Company:
Modern Specialty Insurance Ltd. (MSI) is an independent Canadian-owned MGA with program-specific opportunities targeting Commercial Transportation, Niche Habitational, and Small to Medium Enterprise sectors. Through close relationships with our broker partners, we identify market needs and build specialized programs that provide further value to brokers and their clients.
Our employees are at the heart of what we do best: helping people, businesses, and society prosper in good times and remain resilient in challenging times. As a Junior Underwriter, you will bring that purpose to life alongside a passionate community of insurance professionals.
For some roles, MSI supports a hybrid work model that balances working from home with the value of in-person working relationships.
Position Description:
The Junior Underwriter is a full-time, on-site role based in Burlington, ON. This position is responsible for supporting and progressively assuming ownership of MSI’s Niche Habitational portfolio. The Junior Underwriter will begin with a primary focus on Habitational renewals, including renewal preparation, risk review, broker communication, changes in exposure, endorsements, cancellations, policy issuance, inspections, claims information, and file documentation. Through structured training, coaching, and increasing authority, the role will progress into Habitational new business and, ultimately, day-to-day ownership of the Habitational book, including portfolio management, broker service, workflow oversight, retention, and profitable growth.
The successful candidate will work closely with the existing Habitational underwriting lead during the transition, learning MSI’s underwriting approach, broker relationships, service standards, workflow requirements, and program objectives. The role is intended for a developing underwriter who can take on increasing responsibility and grow into a key long-term owner of the Habitational program.
Reports To:
This position reports to the Director of Commercial Property & Casualty and Habitational Underwriting and receives day-to-day Habitational coaching and guidance from the designated Habitational underwriting lead.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Own the preparation and progression of Niche Habitational renewals within established underwriting guidelines, authority, pricing, and service standards.
- Review renewal accounts for changes in occupancy, construction, protection, exposure, values, loss history, inspections, claims, subjectivities, and other relevant underwriting information.
- Prepare renewal terms 30 to 60 days before expiry and identify accounts requiring updated information, pricing review, referral, remarketing, non-renewal consideration, or additional underwriting action.
- Communicate professionally with broker partners regarding renewal information requirements, terms, conditions, outstanding items, account status, and next steps.
- Prepare and issue quotations, bind confirmations, policy documentation, endorsements, cancellations, reinstatements, and other policy transactions accurately and within required service timelines.
- Maintain accurate and complete file documentation, system records, submission and renewal logs, policy records, task status, correspondence, and compliance information.
- Manage broker follow-up, outstanding information, quoted opportunities, inspections, WETT documentation, subjectivities, and final file disposition.
- Review inspection findings, claims information, and risk-control recommendations and escalate material concerns within established referral protocols.
- Identify cross-sell opportunities into Commercial Property & Casualty, Cyber, Professional Liability, and other MSI products where appropriate.
- Support new Habitational submissions by completing initial review, rating, quote preparation, information requests, and referral documentation under supervision.
- Progress toward independent underwriting of standard Habitational new business based on demonstrated technical readiness, judgment, file quality, and authority.
- Assist with shared queue coverage, vacation coverage, workflow balancing, and service continuity across the Habitational program.
- Provide clear work direction and practical support to co-op students or other developing resources assigned to Habitational workflows, as appropriate.
- Contribute to renewal-process standardization, quality controls, workflow documentation, checklists, broker education, and future offshore-readiness initiatives.
- Participate in broker visits, webinars, appetite sessions, industry events, product training, and marketing initiatives when required.
- Stay informed of property-market conditions, regulatory developments, emerging Habitational exposures, and MSI appetite changes.
Performance Expectations:
- Deliver renewal terms within established lead-time and service standards.
- Maintain accurate, complete, and current files with clear underwriting rationale and documented follow-up.
- Demonstrate consistent ownership of renewals, outstanding information, inspections, subjectivities, endorsements, cancellations, and broker communication.
- Improve renewal workflow visibility, portfolio readiness, and final file disposition.
- Support retention and profitable growth while applying sound underwriting discipline.
- Progress toward independent handling of standard Habitational new business and eventual ownership of the Habitational portfolio.
- Contribute positively to broker service, team coverage, process improvement, and the development of junior support capacity.
Role Requirements:
- Insurance experience or completion of a recognized insurance, business, risk-management, or related post-secondary program is preferred.
- Experience in Personal Lines, Habitational, Commercial Property, policy servicing, renewals, or underwriting support is an asset.
- Foundational understanding of property insurance, coverage, rating, risk selection, policy transactions, or underwriting processes.
- Strong willingness to learn MSI’s Habitational appetite, underwriting approach, pricing, guidelines, and broker-service expectations.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage a high-volume renewal workflow, multiple deadlines, and recurring follow-up.
- Clear written and verbal communication skills and confidence working directly with broker partners.
- Strong analytical, customer-service, decision-making, problem-solving, and follow-through skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively while taking increasing ownership and operating with appropriate independence after training.
- Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and comfort learning policy-management and underwriting systems.
- CIP designation, active progress toward CIP, or willingness to begin the designation is an asset.
- Receptive to coaching, adaptable, detail-oriented, accountable, and interested in building a long-term underwriting career.
Why Join MSI?
- Clear progression from renewal ownership into new business and eventual ownership of a growing Niche Habitational portfolio.
- Direct mentorship from experienced underwriting leadership and meaningful exposure to broker relationships and portfolio decisions.
- Opportunity to build technical underwriting capability while contributing to workflow design, quality controls, broker education, and the future operating model.
- Exposure to Commercial Property & Casualty, Cyber, Professional Liability, and other Specialty Lines through cross-sell and development opportunities.
- Visible impact on service, retention, portfolio growth, and the continued development of MSI’s Habitational program.
- Competitive compensation, benefits, professional-development support, and a collaborative MGA environment.
The above reflects MSI’s definition of the essential functions of this position but does not restrict the tasks that may be assigned. The responsibilities are representative only, and management may modify the duties and responsibilities of the position at any time.
