Meet Markel:
Welcome to Markel where we take great pride in what we do. To us, insurance isn’t just a policy - it’s a vital promise that gives people and businesses the confidence to move forward, each and every day. Here, you’ll find exceptional people, without the ego. People who’ll bring out your best, and support you at every step, because it’s who we are and the secret to our success.
We are a leading global speciality insurer with a truly people first-approach. With over 5,000 employees across the globe, finding creative solutions for complex risks is our passion. And our broad array of tools and knowledge allows us to create tailored coverage solutions for even the most complex needs.
Our international business is made up of two core divisions: Wholesale and National Markets, through these we offer innovative products and services. Our international business is located throughout UK, Europe, Canada and Asia Pacific.
We pride ourselves on having accessible leadership, an inclusive culture and a focus on empowerment- we call this The Markel Style. This is brought to life through our employee led networks via ‘People with Style’, which are centred around inclusion, community, wellbeing and recognition.
Markel Group (NYSE – MKL) is a Fortune 500 company with over 60 offices in 20+ countries, is a holding company for insurance, reinsurance, specialist advisory, and investment operations around the world.
We’ve come a long way since Sam Markel dreamed big in 1930, but in our eyes, our journey is just getting started. Come see what you can achieve by applying for one of our open vacancies.
We’re all about people | We win together | We strive for better | We enjoy the everyday | We think further
The Opportunity:
Are you studying a STEM subject, curious about underwriting, and eager to apply the technical knowledge you’ve learned in a practical, commercial setting?
Join Markel International’s Underwriting Analytics programme and build the profile the market is asking for: a data confident, commercially astute underwriter of the future. This is a rare, hybrid pathway that develops you in analytics first and then places you at the heart of the market - so you don’t just read the numbers, you know how they’re made and how to use them when it matters. From day one you’ll be close to live portfolios and real decisions, seeing how pricing models, predictive insight and portfolio steering give underwriters an edge across the London Market. You’ll learn how to interrogate data at both risk and portfolio level, how to translate signals into appetite and price, and how to bring clarity to complex submissions, and then you’ll carry that toolkit into an underwriting seat. By year two you’ll be contributing to trading discussions, shaping viewpoints on risk selection and rate adequacy, and helping to build a profitable book within either Marine & Energy or Professional and Financial Risks & Cyber. This programme is designed as your onramp to a long term underwriting career at Markel.
As a core component of Markel International’s insurance operations, the Wholesale division trades globally with medium to large businesses and offer larger premiums and limits. With offices around the world, Markel's Wholesale division encompasses three underwriting divisions- Marine and Energy; Professional, Financial Risks and Cyber; and Specialty- alongside an award-winning Claims team, as well as dedicated Operations and Strategic Business Development teams. With many of their risks written through Lloyd’s of London marketplace, their ambition is to become the best speciality insurer out there.
What you’ll be doing:
Year 1: The Portfolio Analytics Team
Immerse in International Portfolio Analytics (IPA). You’ll be embedded with the teams that power our decision making - Portfolio Management, Technical Pricing, Predictive Analytics and Data Science - translating data into actionable underwriting insight. You’ll learn how portfolios behave, how pricing models are built and validated, and how to turn raw information into signals underwriters actually use.
Within your first year on the programme, you will:
- Dive into learning about the insurance industry, build valuable business connections, and shine in presentations to underwriting divisions.
- Utilise coding languages to drive cutting-edge analytics.
- Create and maintain a variety of pricing models using specialist tools and the newest technologies within the insurance industry.
- Learn to tell a story through data, using data visualisation techniques to display patterns, trends and outliers effectively.
- Build simplified reports in Power BI and present to the underwriters.
- Master the art of data management and Microsoft SQL.
- Take part in structured training conducted by senior employees with an extensive amount of knowledge in the industry to ultimately help successful candidates learn the fundamentals of insurance and analytics.
- Perfectly kickstart your career as a Graduate Assistant Underwriter – a profession now centred around the harnessing of data and analytics.
Year 2: The Wholesale Underwriting Team – Marine & Energy / Professional and Financial Risks & Cyber
Step into Underwriting. You’ll specialise with one of our market leading teams - Marine & Energy (M&E) or Professional and Financial Risks & Cyber (PFR & Cyber) - and put that toolkit to work at the front line of Underwriting: triaging submissions, contributing to pricing, debating appetite, joining broker conversations and helping shape the book. The intention is that you remain in underwriting following the programme.
Within your second year on the programme, you will:
- Provide technical support to the underwriters including data management and administrative tasks.
- Learn how to assess, rate, quote and ultimately underwrite risks.
- Take part in a structured, in-depth training programme designed to provide you with the knowledge, skills and behaviours in line with our ‘Underwriter of the Future’ career framework.
- Take part in secondments to other teams to broaden your skills and network.
- Build relationships with brokers and clients by attending events and networking opportunities.
- Collaborate and problem solve with departments such as Actuarial and Compliance.
- Study towards a credible Chartered Institute of Insurance Advanced Diploma (ACII) via a Level 6 Senior Insurance Professional Apprenticeship.
What’s in it for you?
- You’ll get support every step of the way – we know that starting out in a new role and industry can be daunting but Markel’s ego-free environment gives you all the support that you need to go further and achieve great things.
- Your development doesn’t just stop after your programme. Markel are committed to you and your long-term career -there are countless opportunities to learn new skills and develop in your career and we can provide the support needed to do just that!
- A genuine culture of camaraderie - at Markel, our shared values aren’t buzzwords. We really mean what we say in the Markel Style, and walk the talk, every day.
- Enjoy your free coffee as you admire 360 degree views of London from our office on the 27th floor of the Walkie Talkie building!
- Be part of our growing early careers community – through 121 buddy support, socials and other events you will have every opportunity to network and build great relationships with your peers both inside and outside of Markel.
- Competitive starting salary with an excellent package - including; private medical insurance, financial education, hybrid work structure, gym discounts, cycle-to-work scheme, motor breakdown cover, income protection and additional countless benefits that will be shared at the first stage of the process!
Our must-haves:
Markel are looking for candidates who:
- Are proactive and committed to making a meaningful difference everyday.
- Are collaborative, loves building relationships, brings out the best in others, making our culture the stuff of envy.
- Are organised individuals with the ability to prioritise tasks efficiently and flexibly.
- Can display clarity of thought, as well as strong attention to detail.
- Are resilient and analytical thinkers who are confident working with data whilst maintaining a high level of accuracy.
- Are proactive and self-motivated individuals who possess an inquisitive nature and are able to take initiative.
- Possess excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with a diverse range of internal stakeholders.
- Are always looking for ways to innovate and improve what we do.
- Have an ability to work well under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
- Experience working with coding languages highly beneficial, although not essential.
- Have achieved or is on track for at least a 2:1 in any STEM degree discipline.
