underwriter
/ˈʌn.dəˌraɪ.tə/ IELTSAcademic
noun
A person or company that assesses risk and agrees to insure someone, especially in finance or insurance. They decide whether to accept the risk and on what terms.
- The underwriter approved her home insurance.
- The underwriter checked the company's financial risk.
Adinary Nuance
An underwriter is not the same as an insurer, although the words are often connected. The underwriter checks risk and decides the terms; the insurer is the company that actually provides the policy. In finance, underwriter can also mean a firm that helps sell shares or bonds to investors.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- người thẩm định
- Spanish
- suscriptor
- Chinese
- 承销商
- Japanese
- 引受人
- Korean
- 인수자
Etymology
Underwriter comes from the insurance and finance world. It appeared in English in the 17th century, from the idea of someone writing their name under a risk they accept.
Common phrases
insurance underwriterloan underwriterlead underwriterunderwriting process
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is an underwriter the same as an insurer?
- Not exactly. An underwriter assesses the risk; the insurer provides the cover.
- Is underwriter used in banking too?
- Yes. In banking, it can mean a firm that helps sell shares or bonds.
- Is underwriter a common business word?
- Yes, especially in insurance, loans, and investment banking.
- How do I use underwriter in a sentence?
- Say: The underwriter reviewed the application before approval.