Heather Krohn
Reseda,CA
Summary
Analytical Life Insurance Underwriter with a proven track record of productivity and efficient task completion. Skilled in risk assessment, policy analysis, and regulatory compliance. Excel in critical thinking, decision-making, and communication, ensuring thorough evaluation and effective client interactions. Committed to delivering accurate underwriting decisions to support business objectives and customer needs.
Strengths include deep understanding of complex life insurance products, strong analytical skills, and ability to negotiate effectively. Noteworthy impact at previous workplaces includes improved risk assessment procedures, resulting in smoother approval processes and enhanced customer satisfaction as well as a complete revamp of the outdated CRM being used and working with a computer coder who with my plan and instructions created my vision that allowed case managers the ability to proactively process business decreasing application to issue by 25%.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
3
3
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work History
Caregiver
Taylor Morano via In Home Supported Services
Chatsworth, California
01.2023 - Current
- Assisted clients with daily living activities and personal care tasks.
- Developed and implemented individualized care plans for diverse client needs.
- Monitored client health and reported changes to healthcare professionals.
- Provided companionship and emotional support to enhance client well-being.
- Maintained a safe and clean environment for clients' comfort and safety.
- Documented care activities accurately in client records as required by policies.
- Collaborated with family members to ensure consistent caregiving approaches.
- Trained new staff on caregiving best practices and organizational procedures.
- Supported bathing, dressing and personal care needs.
- Improved patient outlook and daily living through compassionate care.
- Prepared meals according to dietary requirements and assisted with feeding when necessary.
- Encouraged independence while promoting self-care skills such as bathing, grooming and toileting needs.
- Respected the rights of each individual client while maintaining confidentiality of all personal information.
- Observed patients for changes in physical, emotional, mental or behavioral condition and injuries.
- Provided emotional support for clients who were experiencing depression or anxiety due to their illness or disability.
- Administered prescribed medications on a timely basis following care plan instructions.
- Observed changes in behavior or physical condition that may require medical attention and reported them promptly to supervisor.
- Drove clients to shop for groceries, attend doctor appointments and run errands.
- Maintained accurate records of services provided, changes in client condition, medications administered and other pertinent information.
- Monitored vital signs and medication use, documenting variances, and concerning responses.
- Built strong and trusting rapport with clients and loved ones.
- Provider advocacy at doctor's appointments using my extensive medical knowledge to ensure the proper level of care was given.
VP of Underwriting and New Business
Windsor Insurance Associates/NFP
Woodland Hills, California
08.2005 - 09.2022
- Oversaw all new business staff of 35, developed and implemented new training protocols, hired new staff, developed efficiency in the department by creating mechanisms to insure policies went from informal to formal application to issue and the placement seemlessly.
- Acted as a mentor to my staff helping them navigate the ins and outs of brokerage general agencies and how to manage relationships with over 25 insurers all the while developing tools for them to have the particulars for each company at their fingertips.
- I developed long and lasting relationships with my carrier partners working together to get policies underwriten and issued with the best possible outcomes for my agents and their company.
- I had regular meetings with the chief underwriters from all the carriers Windsor represented. This made sure cases were on track, gave me an opportunity to negotiate better risk classes using data points that were hard to argue with and allowed us to develop a relationship/friendship that made it easier to discuss tough cases.
- I traveled to insurers home offices regularly and spoke at conventions and workshops all over the country multiple times a year.
- I maintained my role as technical underwriter as well underwriting more than 65% of the applications that came in. I received my FALU and FLMI in 2012. I am able to interpret Attending Physician Statements, read EKGs and most other medical tests, analyze personal and business financials to determine insurable interest. I am able to medically and financially assess risk.
- I am able to navigate reinsurance manuals such as Swiss re and Genre. I develop a risk assessment for each file to determine mortality implications and to calculate the base risk class. Based on that I calculated the rate class and appropriate face amount and negotiated with carrier partners for the best insurance offer based on the product desired, the desired face amount, the proposed insureds medical history and financial qualifications.
- I have 18 years of experience in the brokerage space.
- Collaborated with my senior management partners to develop strategic initiatives and long term goals.
- Built high performance teams through effective recruitment practices focused on competency alignment coupled with ongoing performance management processes.
- Implemented advanced data analytics tools to drive data driven decision making across all levels of the organization, leading to better business outcomes.
- Cultivated strong relationships with key stakeholders including customers, vendors, regulators, and leaders in the life insurance industry to promote collaboration and long term success.
- Delivered a strong financial performance despite challenging economic conditions by executing prudent risk management strategies through all aspects of business operations.
- Spearheading organizational restructuring initiatives, streamlining operations, increasing profits, and reducing overhead costs.
- I have robust medical knowledge which makes me an excellent technical underwriter.
- Identified opportunities to improve business process flows and productivity.
- Increased company growth through collaboration with sales and marketing departments.
- Transformed customer experience by designing and executing comprehensive service improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing satisfaction levels. Agents had many avenues to access insurers. I used the resources we provided as the main reason to work with Windsor. We had excellent underwriting which is rare with most other intermediaries. We also had a highly knowledgeable product team along with business support which would act as back office for the agent along with commissions processing and accounting. Not to forget my extremely effective case managers assigned by agent that would take a policy from application to placement.
- I helped to build a culture of continuous improvement, fostering innovation while driving sustainable growth across the organization.
- Championed talent development programs, promoting employee engagement and retention while enhancing overall workforce capabilities.
- Identified problems and implemented solutions to better streamline operations.
- Created effective communication strategies between management team members and employees at all levels of the organization.
- Negotiated contracts with vendors for services, products and supplies.
- Oversaw human resources functions such as recruitment, employee relations, training and benefits administration.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
American Public University
Charles Town, WV 06.2014 - 08.2017
Skills
- Medical underwriting
- Risk assessment
- Data analysis
- Policy evaluation
- Financial analysis
- Customer relationship management
- Process improvement
- Compliance management
- Team leadership
- Staff training
- Decision making
- Effective communication
- Emotional intelligence
- Conflict resolution
- Negotiation skills
- Underwriting guidelines
- Sales support
- Data interpretation
- Insurance regulations
- Insurance policy expertise
- Industry trends awareness
- Interpersonal skills
- Agent support
- Business development
- Attention to detail
- Multitasking capacity
- Fraud detection
- Analytical skills
- Strategic planning
- Underwriting Rules Familiarity
- Quoting and pricing policies
- Regulatory compliance
- Relationship building
- Client relations
- Explain company policies
- Insurance Contract Knowledge
- Teamwork
- Self motivation
- Team collaboration
- Relationship management
- Communication skills
- Documentation
- Managing risk
- Insurance product knowledge
- Insurance Law Understanding
- Professional demeanor
- Reliability
- Report preparation
- Problem-solving abilities
- Loss protection
- Time management abilities
- Insurance software proficiency
- Professionalism
Certification
- Academy of Life Underwriters, FALU designation
- LOMA, FLMI designation
Timeline
Caregiver
Taylor Morano via In Home Supported Services
01.2023 - Current
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
American Public University
06.2014 - 08.2017
VP of Underwriting and New Business
Windsor Insurance Associates/NFP
08.2005 - 09.2022