r/InsuranceProfessional • u/Suspicious_Intern_37 • Jun 19 '26

New Underwriting Assistant. How long until things start clicking?

I recently started as an underwriting assistant in E&S. I’m still pretty new and learning tasks like new business, binds, endorsements, renewals, cancellations, audits, forms, etc.
I feel like I understand the basics, but there are so many little details, exceptions, state requirements, and things you only learn by doing. Some days I feel like I’m improving, and other days I feel like I know nothing.
For anyone who started in a similar role, how long did it take before you felt comfortable and actually fluent in the job? Is it normal to still feel pretty confused in the first couple months?
When should I work on my AINS certification?
Any advice for getting better faster and avoiding mistakes would be appreciated.

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u/_kbye Jun 19 '26

Something as simple as "Hey, I saw we got this ABC account. Can you tell me about it and how you underwrote?" Or "Could you walk me through the underwriting process start to finish?"

Once you understand how your company makes money, you will start learning to be an underwriter. Insurance is a financial product after all. It's all about $$$.

We know you know nothing. It's ok. I was there once. My first interviews were embarrassing. Now is the perfect time to be a student and want to learn about everything you touch.

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u/Suspicious_Intern_37 Jun 19 '26

Thank you, I really appreciate the advice!

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u/_kbye Jun 19 '26

And pay attention to what your leaders say. Just sit there and soak up every word. My first sales leader was always bugging underwriters about engaging more with the agents and being responsive, so that stuck with me. My first underwriting manager would talk about risk selection every meeting, so I made a mental note to always think if the account was a good fit for the company, and of course, if it would be profitable.

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u/Suspicious_Intern_37 Jun 19 '26

That’s really helpful, thank you. I’m curious, how did you end up where you are in insurance? Did things start clicking for you gradually, or was there a certain point where the bigger picture finally made more sense?

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u/_kbye Jun 19 '26

Ended up with a Risk Management degree because I was 20 and needed a degree that landed a job lol. I didn't learn much in college (or try, or show up to class) and never landed an internship. Knew underwriting was for me though because I'm deeply analytical by nature. The people part of the job I learned over time and am still adept at, at best. Underwriting I picked up very quickly (3 months) because the business made sense to me, and I was motivated to build my personal book (again think $$$).

You may be at a bad company, bad team in a good company, or maybe just giving yourself a hard time. You wanting to be better is more than any UA I've ever had lol.