As the world continues to evolve, so must you

This has posed a question around the future of the underwriting role that has been debated across various organisations, including the CII. I encourage you to seek out those articles and reports. The reason I say this, is because in my view, the best attribute of any underwriter is curiosity. Working in an industry where more and more process work is automated, this frees up the underwriter to look at the world around them so they can evolve, innovate, and remain responsive to market and customer needs.

Regardless of how risk assessment is implemented, it still needs to be created, monitored and evaluated. You should have more time than ever to think about the risks you wish to cover and those you don’t. Whilst we are currently experiencing many challenges in our industry, there are many opportunities to explore. As the role of the underwriter changes, so does the need to develop yourself and your professional skills.

So, what does it take to be a great underwriter? As already mentioned, being curious and seeking out new opportunity is incredibly valuable. You will also need to understand and harness new technology that comes your way. Alongside this, think about your own personal development and how you can improve your technical skills as an underwriter. There are many resources available from the CII to help you with this, such as the career development platform FutureMe, the competency framework in the Professional Map, and Connect, the e-mentoring platform that connects you with others in your industry. Investing in yourself is the best thing you can do.

As the world continues to evolve, so must you. Get away from your desk or laptop. Read the article, go to the conference, widen your network. Remain open to change, be adaptable. Think about getting a mentor, think about doing some mentoring. Take the time to look at market trends, get involved in conversations – what have you got to lose?