Medical underwriter job description

This post includes 3 parts: duties list, job qualification and job description writing tips for Medical underwriter in details. A complete job description concludes Medical underwriter key duties/responsibilities, Medical underwriter job qualifications (knowledge, education, skills, abilities, experience…KSA model) and other ones such as daily tasks, key activities, key/core competencies, job functions/purpose…

I. List of Medical underwriter duties:

1. Perform individual risk assessment/underwriting (medical and financial) for DRMS clients, various distribution channels and for various products including:
1. Traditional: LTD and STD
2. Worksite: LTD, STD, Life and Critical Illnes
3. Association: DI (Disability Income), and BOE (Business Overhead) and HIP (Hospital Indemnity)
2. Develop, update and refine Medical Underwriting guidelines for DRMS clients. Develop applications/work flow/procedures best suited to client needs
3. Provide Ad Hoc Medical Underwriting support to Traditional/Worksite clients as needed
4. Provide Medical Underwriting data to support open enrollments
5. Monitor and audit Medical Underwriting processes for DRMS clients that have underwriting authority
6. Partner with the Claims organization in the review of contestable claims and recommend continued improvements
7. Partner with internal departments (Underwriting, Compliance, Legal, Finance, and Client Management) where needed to meet profit and sales objectives
8. Support development of new products and initiatives

II. List of Medical underwriter qualifications

1. Minimum of 5 years experience in Medical Underwriting and risk classification; group & individual insurance experience preferred
2. High level of medical risk assessment experience in multiple disciplines (Life, DI, CI)
3. Understanding of medical terminology
4. Ability to accurately handle large volumes of work
5. Understanding and working knowledge of tax forms and business tax returns to support financial underwriting
6. Demonstrated knowledge of industry and marketplace trends
7. Demonstrated proficiency with complex, technical situations, i.e. non-traditional risks, exception underwriting and working outside the guidelines.
8. Full understanding of the underwriting mechanics and pricing for all types of disability risks.
9. Strong analytical skills with high degree of comfort dealing with insurance production environment problems such as workflows, productivity and quality controls
10. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal
11. Creative problem solving, decision making, time management and organizational skills
12. Ability to work independently and address problems through own initiative and creativity.
13. Demonstrated ability to be persuasive and to negotiate.
14. Strong computer skills, proficient in a PC environment and MS Word, Excel, and email systems
15. Ability to work professionally and effectively with co-workers, clients, claimants, vendors and others with whom DRMS does business.

III. Tips to write job description

1. Too-long job description:

Looking at a too-long job description can frighten the candidates off and drive the away. A job description, no matter how important the job is, should not be included in more than 3 pages. If one focuses on too many things at a time, he shall definitely lose focus on the main items and get overwhelmed by the remaining; So, keep it concisely.

2. Too-short job description:

While too-long can be a problem, too-short is more a problem. It will ruin the meaning of the job description. A too-short one means it lacks necessary details and therefore, the candidate will not be able to understand while reading it.

3. Listing unnecessary functions or job duties:

Just classifying these into the “others” category will save you a lot of effort and space. On the other hand, the job description will become more dilute and easy to be neglected.

4. Key functions

Not listing key functions as required for the job can be a fatal mistake to a job description.

5. Grammar and spelling

Poor grammar and having spelling errors can ruin the job description, too. Never think that as you are the employer, you may have the right to make grammar or spelling errors while requires other not to. A job description with such errors is easily to be mistaken as a fake or ghost ads; as a result, the candidate will turn away from it.

6. Not specific enough:

Be specific and concise; if you don’t address the specific, then what the job description is for. It is for the candidate to understand just exactly what he needs to do or needs to have. Lacking details can confuse the candidates very well.

7. Not having the job description reviewed by others:

This is also a common mistake. One may be subject to bias, but more than one, especially with the help of those external advisor, the job description can be more perfect.

8. Using buzzwords or abbreviations:

In fact, it is not necessary at all to use such in a job description.

9. Using slang or legal words:

Just use common wording to communicate with others and don’t do anything extraordinarily.

10. Not updating the job description:

The same job may require different duties and responsibilities in different times, so, you cannot use the same job description for 2 different times.