How to Become a Life Insurance Underwriter

As a life insurance underwriter you will be evaluating people's applications for different types of life insurance. As the underwriter you need to figure out how risky it would be to lend that person the money. You will use this risk to determine the applicant's premium (what they will have to pay for their desired insurance coverage). To become a life insurance underwriter you will need a solid education and experience in the field.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Earn a bachelor's degree. The usual minimum requirement for hiring an insurance underwriter is a bachelor's degree that focuses on business, economics, math and statistics.

2. Get certified. The American Institute for Charted Property Casualty Underwriters offers a Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) certification that you will need. To earn this certification you will need to pass 10 exams and follow a particular code of ethics.

3. Getting a first position. Those interested in hiring a life insurance underwriter will be seeking a college graduate. However, an employer would be impressed by someone who interned and trained in a life insurance underwriter part time and during the summer. You can usually find work as a life insurance underwriter's clerk part time. This can help you get in the door and close to your future career as a life insurance underwriter. Do this and you will have the leverage you need over other graduates seeking the same career.

4. Become a member of the Insurance Information Institute. III is the place to go to for the best insurance information. You can learn all about how insurance works. The Insurance Information Institute also stays up to date on the latest concerns in the insurance field and addresses them.

Resources

• American Institute for CPCU
• Insurance Information Institute
• National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors