Occupations · Business and Financial Operations
Insurance Underwriters
Review individual applications for insurance to evaluate degree of risk involved and determine acceptance of applications.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 13-2053.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 69% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $87,250 | 7,530 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $79,220 | 4,840 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $98,860 | 4,620 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $80,190 | 3,430 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | $74,080 | 3,020 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $93,240 | 2,790 |
| Bloomington, IL | $73,490 | 2,580 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $93,760 | 2,460 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $103,270 | 2,400 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $79,970 | 2,390 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $79,950 | 1,970 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $98,400 | 1,820 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- 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.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2018-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2018-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Answer agents' questions about insurance coverage.
O*NET 30.3 emerging tasks
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning.
Now listed 6
No longer listed 3
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| insurance underwriter | 3321.3 | exact |
| mortgage loan underwriter | 3312.6 | close |
| insurance broker | 3321.1 | close |
| property insurance underwriter | 3321.3.1 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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