Group Underwriting Specialist

With every job, there’s always the question of “why”. Why join a company? Why be part of their mission? Here, the why is easy. It’s because at some point, we’ve all needed someone there for us.

At the OTIP Group of Companies (OGC), we believe that something special happens when employees feel valued for the work they do, supported as the people they are, and included in the very fabric of the organization: they bring their best to work every day. And that's why we mean it when we say we put our people at the centre of everything we do.

Join us as we grow our way into a future that reimagines what it means to deliver meaningful benefits support and service.

The Group Underwriting Specialist is responsible for providing expertise and oversight of underwriting activities within OTIP’s group benefit consulting and underwriting services. Drawing on their experience in group benefits underwriting, the Group Underwriting Specialist will leverage strong analytical skills, benefits knowledge, and operational expertise to enable OTIP and its clients to make informed decisions that result in high-quality, financially sustainable benefit programs for their members.

What You’ll Do:

Reporting to the Director of Underwriting Services, the core parts of your role will be to:

Establish and foster communication between all Group Insurance Service departments to resolve product or service problems by answering questions; explaining procedures; developing and disseminating information as required to ensure understanding of plan designs and changes, rate information, plan administration procedures, funding arrangements, experience ratings and related financial underwriting information; expediting corrections or adjustments, making recommendations to the Underwriting Leadership.

Evaluate new business and plan amendment requests to ensure that appropriate advice and ratings are provided. This includes triage of the change requested, scope of impact, risk and ensuring implementation plans take into consideration all stakeholders.

Develop and present solutions for various plan issues to consultants and internal partners.

Evaluate contractual and administration exceptions received by underwriting from all OTIP areas for all lines of benefits. Work closely with Underwriting Service Coordinators, Benefit Consultants, and the Underwriting Manager, if required, to make recommendations on such inquiries.

Produce amendment communications and the coordination of the policy amendment process and other related amendment administration requirements. This includes communicating details of the change, ensuring internal and external stakeholders make the required changes and ensuring appropriate audit documentation is received and filed.

Create and maintain member/benefit eligibility rule documentations which is shared across the organization. Document and share administration guidelines, approve administrative practices and report any changes to administrative practices that have been approved by client and/or carrier.

Coordinate the underwriting administration of the OTIP RTIP, Life and LTD pool renewals including rate updates, document requirements and other administration requirements.

Coordinate the implementation of insurance contracts and amendments with the insurance carrier by reviewing contract language; reviewing master applications; assembling contract documents; obtaining required signatures for contracts and applications; ensuring appropriate distribution of insurance contracts.

Work closely with the Benefits Consultants to ensure that all financial agreements are maintained and updated accordingly.

Provide assistance with insurance contract provision wording in documentation by updating forms, manuals, reports and communication pieces for insured members and plan administrators.

Provide service support to the Consultants, Account Managers and Service Representatives by producing and preparing client authorizations and requirement documentation.

Monitor the benefits environment to ensure that OTIP maintains current benefit underwriting, financial and administration practices.

Assist in cross-functional projects…