MarkelCorp

Schemes Underwriter

Leeds - UK Full time
Schemes Underwriter
Locations: Leeds (preferred) | Manchester | Birmingham
Hybrid working (3 days in office)

Shape the future of Schemes underwriting at Markel !
Schemes is one of the fastest growing and most strategically important areas of Markel’s UK business – and we’re investing heavily in its future.

As part of our 2030 strategy, we’ve built a dedicated Schemes team to support strong market demand, inbound opportunities and long term growth ambitions.

This is your chance to join that journey at a pivotal moment – not simply to underwrite schemes, but to help shape how they’re built and handled going forward.

We’re now looking for a Schemes Underwriter (Financial Lines) to join our expanding team.

The opportunity:

This is a growth hire within our Schemes division, offering real variety, ownership and progression.

You’ll focus primarily on Financial Lines / Professional Indemnity, handling a portfolio of 5–10 schemes across sectors such as accountants, miscellaneous PI and select design & construct risks. Much of the work will be under delegated authority, working closely with key broker partners.

You’ll be trusted with day‑to‑day underwriting, referrals and broker interaction, while being fully supported by experienced senior underwriters and scheme leaders as you develop.

This role isn’t about processing volume – it’s about judgement, collaboration and building sustainable portfolios.

What you’ll be doing:

  • Underwriting new business and renewals within delegated schemes

  • Managing referrals, broker queries and service levels (SLAs)

  • Taking ownership of your scheme portfolio and seeing work through end‑to‑end

  • Contributing insight into portfolio performance, renewals and future planning

  • Building strong trading relationships and positioning Markel as a preferred schemes partner

  • Working collaboratively with underwriting, schemes development and product teams

  • Finding opportunities to improve processes, controls and scheme performance

Over time, there’s scope to take on greater responsibility, contribute to binding authority development, and help shape new scheme opportunities.

About you:

We’re open‑minded on experience – attitude and approach matter just as much as technical background.

You might be:

  • An underwriter with experience in Financial Lines (PI, D&O, FI), or

  • A developing/trainee underwriter with a strong foundation and appetite to learn, or

  • An experienced schemes/delegated authority underwriter looking for more influence and progression

What’s important is that you’re:

  • Proactive and comfortable taking ownership

  • Responsive and organised, able to manage deadlines and SLAs

  • Curious and adaptable in a fast‑evolving environment

  • Confident communicating with brokers and internal partners

  • Motivated by progression, variety and having a genuine impact

Why join Markel Schemes?

  • Strategic priority: Schemes is a core pillar of Markel’s 2030 strategy

  • Visibility & backing: Strong leadership sponsorship and investment

  • Real influence: You won’t just inherit processes – you can help improve them

  • Career progression: Multiple pathways – technical depth, senior underwriting, scheme design or broader exposure

  • A team being built: This is a function still evolving, not a finished product

In short, you’re joining a team that’s going somewhere – and you can help define the route !

Reward & benefits:

  • Competitive salary (flexible depending on experience)

  • Generous annual bonus

  • Up to 16% employer pension contribution

  • Private medical and dental insurance

  • Income protection and life assurance

  • Electric car scheme, travel insurance and emergency care benefits

  • 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays (with buy/sell options)

  • Strong commitment to learning, development and long‑term career progression

Ready to make your mark?

If you’re looking for an underwriting role with momentum, variety and genuine progression, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now to start a conversation.

Markel celebrates the value of a diverse workforce that brings experience and expertise from a wide variety of backgrounds and life circumstances. Whatever your background, if you feel you meet the requirements of this role then we want to hear from you.

We are an equal-opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided with all reasonable accommodations to be able to participate in the job application or interview process and to perform essential job functions if successful. Please contact us via email at rec@markel.com or call us at 0161 507 5827 to request any accommodations that may be needed. This includes any alternative formats of any documents or information on how to apply offline.

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