Senior Commercial Underwriter

A well-established UK insurance business is looking to appoint a Senior Underwriter into its specialist casualty / liability function. This role sits within an established underwriting unit with an existing portfolio and forms part of a wider plan to strengthen and grow the book through clearer underwriting strategy, improved portfolio management and selective product development. The business writes specialist casualty and liability risks that are often niche, complex and non-standard. This is not a high-volume, transactional liability role. It will suit someone who enjoys technical underwriting, judgment-led decision making, and having genuine responsibility for outcomes.

The opportunity will appeal equally to:

• Experienced casualty or liability specialists operating at senior level
• Commercial combined underwriters with a strong liability background who are keen to move away from broad portfolios and specialise in more technical casualty business.

Why this role exists: The portfolio is well established, but the business is investing in its next phase of growth. That growth is coming from refining underwriting appetite, introducing and reshaping products, and being more deliberate about portfolio performance rather than simply writing more volume. This role has been created to help drive that change at underwriting level — influencing decisions, challenging submissions, and raising overall underwriting quality rather than processing risks.

The role in detail:

• Underwrite a portfolio of specialist casualty / liability risks, including complex and non-standard cases
• Take ownership of underwriting decisions, including larger, technically challenging or unusual risks
• Act as a senior referral point, providing guidance on coverage, terms, pricing and risk selection
• Work directly with brokers and external stakeholders to manage the book and improve the quality of submissions
• Play an active role in portfolio management, including monitoring pricing, claims trends, retention and mix of business
• Support the introduction of new products and refinements to underwriting strategy
• Contribute to policy wording development, coverage changes and product governance
• Share technical knowledge and support the development of less-experienced underwriters
• As the team grows, there is scope to take on people-management responsibility if desired, though this is not a requirement

What they are looking for:

• An experienced underwriter with a strong casualty / liability grounding, either as a specialist or from a commercial combined background
• The technical capability and curiosity to handle non-standard and more complex liability risks
• Confidence to make underwriting decisions and be accountable for outcomes
• Comfortable dealing directly with brokers in a professional, commercial manner
• A quality-led underwriting mindset rather than a volume-driven approach
• ACII or equivalent qualifications are beneficial but not essential

Working arrangement: The role is split between the West Midlands office (2 days per week) and hybrid/home working. The location is commutable from Birmingham, Coventry, Northampton, Bromsgrove, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick, Leamington Spa, Alcester, Evesham, Redditch and Banbury.

What’s on offer:

• A senior underwriting role with genuine autonomy and responsibility
• Exposure to interesting, specialist casualty and liability risks rather than routine business
• The opportunity to influence how an established book is shaped and improved
• Involvement in underwriting strategy, product development and portfolio performance
• Optional progression into management as the team expands
• Competitive salary, annual bonus and strong pension
• A stable, well-run insurance business with low staff turnover and a long-term outlook

This role will suit someone who wants to focus on proper underwriting, either deepening their casualty expertise or stepping away from broad commercial combined underwriting into a more specialist liability environment.