travis Murnan has come on board to design, build, and scale ICW Specialty's ART capability and leverage advanced data, analytics, and actuarial modeling to deliver durable, long-term solutions for customers. "Travis brings a rare depth of expertise across data, analytics, and actuarial science, paired with the strategic mindset required to translate insights into durable solutions, and I could not be more excited to welcome Travis to our team," said Tracey Estes, Chief Underwriting Officer, ICW Specialty. "His technical rigor, intellectual curiosity, and ability to see around corners make him the ideal leader to design, build, and steward a long-term, sustainable business. Just as importantly, Travis leads with integrity and humility, both qualities that matter deeply as we continue to build a people-first, forward-thinking organization." Murnan brings nearly 15 years of insurance industry experience, with a background spanning actuarial pricing, captive, and alternative risk consulting. He has spent the last decade leading the analytics practice at Lockton, most recently serving as Senior Vice President, Analytics Practice Leader. A credentialed actuary, Murnan is known for combining deep technical expertise with a client-focused approach. Murnan received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of the Ozarks. "I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to build and lead the Alternative Risk Transfer capability as ICW Group continues to expand the breadth and sophistication of its ICW Specialty business unit," said Murnan. "I'm energized by the opportunity to bring data-driven, innovative solutions to market alongside a talented, collaborative team. This role represents not only an exciting next chapter for me, but a chance to help shape the future of the company and how it partners with clients and brokers to manage risk." Murnan will work with the ICW Specialty team based in Atlanta, Georgia. To learn more about ICW Specialty and its solutions, including Excess Casualty, which is now accepting submissions, visit www.icwgroup.com/specialty. About ICW Group. ICW Group Insurance Companies is a top-tier, national, multi-line Property & Casualty insurance company, providing comprehensive coverage to safeguard its customers' worlds. Representing a group of carriers, including Insurance Company of the West, Explorer Insurance Company, and VerTerra Insurance, ICW Group is committed to creating the best insurance experience possible for its policyholder customers and network of independent agent, broker and wholesaler partners. For more information, visit www.icwgroup.com. Media Contact ICW Group Jessica Northrup 858.924.8662 [email protected] ICW Group is committed to creating the best insurance experience possible. Through a range of Property & Casualty commercial coverage solutions, ICW Group helps safeguard what matters most to its customers so they can move forward and thrive.

Insurance Journal
Sep 25th, 2025
People Moves: Howden US Appoints Peterson to Lead Construction, Infrastructure and Surety; Sokol Named Head of Excess Casualty for ICW Specialty

ICW Group Insurance Companies, headquartered in San Diego, California, appointed Jake Sokol as head of excess casualty for ICW Specialty, the company's newly formed specialty products business unit.

ICW Group
Sep 4th, 2025
Rob deViere Named Vice President, Head of Distribution & Marketing for ICW Group Insurance Companies

ICW Group Insurance Companies announces the appointment of Rob deViere to Vice President, Head of Distribution & Marketing, overseeing the design and execution of the company's distribution strategy, brand evolution, and customer engagement across all its property and casualty insurance products and channels.