Word
underwriter
Phoneticsun·der·writ·er, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈəndɝˌɹaɪtɝ/
UK/ˌʌndəɹˈaɪtɐ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a person or company that checks the risk in an insurance deal, loan, or investment and agrees to pay if something goes wrong. You see this word a lot in banking and insurance.
n. a professional or institution that evaluates financial risk and assumes liability in return for a premium or fee, most commonly in insurance, lending, or securities issuance.
Examples
“The underwriter approves our home insurance policy.”
“The mortgage underwriter reviews the couple's income and credit history before approving the loan.”
“After the startup filed for an IPO, the lead underwriter priced the shares conservatively to balance investor demand against the risk of a first-day sell-off.”
Examples
simple
“The underwriter approves our home insurance policy.”
contextual
“The mortgage underwriter reviews the couple's income and credit history before approving the loan.”
complex
“After the startup filed for an IPO, the lead underwriter priced the shares conservatively to balance investor demand against the risk of a first-day sell-off.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “underwriter” in context.
Verb
01. appoint underwriter
“The firm appointed an underwriter to manage the share offering.”
verb + noun
02. contact underwriter
“Contact your underwriter before renewing the policy next month.”
verb + noun
03. retain underwriter
“The insurer retained an underwriter to assess high-value policies.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. independent underwriter
“They hired an independent underwriter to evaluate the investment risk.”
adj + noun
05. insurance underwriter
“The insurance underwriter assessed the flood risk for the property.”
adj + noun
06. lead underwriter
“The bank acted as lead underwriter for the tech company's IPO.”
adj + noun
07. mortgage underwriter
“The mortgage underwriter requested additional proof of income.”
adj + noun
08. senior underwriter
“Our senior underwriter reviewed the complex commercial loan application.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. underwriter approval
“We cannot proceed without formal underwriter approval.”
noun + noun
10. act as lead underwriter
“Goldman Sachs acted as lead underwriter for the $2 billion offering.”
11. secure underwriter approval
“You must secure underwriter approval before exchanging contracts.”
12. syndicate of underwriters
“A syndicate of underwriters shared the risk of the large bond issue.”
Real-World Examples
“LONDON (Reuters) - There is no immediate prospect of removing Libya from a list of areas deemed high risk by London's marine insurance market, and underwriters will seek a stable period in the country before looking at a de-listing, a market official said on Monday.” “According to Maritime Mutual's website, it is reinsured by members of Lloyd's of London, one of the world's biggest insurance markets, with more than 50 member underwriters.” “May 19 (Reuters) - Orchid Underwriters Insurance Agency LLC, a specialty underwriter of property insurance focusing on coastal properties, said it appointed Lynda Butler as chief financial officer.” Etymology
From underwrite + -er.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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