Sr Analyst, Underwriting - Life

Are you passionate about being part of a team at a Fortune 100 company with nearly $70 billion in annual sales that delivers extraordinary care to help individuals and businesses prepare for and protect their future? If so, then Nationwide Financial could be the place for you! At Nationwide®, “on your side” goes beyond just words. Our customers and partners are at the center of everything we do and we’re looking for associates who are passionate about delivering extraordinary care.

Fully remote Life Underwriting role.

Internal Note: Compensation Grade E4

Job Description Summary

Our underwriters work hard to provide the exceptional customer experience for which Nationwide is known. Actively engaging with our firms and financial professionals to get to know their clients and their needs builds our understanding of the market, what is needed to win business and put our best offer out first.
If you thrive working autonomously, making decisions on a variety of impactful issues and continuing to learn and adapt to grow, we want to know more about you!
As a Life Underwriting Specialist, you'll analyze, select and classify applications for life insurance of a moderately complex nature according to established underwriting policies, practices and standards. You'll coordinate life insurance selection standards according to underwriting practices and procedures to achieve satisfactory mortality and morbidity experience and acceptable administrative results. We'll count on you to use independent judgment based on your underwriting authority and company underwriting standards.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities: 

• Receives, evaluates and underwrites, on a medical or non-medical basis, mild to moderately complex applications for life insurance up to their maximum handling limit as approved by the Chief Underwriter. Protects the confidentiality of documentation and information acquired throughout the underwriting process. Operates with autonomy but still uses referral points – mentors, staff underwriters and medical staff – as needed. 

• Maintains in-depth knowledge of manuals, underwriting materials, rules, regulations, procedures medical factors and practices impacting mortality and morbidity underwriting. Maintains proven understanding of all underwriting administrative systems to conduct business and provides outstanding service to all internal and external customers and field partners.

• Evaluates and accesses applications requiring additional evidence of insurability. Determines the need for and authorizes the ordering of, underwriting requirements to include, but not limited to, medical examinations, blood profiles, home office specimens, attending physician reports, inspection reports, client direct interviews, and other essential information.

• Develops a strong understanding of the accelerated underwriting process and can apply risk-based decision-making skills to determine the appropriate requirements needed to provide protective value as well as determining appropriate risk class.  This may include but not limited to, making fluid-less underwriting decisions as well as the utilization of alternative sources of medical information while maintaining appropriate tolerance for accepting risk.

• Evaluates, appraises and quantifies data derived from personal or business financial information and establishes insurable interest in keeping with the principle of indemnification.

• Coordinates automatic and facultative reinsurance within the contractual terms and conditions of Nationwide’s various reinsurance treaties, product and market practices.

• Meets and presents with field partners as needed. Acquires input and feedback during these visits to build a better understanding of partner needs and expectations.

• Determines eligibility for temporary insurance and authorizes disbursement of policy refunds if the Temporary Insurance Agreement (TIA) is not eligible.  Also authorizes reimbursement for medical records or other fees associated with requirements needed to confirm evidence of insurability.

• Consults with Chief Underwriter, Staff Underwriting, Underwriting Consultants, Senior Underwriters and the Medical Director as the need arises.

• Supports and assists in meeting goals and objectives for varying territories, special agent programs and contests.

• Resolves challenges with effective solutions while maintaining focus on improving time service, quality of application submissions and underwriting quality and wastage.

• Sign off up to $3,000,000 for life, limited sign off for morbidity underwriting, and limited sign off for exceptions on Intelligent Underwriting.

May perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Reporting Relationships: Reports to Underwriting Manager or Director

Typical Skills and Experiences: 

Education: Undergraduate studies in medical related discipline, marketing, insurance, risk management, economics, finance or business management preferred.

License/Certification/Designation: LOMA Level 1 Certificate (LOMA 280, LOMA 290) preferred. Participation in, or attainment of ALU Level 1 Cert (ALU 101, LOMA 280, 290, 311). 

Experience:  2 years underwriting experience; medical background; graduation from the training program.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills:  Medical Underwriting: Understands the anatomy of the human body and disease processes and can assess the impact of an individual’s mortality and morbidity risk and can translate that to assess the appropriate risk classification.

Proven foundation for basic financial underwriting - can evaluate the life financial supplement, understands more sophisticated beneficiary situations, e.g., buy/sell agreements, beneficiaries other than immediate family, foreign risks. Very comfortable negotiating offers and calling out on offers that are other than applied for to explain reasons to the advisor or sales leader. 

Basic knowledge of products and reinsurance - is comfortable and has relationships with our facultative reinsurance partners. Solid verbal and written communication skills for contact with agents, associates, applicants for insurance, policyholders and outside suppliers of underwriting information. Ability to analyze, assess and classify life insurance risks to achieve company mortality and morbidity objectives. Ability to understand, anticipate and proactively act on customer needs. Ability to set work priorities that conform to time, service and quality standards.

Other criteria, including leadership skills, competencies and experiences may take precedence. 

Staffing exceptions to the above must be approved by the hiring manager’s leader and Human Resources Business Partner.

Values: Regularly and consistently demonstrates the Nationwide Values.
 

Job Conditions: 

Overtime Eligibility: Exempt (Not Eligible)

Working Conditions: Normal office environment. Non-standard hours and some travel may be required.

ADA: The above statements cover what are generally believed to be principal and essential functions of this job. Specific circumstances may allow or require some people assigned to the job to perform a somewhat different combination of duties. 

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We currently anticipate accepting applications until 07/12/2026. However, we encourage early submissions, as the posting may close sooner if a strong candidate slate is identified before the deadline.

Benefits

We have an array of benefits to fit your needs, including: medical/dental/vision, life insurance, short and long term disability coverage, paid time off with newly hired associates receiving a minimum of 18 days paid time off each full calendar year pro-rated quarterly based on hire date, nine paid holidays, 8 hours of Lifetime paid time off, 8 hours of Unity Day paid time off, 401(k) with company match, company-paid pension plan, business casual attire, and more. To learn more about the benefits we offer, click here.

Nationwide is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels challenged, appreciated, respected and engaged. Nationwide prohibits discrimination and harassment and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to any characteristic (or classification) protected by applicable law.

This position could be filled within any of the lower 48 U.S. states.

Smoke-Free Iowa Statement: Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, its affiliates and subsidiaries comply with the Iowa Smokefree Air Act. Smoking is prohibited in all enclosed areas on or around company premises as well as company issued vehicles. The company offers designated smoking areas in which smoking is permitted at each individual location. The Act prohibits retaliation for reporting complaints or violations. For more information on the Iowa Smokefree Air Act, individuals may contact the Smokefree Air Act Helpline at 888-944-2247.

For NY residents please review the following state law information: Notice of Employee Rights, Protections, and Obligations LS740 (ny.gov) https://dol.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2022/02/ls740_1.pdf

NOTE TO EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES:

We value the partnerships we have built with our preferred vendors. Nationwide does not accept unsolicited resumes from employment agencies. All resumes submitted by employment agencies directly to any Nationwide employee or hiring manager in any form without a signed Nationwide Client Services Agreement on file and search engagement for that position will be deemed unsolicited in nature. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is subsequently hired as a result of the referral or through other means.

Nationwide pays on a geographic-specific salary structure and placement within the actual starting salary range for this position will be determined by a number of factors including the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; the scope, complexity and location of the role as well as the cost of labor in the market; and other conditions of employment. If a Sales job, Sales Incentives, based on performance goals are possible in addition to this range. Note on Compensation for Part-Time Roles: Please be aware that the salary ranges listed below reflect full-time compensation. Actual compensation may be prorated based on the number of hours worked relative to a full-time schedule.

The national salary range for Sr Analyst, Underwriting - Life : $69,500.00-$129,000.00

The expected starting salary range for Sr Analyst, Underwriting - Life : $69,500.00 - $103,500.00