Insurance underwriters: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time insurance underwriters in the UK earned a median £41,610 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): £2,571 above the all-jobs median of £39,039.
What the figures show
That ranks 121st of 382 occupations on this measure.
The mean, £66,920, is 61% above the median, a sign of a few very high earners.
Median full-time pay: women £38,586 a year, men £46,058 a year.
Full-time paid hours are shorter than usual, a median of 35 a week.
ASHE counts roughly 27,000 employee jobs, 85% full-time.
From £33,978 in 2021, the median is up 22.5%, close to the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 37,600 people in this line of work across the UK.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £26,990 | £542.80 | £15.08 | £25,177* | £510.20 | £15.32 |
| 20th percentile | £30,225 | £618.30 | £16.64 | £28,368 | £597.40 | £17.39 |
| 25th percentile | £32,604 | £648.10 | £17.66 | £30,186 | £616.60 | £17.70 |
| 30th percentile | £34,864 | £671.80 | £18.46 | £32,504 | £639.70 | £18.63 |
| 40th percentile | £37,208 | £726.60 | £20.64 | £35,968 | £691.30 | £20.21 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £41,610* | £824.10 | £23.58 | £38,666* | £746.60 | £23.32 |
| 60th percentile | £51,561* | £946.40* | £27.01* | £46,682* | £873.70* | £25.72 |
| 70th percentile | – | £1,106.80* | £30.69* | £57,003* | £1,024.80* | £29.09* |
| 75th percentile | – | – | – | – | £1,142.50* | £32.53* |
| Mean | £66,920* | £1,157.00* | £32.20* | £61,693* | £1,084.10 | £31.43 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £33,978* | £635.50 | £17.98* | £33,226* | £622.30 | 20* |
| 2022 revised | £32,664 | £618.50 | £17.34 | £31,537 | £600.10 | 22* |
| 2023 revised | £37,971 | £670.80 | £19.12 | £35,271 | £666.00 | 29 |
| 2024 revised | £36,469 | £744.80 | £20.64 | £34,832 | £690.00 | 29 |
| 2025 provisional | £41,610* | £824.10 | £23.58 | £38,666* | £746.60 | 27 |
Insurance underwriters by region
UK: 37,600 (± 7,500), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What insurance underwriters do
Insurance underwriters identify and measure the risks associated with an activity, determine whether this risk is insurable and issue insurance policies which provide financial compensation in the event of loss. (ONS SOC 2020, 3532)
Also covers: account handler (insurance), commercial underwriter, insurance inspector, mortgage underwriter, underwriter, account handler, accounts handler, chief inspector, district inspector, insurance handler, insurance underwriter, life inspector, medical underwriter, team leader, underwriter's agent, underwriting executive, insurance account handler and insurance underwriting controller.
- Receives and assesses proposals and propositions for insurance from brokers and clients
- Identifies and evaluates the risks associated with a proposal
- Liaises with insurance surveyors, actuaries and risk managers where the risks associated with a proposal are not clear
- Calculates premiums, provides quotations and, if acceptable to the client, issues policies
- Ensures that the insurance policy clearly defines the liabilities accepted and any exceptions or exclusions
- Negotiates terms of reinsurance contracts
There are no formal academic requirements, although many employers expect entrants to study for and attain the associateship examinations of the Chartered Insurance Institute. Entrants to professional examinations usually require GCSEs/S grades and A levels/H grades, or a BTEC/SQA award.
Related
Finance associate professionals (median £49,715) · Brokers · Financial and accounting technicians · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Mean
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026