{"id":17847,"date":"2024-10-23T14:49:45","date_gmt":"2024-10-23T18:49:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.resourcepro.com\/?p=17847"},"modified":"2025-11-05T11:24:16","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T16:24:16","slug":"effective-submissions-management-for-underwriters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.resourcepro.com\/blogs\/effective-submissions-management-for-underwriters\/","title":{"rendered":"Prioritizing through chaos: Effective submissions management for underwriters"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a new guest article, Keri Herlong, Senior Commercial Underwriting Consultant at Acuity, digs into her top guidelines for underwriters balancing a heavy submissions workload. This article was originally published on the International Association of Insurance Professionals blog.<\/em><\/p>\n

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\"Guest<\/p>\n

In this market being an underwriter often feels like drowning in a sea of submissions with more raining down every time your inbox dings. Underwriters must wish they had a crystal ball to determine which of the 75 submissions in their work queue should be worked on first.<\/p>\n

As agents\u2019 workloads increase because of carriers taking rate, reducing coverage and\/or capacity, laying off staff, or exiting lines or states completely, underwriters\u2019 workloads increase just as much. Some carriers are delaying providing renewal options, or notification of non-renewal, which decreases lead time.<\/p>\n

Requiring 90 (or 60, or 30) days of lead time is no longer feasible in many cases, so what\u2019s an ambitious and service-conscious underwriter to do when they have too many submissions for the number of hours in the workday?<\/p>\n

Prioritize.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Underwriters who work with independent agents cannot expect agents to know every nuance of each company\u2019s underwriting guidelines. You know our own, so you know what will be a \u201cyes\u201d, what will be a \u201cmaybe\u201d, and what is a \u201check no\u201d. So, use your guidelines to do a quick review of each submission to see where it falls on the opportunity scale.<\/p>\n

First \u2013 what\u2019s the REAL effective date and do you have time? If today is July 1, and the effective date is July 5 and it\u2019s a $100,000 account with high property values and a large fleet of vehicles, even though you\u00a0want<\/em>\u00a0to help, you probably don\u2019t have time to do a good job. Rushing will only lead to mistakes.<\/p>\n

Many underwriters are superheroes who want to say yes! However, you must be conscientious to say \u201cyes\u201d to those things you can actually DO. Saying \u201cno\u201d to something that you cannot (or do not have time to) do well frees you up to say \u201cyes\u201d to something else that deserves your time.<\/p>\n

It goes without saying that you should ask, \u201cHave I seen this submission in the past\u201d? Most agents submit the same accounts year after year. If you declined last year, why? Does that reason still apply? If so, log the no and move on. Agents appreciate a quick \u201cno\u201d over a slow maybe that eventually turns to a no.<\/p>\n

The next step is the class of business and what lines of coverage may be eligible. You only need to confirm the\u00a0class<\/em>\u00a0is eligible in this step, not completely underwrite it. In this market, it doesn\u2019t make sense to work hard on \u201cno\u201d and \u201cmaybe\u201d submissions. Focus on finding a YES! using these points:<\/p>\n

Property is driving submission increases countrywide. Start with that line.<\/p>\n