H-1B Visa Underwriting Specialist Jobs
Underwriting Specialist roles qualify for H-1B sponsorship as specialty occupations requiring at least a bachelor's degree in finance, actuarial science, business, or a related field. Insurance carriers, reinsurers, and specialty lines firms regularly file LCAs for underwriting positions, making this one of the more active H-1B job categories in financial services.
See All Underwriting Specialist JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 27+ Underwriting Specialist jobs
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
See all Underwriting Specialist jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Underwriting Specialist roles.
Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
You have a clear vision of where your career can go. And we have the leadership to help you get there. At CNA, we strive to create a culture in which people know they matter and are part of something important, ensuring the abilities of all employees are used to their fullest potential.
CNA seeks to offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to our employees that helps them — and their family members — achieve their physical, financial, emotional and social wellbeing goals.
For a detailed look at CNA’s benefits, check out our Candidate Guide.
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Under technical direction, responsible for underwriting risks in a book of business. Works within specific limits of authority on assignments requiring significant technical complexity and coordination. Utilizes underwriting policies and guidelines, rating manual rules and insurance laws and regulations.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Performs a combination of duties in accordance with departmental guidelines:
- Reviews applications and financial requirements for risks requiring complex underwriting skills. Determines acceptability of risk in accordance with company guidelines and standards. Also, determines the need for additional evidence of insurability and appropriate strategy.
- Determines appropriate pricing based on financial and competitive analysis in line with compliance requirements.
- Prepares quotes and answers questions from agencies, policyholders or other external contacts and escalates issues to management along with proposed solutions as necessary. Negotiates with agents to reach positive and profitable outcomes.
- Notifies agencies of adverse underwriting decisions, rate appeals, underwriting requirements, status and declinations.
- Analyzes quality, quantity, and profitability of risks underwritten and prepares reports for management review.
- Markets products and services through agencies or through the brokerage community and makes field visits. Develops and maintains agency and/or broker relationships.
- May provide guidance and assistance to other underwriters and to other functional areas, particularly when related to cross-sell opportunities.
- Keeps current on state/territory issues and regulations, industry activity and trends and freely shares information with others.
- Utilizes advanced functionality in relevant CNA systems to perform day-to-day activities.
- Works with more senior underwriters or management on risks exceeding authority level or requiring special handling.
Skills, Knowledge & Abilities
1. Advanced knowledge of underwriting and insurance industry theories and practices.
2. Demonstrated high level of technical expertise and product specific knowledge.
3. Strong interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills. Ability to effectively interact with all levels of CNA's internal and external business partners.
4. Ability to work independently.
5. Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
6. Ability to exercise independent judgment and to make critical business decisions effectively.
7. Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite as well as other business-related software.
8. Demonstrated leadership skills.
Education & Experience
1. Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience. Professional designations preferred.
2. Typically a minimum three to five years underwriting experience.
CNA is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in the recruitment process. To request an accommodation, please contact leaveadministration@cna.com.
INTRODUCTION
You have a clear vision of where your career can go. And we have the leadership to help you get there. At CNA, we strive to create a culture in which people know they matter and are part of something important, ensuring the abilities of all employees are used to their fullest potential.
CNA seeks to offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to our employees that helps them — and their family members — achieve their physical, financial, emotional and social wellbeing goals.
For a detailed look at CNA’s benefits, check out our Candidate Guide.
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Under technical direction, responsible for underwriting risks in a book of business. Works within specific limits of authority on assignments requiring significant technical complexity and coordination. Utilizes underwriting policies and guidelines, rating manual rules and insurance laws and regulations.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Performs a combination of duties in accordance with departmental guidelines:
- Reviews applications and financial requirements for risks requiring complex underwriting skills. Determines acceptability of risk in accordance with company guidelines and standards. Also, determines the need for additional evidence of insurability and appropriate strategy.
- Determines appropriate pricing based on financial and competitive analysis in line with compliance requirements.
- Prepares quotes and answers questions from agencies, policyholders or other external contacts and escalates issues to management along with proposed solutions as necessary. Negotiates with agents to reach positive and profitable outcomes.
- Notifies agencies of adverse underwriting decisions, rate appeals, underwriting requirements, status and declinations.
- Analyzes quality, quantity, and profitability of risks underwritten and prepares reports for management review.
- Markets products and services through agencies or through the brokerage community and makes field visits. Develops and maintains agency and/or broker relationships.
- May provide guidance and assistance to other underwriters and to other functional areas, particularly when related to cross-sell opportunities.
- Keeps current on state/territory issues and regulations, industry activity and trends and freely shares information with others.
- Utilizes advanced functionality in relevant CNA systems to perform day-to-day activities.
- Works with more senior underwriters or management on risks exceeding authority level or requiring special handling.
Skills, Knowledge & Abilities
1. Advanced knowledge of underwriting and insurance industry theories and practices.
2. Demonstrated high level of technical expertise and product specific knowledge.
3. Strong interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills. Ability to effectively interact with all levels of CNA's internal and external business partners.
4. Ability to work independently.
5. Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
6. Ability to exercise independent judgment and to make critical business decisions effectively.
7. Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite as well as other business-related software.
8. Demonstrated leadership skills.
Education & Experience
1. Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience. Professional designations preferred.
2. Typically a minimum three to five years underwriting experience.
CNA is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in the recruitment process. To request an accommodation, please contact leaveadministration@cna.com.
See all Underwriting Specialist jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Underwriting Specialist roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship as an Underwriting Specialist
Verify your degree field matches underwriting
USCIS requires your degree to directly relate to the underwriting role. A finance, actuarial science, risk management, or economics degree strengthens your specialty occupation case far more than a general business degree alone.
Search LCA filings by underwriting SOC code
Use the OFLC Wage Search to filter Labor Condition Applications under SOC code 13-2053 for insurance underwriters. Employers with recent certified LCAs in that code have active H-1B sponsorship infrastructure already in place.
Target mid-size specialty insurers over generalists
Regional carriers and specialty lines firms in excess-and-surplus markets frequently sponsor H-1B underwriters because niche expertise is harder to source domestically. These employers often move faster than large national carriers with centralized HR approval layers.
Find verified H-1B sponsors on Migrate Mate
Filter Migrate Mate by Underwriting Specialist roles to see employers with confirmed H-1B filing history in your specialty. That filing history tells you which companies have already committed to the sponsorship process for this exact occupation.
Get your prevailing wage level confirmed before negotiating
Your employer's LCA must certify a wage at or above the DOL prevailing wage for your metro area and experience level. Pull the current figure from the OFLC Wage Search for SOC 13-2053 before any offer conversation so you know the floor.
Ask employers about H-1B filing timelines at offer stage
USCIS cap-subject H-1B petitions must be filed in April for an October 1 start. Confirm whether your prospective employer has filed before and understands the lottery registration window, or whether they'll need outside counsel to manage the process.
Underwriting Specialist jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Underwriting Specialist JobsUnderwriting Specialist H-1B Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Does an Underwriting Specialist role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, underwriting roles typically qualify as specialty occupations when the position requires at least a bachelor's degree in a specific field such as finance, actuarial science, risk management, or a closely related discipline. USCIS evaluates the job description, not just the title, so your offer letter should explicitly state the degree requirement and explain how it applies to the duties performed.
Which types of employers sponsor H-1B visas for underwriting roles?
Insurance carriers, reinsurance firms, specialty and surplus lines insurers, and large financial institutions are the most active H-1B sponsors for underwriting positions. Employers with dedicated immigration counsel and established LCA filing history under SOC code 13-2053 are your strongest targets. You can browse employers with verified H-1B filing history for this role on Migrate Mate.
How does the DOL prevailing wage requirement affect underwriting job offers?
Before USCIS can approve your H-1B petition, your employer must file an LCA certifying they'll pay at least the DOL prevailing wage for your role, experience level, and work location. Underwriting wages vary significantly by geography and line of business, so the certified wage for a commercial lines underwriter in New York will differ from the same title in Dallas. Check current figures using the OFLC Wage Search.
Can I transfer my H-1B to a new underwriting employer mid-year?
Yes, H-1B portability allows you to start working for a new employer as soon as they file a transfer petition, without waiting for approval, as long as your prior H-1B was approved and you've maintained valid status. Your new employer files a new I-129 with USCIS, and the role must still qualify as a specialty occupation. Gaps between jobs can complicate this, so timing matters.
Does underwriting experience in my home country count toward H-1B specialty occupation qualification?
Foreign work experience can support your petition if your degree doesn't directly match the role, but USCIS applies a three-for-one rule: three years of specialized experience can substitute for one year of a bachelor's degree. A credential evaluation from a NACES-member organization should accompany any experience-based argument. The O*NET profile for insurance underwriters also documents the typical education and experience requirements USCIS references.
See which Underwriting Specialist employers are hiring and sponsoring visas right now.
Search Underwriting Specialist Jobs