Senior Underwriter, Property
Description
The midmarket Senior Property Underwriter is responsible for underwriting, pricing, and contributing to the development and growth of a portfolio in line with the organisation's appetite, underwriting standards, and Australian regulatory requirements. The role partners with brokers and internal stakeholders to deliver profitable growth, strong customer outcomes, and disciplined underwriting standards.
Our benefitsWe offer all employees a comprehensive benefits package that focuses on their whole wellbeing. This includes hybrid working, a competitive base salary, pension contributions, flexible benefits, discretionary bonus, insurances including health (family) cover, and many other benefits to enhance financial, physical, social and psychological health.
About Canopius
Canopius is a global specialty lines (re)insurer. We are one of the leading insurers in the Lloyd's of London insurance market with offices in the UK, US, Singapore, Australia and Bermuda.
At Canopius we foster a distinctive, positive culture which enables us to bring our whole selves to work to flourish as people, and build a business which delivers profitable, sustainable results.
Canopius operates a flexible, hybrid working model and is committed to providing an environment that challenges employees to be their best and where everyone's unique contributions are recognised, valued and respected.
We are fully committed to equal employment opportunities for all applicants and providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are made regardless of age, sex, gender identity, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, religion or beliefs, marital or caring status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. We encourage and welcome applicants from all diverse backgrounds.
We make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and during employment. Please let us know if you require any information in an alternate format or any other reasonable adjustments.
Skills & Qualifications
Underwriting Strategy
Insurance Knowledge
Pricing and Risk Selection
Insurance Negotiation
Stakeholder Engagement
Data Analysis & Review
Regulatory Compliance
Underwriting Portfolio Management
External Environment Knowledge
Product Development
Business Development
Business Process Improvement
P&L Management
Presentation Skills
Product Distribution Strategy
Strong technical underwriting judgement with the ability to balance risk selection, customer outcomes, and commercial objectives.
Strong understanding of commercial property exposures and policy structures.
Working knowledge of Australian commercial property policy wordings, endorsements, and common coverage structures.Sound understanding of rating components, portfolio analytics, and how to use data to inform underwriting decisions.
Strong time management skills and ability to manage competing priorities in a trading environment.
Excellent broker relationship management and negotiation skills; clear written and verbal communication.
Ability to prioritise and deliver against service standards in a highvolume environment.
Collaborative, initiative-taking, and continuousimprovement mindset.
Ability to analyse risk information, apply technical pricing discipline, and articulate underwriting rationale.
Sound knowledge of relevant regulatory and compliance obligations and strong underwriting governance mindset.
Strong relationship management and negotiation capability with brokers/clients; confident communicator (written and verbal).
Systems proficiency (underwriting platform/s, document management, Excel/analytics tools) and comfort using external risk data.
Ability to mentor and develop underwriters both technically and to enhance broker relationships.
Portfolio profitability (e.g., loss ratio/combined ratio) and sustainable premium growth.
Rate achievement and pricing adequacy versus technical targets.
Retention and new business hit ratio within appetite and aligned to plan.
Service standards (quote/renewal turnaround times) and broker satisfaction.
Successful collaboration and engagement with internal & external stakeholders
Diploma or degree in business, finance, economics, risk management, or a related discipline (preferred).
ANZIIF qualifications (or progression toward), e.g., ANZIIF Certified Insurance Professional (CIP) or equivalent (highly regarded).
Ongoing technical and regulatory training as required.
Underwriting Strategy
Insurance Knowledge
Pricing and Risk Selection
Insurance Negotiation
Stakeholder Engagement
Data Analysis & Review
Regulatory Compliance
Underwriting Portfolio Management
External Environment Knowledge
Product Development
Business Development
Business Process Improvement
P&L Management
Presentation Skills
Product Distribution Strategy
Strong technical underwriting judgement with the ability to balance risk selection, customer outcomes, and commercial objectives.
Strong understanding of commercial property exposures and policy structures.
Working knowledge of Australian commercial property policy wordings, endorsements, and common coverage structures.Sound understanding of rating components, portfolio analytics, and how to use data to inform underwriting decisions.
Strong time management skills and ability to manage competing priorities in a trading environment.
Excellent broker relationship management and negotiation skills; clear written and verbal communication.
Ability to prioritise and deliver against service standards in a highvolume environment.
Collaborative, initiative-taking, and continuousimprovement mindset.
Ability to analyse risk information, apply technical pricing discipline, and articulate underwriting rationale.
Sound knowledge of relevant regulatory and compliance obligations and strong underwriting governance mindset.
Strong relationship management and negotiation capability with brokers/clients; confident communicator (written and verbal).
Systems proficiency (underwriting platform/s, document management, Excel/analytics tools) and comfort using external risk data.
Ability to mentor and develop underwriters both technically and to enhance broker relationships.
Portfolio profitability (e.g., loss ratio/combined ratio) and sustainable premium growth.
Rate achievement and pricing adequacy versus technical targets.
Retention and new business hit ratio within appetite and aligned to plan.
Service standards (quote/renewal turnaround times) and broker satisfaction.
Successful collaboration and engagement with internal & external stakeholders
Diploma or degree in business, finance, economics, risk management, or a related discipline (preferred).
ANZIIF qualifications (or progression toward), e.g., ANZIIF Certified Insurance Professional (CIP) or equivalent (highly regarded).
Ongoing technical and regulatory training as required.
- Underwrite and manage a portfolio of commercial property risks, (ISR/Industrial Special Risks), ensuring alignment to risk appetite and authority limits.
- Assess submissions using underwriting guidelines, external data, and risk engineering information; identify key exposures (e.g., construction, occupancy, protection, natural hazards, BI, supply chain, and aggregation).
- Set and negotiate terms, conditions, deductibles/excesses, limits, and pricing with brokers/clients to achieve profitable growth and retention.
- Maintain underwriting file quality and documentation standards (e.g., rationale, rating, referral evidence.
- Refer risks outside authority and/or appetite to the appropriate approver.
- Monitor portfolio performance (loss ratio, rate change, exposure mix, CAT/accumulation, claims trends) and identify corrective action where required.
- Partner with claims to support effective claims outcomes, including large loss management, coverage decisions, and learnings back into underwriting.
- Contribute to underwriting strategy, product development, and underwriting guideline enhancement (including wordings, endorsements, and appetite changes).
- Support broker engagement and market-facing activity (planning visits, pipeline reviews, and presentations) to drive targeted growth.
- Coach and support underwriters, including peer reviews, technical development, and knowledge sharing.
- Collaborate with internal stakeholders, claims, other lines of business (LoB's), compliance, actuaries, and operations to improve underwriting quality and efficiency.
- Attend site visits with risk engineers where appropriate.
- Work within underwriting authority, in accordance with underwriting guidelines, line size limits, referral triggers, and any reinsurance requirements.
- Refer risks outside authority or requiring special acceptance/wording changes to underwriting management.
Key Responsibilities
- Underwrite and manage a portfolio of commercial property risks, (ISR/Industrial Special Risks), ensuring alignment to risk appetite and authority limits.
- Assess submissions using underwriting guidelines, external data, and risk engineering information; identify key exposures (e.g., construction, occupancy, protection, natural hazards, BI, supply chain, and aggregation).
- Set and negotiate terms, conditions, deductibles/excesses, limits, and pricing with brokers/clients to achieve profitable growth and retention.
- Maintain underwriting file quality and documentation standards (e.g., rationale, rating, referral evidence.
- Refer risks outside authority and/or appetite to the appropriate approver.
- Monitor portfolio performance (loss ratio, rate change, exposure mix, CAT/accumulation, claims trends) and identify corrective action where required.
- Partner with claims to support effective claims outcomes, including large loss management, coverage decisions, and learnings back into underwriting.
- Contribute to underwriting strategy, product development, and underwriting guideline enhancement (including wordings, endorsements, and appetite changes).
- Support broker engagement and market-facing activity (planning visits, pipeline reviews, and presentations) to drive targeted growth.
- Coach and support underwriters, including peer reviews, technical development, and knowledge sharing.
- Collaborate with internal stakeholders, claims, other lines of business (LoB's), compliance, actuaries, and operations to improve underwriting quality and efficiency.
- Attend site visits with risk engineers where appropriate.
- Work within underwriting authority, in accordance with underwriting guidelines, line size limits, referral triggers, and any reinsurance requirements.
- Refer risks outside authority or requiring special acceptance/wording changes to underwriting management.
