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Insurance Underwriters in California

Insurance Underwriters in California

Considering working as an Insurance Underwriters in California? Below are the key facts. Review individual applications for insurance to evaluate degree of risk involved and determine acceptance of applications.

What do Insurance Underwriters Make in California?

For a insurance underwriters working in California, the typical annual salary is $87,200 per year (or roughly $41.92/hour).Earnings range from $63,000 at the 10th percentile to $162,860 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic Annual Hourly
10th percentile $63,000 $30.29
25th percentile $75,770 $36.43
Median (50th) $87,200 $41.92
75th percentile $120,100 $57.74
90th percentile $162,860 $78.30
Salary ranges for Insurance Underwriters in California

The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in California nationwide is 0.58, indicating fewer insurance underwriters per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, insurance underwriters earn a median of $129,939 per year ($62.47/hour), lower than the California median.

Insurance Underwriters earnings in California vs. the national average

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 57,540 insurance underwriters nationwide. In California alone, approximately 7,300 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 1,100 insurance underwriters.

Insurance Underwriters in California vs. the average state Forecasted number of jobs for Insurance Underwriters

Top California Metros for Insurance Underwriters

These are the California metros with the most insurance underwriters in California.

Metro Area Number Employed Annual Median Salary
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,460 $93,760
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 1,050 $94,210
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA 800 $84,020
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA 570 $84,950
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 250 $79,990
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 110 $76,970
Fresno, CA 90 $74,840

Top States for Insurance Underwriters Employment

The table below shows the states where the most insurance underwriters work.

State Number Employed
Illinois 8,480
Texas 8,150
New York 7,530
Florida 7,430
California 7,300
Georgia 6,310
Pennsylvania 5,910
Ohio 5,630
Wisconsin 3,440
Massachusetts 3,440
Arizona 3,300
North Carolina 3,230
New Jersey 3,170
Virginia 2,910
Connecticut 2,670
Minnesota 2,670
Michigan 2,550
Washington 2,000
Missouri 1,910
Iowa 1,730

Highest-Paying States for Insurance Underwriters

Where insurance underwriters earn the most: insurance underwriters.

State Annual Median Salary
Vermont $106,790
District of Columbia $100,660
Massachusetts $100,050
Colorado $100,050
Maine $96,600
New Hampshire $96,100
Connecticut $95,460
Washington $95,310
New Jersey $93,500
Maryland $88,820

Skills

Top insurance underwriters skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Reading Comprehension  3.8 / 5
0
5
Active Listening  3.8 / 5
0
5
Critical Thinking  3.8 / 5
0
5
Writing  3.8 / 5
0
5
Speaking  3.6 / 5
0
5
Judgment and Decision Making  3.5 / 5
0
5

Knowledge Areas

Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

English Language  4.0 / 5
0
5
Customer and Personal Service  3.9 / 5
0
5
Mathematics  3.3 / 5
0
5
Sales and Marketing  3.2 / 5
0
5
Administrative  2.9 / 5
0
5
Economics and Accounting  2.7 / 5
0
5

Abilities

The abilities that matter most for insurance underwriters, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Written Comprehension  3.9 / 5
0
5
Written Expression  3.8 / 5
0
5
Inductive Reasoning  3.8 / 5
0
5
Oral Expression  3.6 / 5
0
5
Deductive Reasoning  3.5 / 5
0
5
Oral Comprehension  3.5 / 5
0
5

Daily Tasks

Common tasks include:

  • Examine documents to determine degree of risk from factors such as applicant health, financial standing and value, and condition of property.
  • Decline excessive risks.
  • Write to field representatives, medical personnel, or others to obtain further information, quote rates, or explain company underwriting policies.
  • Evaluate possibility of losses due to catastrophe or excessive insurance.
  • Review company records to determine amount of insurance in force on single risk or group of closely related risks.
  • Decrease value of policy when risk is substandard and specify applicable endorsements or apply rating to ensure safe, profitable distribution of risks, using reference materials.
  • Authorize reinsurance of policy when risk is high.

Work Activities

  • Getting Information
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  • Analyzing Data or Information
  • Working with Computers
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
  • Processing Information
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
  • Documenting/Recording Information
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Tools & Technology

Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: C++ In-demand technologies: Microsoft Excel

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Several college majors map to this occupation:

  • Insurance
  • Management Sciences & Methods
  • Business Administration & Management
  • Finance & Financial Management

Related occupations to insurance underwriters include:

Also Known As

Account Manager Underwriter, Account Underwriter, Automobile and Property Underwriter, Bond Underwriter, Casualty Underwriter, Commercial Credit Underwriter, Commercial Insurance Underwriter, Commercial Lines Underwriter, Commercial Underwriter, Credit Underwriter, Direct Endorsement Underwriter (DE Underwriter), Excess Casualty Underwriter, Field Underwriter, Group Underwriting Consultant, Health Underwriter.

References

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