Lisa A Minatee
Summary
Highly skilled and experienced Life Insurance Underwriter with over 20 years of experience. Proven track record of accurately assessing risk, streamlining processes, and delivering exceptional results. Seeking to leverage my expertise to effectively manage underwriting processes and contribute to the financial success of your organization.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Underwriting Consultant
MassMutual
02.2024 - Current
- Evaluate and handle all underwriting aspects of formal & informal life insurance applications
- Determine whether to accept, modify, or decline a risk through evaluation of an individual's medical history or physical condition, occupational hazard, and financial background
- Deliver the best offer first to drive the sale and not only a decision.
- Provide efficient, quality service to third party firms, their staff and their advisors
- Communicate effectively with customers to explain underwriting decisions and facilitate placement of business
- Understand underwriting policies, guidelines, practices and procedures
- Influence and champion changes to improve processes while maintaining mortality expectations
- Tailor communication style to fit a variety of target audiences, i.e. agency, new business personnel and foster relationships with advisors and third party partners
- Collaborate effectively with stakeholders to gather information necessary for decision making and to select profitable risks
- Provide consultations with third party firms to resolve, rate questions and discrepancies, or risk related concerns. Consider total case financials, relationship and value of customer
- Leverage interpersonal and emotional intelligence skills to develop relationships with key business partners across this competitive landscape, which can be relied on to inform decisions and communicate underwriting decisions
- Able to independently work assigned requests with minimal direction. Comfortable with ambiguity.
- Build trust and foster strong rapport with colleagues, business partners, and third party customers
Senior Underwriter
New York Life Insurance
06.2023 - 01.2024
- Accurately classify mortality/morbidity risk on life and disability applications using medical and non medical information, ensuring optimal underwriting decisions.
- Effectively communicate with third party administrators and applicants for additional information, application status, final decisions, and appeals procedures.
- Audit system-generated decisions to ensure accuracy and compliance with underwriting standards and regulations.
- Cross-sell other insurance products when possible, contributing to increased sales and customer retention.
- Assist colleagues with higher caseloads, demonstrating teamwork and collaboration, and ensuring efficient workflow within team.
Senior Life Underwriter
National Life Group
09.2022 - 03.2023
- Analyzed complex life insurance applications, applied expert risk assessment strategies to ensure optimal underwriting decisions.
- Utilized advanced underwriting software and tools to effectively manage work and maintain organized records.
- Effectively communicated adverse underwriting decisions to agents. Identified and resolved escalations to deliver on seamless service and protect bottom line.
- Collaborated with Underwrites, shared expertise and knowledge to improve overall team performance.
Senior Life Underwriter
United Home Life
06.2018 - 08.2022
- Effectively assessed and underwrote life insurance applications, ensuring optimal risk management strategies were applied.
- Led Junior Underwriters, provided guidance/training, and improved team productivity.
- Established and maintained good rapport with Agents, elicited pertinent information, provided preliminary risk assessments and communicated adverse underwriting decisions
- Demonstrated proficiency in use of underwriting software and tools, contributing to efficient work processes.
- Handled special projects while maintaining exceptional service, production, and quality goals.
Remote Life Underwriter
Great West Life/Canada Life
02.2016 - 02.2018
- Efficiently assessed and underwrote life insurance application, maintaining high standards of risk management.
- Utilized advanced underwriting software and tools to manage work and maintain organized records.
- Delivered exceptional customer service, handling queries and providing information regarding policies and procedures.
- Maintained strong understanding of underwriting principles, practices, and regulations within Canadian market.
- Identified trends and offered underwriting solutions.
- Collaborated across organization to enhance relationships with Agents and internal employees.
- Maintained high quality review standards and production quota.
Senior Life Underwriter
Prudential Financial
11.2005 - 02.2016
- Successfully assessed and underwrote over 10,000 life insurance applications, with focus on minimizing risk and ensuring profitability.
- Maintained approval authority up to $3 million, demonstrating high level of trust and responsibility.
- Streamlined underwriting process, resulting in 20% increase in efficiency and reduction in application process time.
- Developed and implemented enhanced risk assessment model that improved underwriting accuracy by 30%.
- Led temporary Underwriting staff, provided training and guidance that resulted in 15% increase in productivity.
- Regularly exceeded performance targets, receiving recognition for exceptional performance for 8 out of 10 years.
- Implemented and led special projects, such as training initiatives, work-flow and system improvements, and Best Practices.
- Demonstrated exceptional knowledge of underwriting principles, practices, and procedures, becoming trusted resource for colleagues and management.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Business Administration
Upsala College
Skills
- Risk Assessment
- Analytical Thinking
- Time Management
- Self-Motivated
- Effective Communication
- Training and Development
- Project Management
- Leadership
- Proficient in underwriting software and tools
- Notary loan signing
Certification
- Continuing coursework towards ALU certification
- Notary Public, New Jersey, commission expires January 18, 2027
Timeline
Underwriting Consultant
MassMutual
02.2024 - Current
Senior Underwriter
New York Life Insurance
06.2023 - 01.2024
Senior Life Underwriter
National Life Group
09.2022 - 03.2023
Senior Life Underwriter
United Home Life
06.2018 - 08.2022
Remote Life Underwriter
Great West Life/Canada Life
02.2016 - 02.2018
Senior Life Underwriter
Prudential Financial
11.2005 - 02.2016
Bachelor of Arts - Business Administration
Upsala College