Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for New Business Case Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The New Business Case Manager is a cornerstone of our operations, serving as the central hub for all new insurance and annuity applications. This individual acts as the critical liaison between our financial advisors, their clients, insurance carrier partners, and our internal underwriting and sales teams. The primary purpose of this role is to drive the application process from submission to policy-in-force, ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and a seamless experience for our advisors. By meticulously managing case requirements, proactively communicating status, and resolving complex issues, the Case Manager directly impacts revenue realization and advisor satisfaction. This position requires a unique blend of technical product knowledge, process management expertise, and relationship-building finesse.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

New Business Coordinator / Processor
Advisor Sales Assistant / Client Service Associate
Policy Service Representative

Advancement To:

Senior or Lead Case Manager
Case Management Team Supervisor / Manager
Internal Wholesaler / Sales Desk
Junior Underwriter

Lateral Moves:

Compliance Analyst
Relationship Manager
Operations Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Manage the end-to-end new business application process for life, annuity, long-term care, and/or disability insurance from initial submission to final policy placement.
Conduct a thorough and detailed review of all submitted applications and associated forms to ensure they are complete, accurate, and in good order before carrier submission.
Serve as the primary point of contact and dedicated resource for financial advisors, agents, and their support staff, providing concierge-level service on all pending cases.
Proactively communicate with advisors and their teams, providing regular, substantive updates on case status, outstanding requirements, and expected timelines.
Order, track, and follow up on all necessary underwriting requirements, including medical exams, lab results, Attending Physician Statements (APS), and detailed financial documentation.
"Scrub" applications for potential red flags or missing information that could cause delays, and work with the advisor to correct issues prior to formal submission.
Cultivate and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships with new business and underwriting contacts at various insurance carriers to facilitate smoother processing.
Act as a client advocate by negotiating with carrier underwriters on behalf of advisors to secure favorable underwriting decisions and the best possible offers.
Meticulously maintain and update the firm's CRM and/or case management systems with real-time, accurate notes and data for every touchpoint and case activity.
Clearly interpret and communicate complex underwriting decisions, tentative or final offers, and policy delivery requirements to financial advisors.
Coordinate the final policy delivery and placement process, ensuring all legal requirements, delivery receipts, and initial premiums are collected and processed correctly.
Provide expert guidance and consultation to advisors on carrier-specific product rules, application procedures, and underwriting niches to help them select the right solutions.
Independently troubleshoot and resolve complex case issues, processing delays, and advisor escalations by engaging the appropriate internal and external partners.
Maintain a deep, current knowledge of industry regulations, including AML, FINRA guidelines, and state-specific insurance laws, to ensure full compliance on all cases.
Prepare and present regular case pipeline reports to sales leadership and management, highlighting key metrics, bottlenecks, cycle times, and successes.
Champion and contribute to process improvement initiatives within the new business team aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, reducing cycle times, and improving the advisor experience.
Assist in training and mentoring new team members, as well as educating advisors and their staff on best practices for new business submission and processing.
Diligently follow up on approved and issued policies to ensure they are accepted and placed in-force in a timely manner, securing revenue for both the firm and the advisor.
Perform rigorous quality control checks on issued policy contracts and related documents to verify accuracy before they are released to the advisor or client.
Effectively manage a high-volume caseload of 50-100+ pending cases simultaneously while consistently meeting or exceeding established service level agreements (SLAs).
Analyze and stay current on carrier-specific underwriting guideline changes, process updates, and new product launches, disseminating this critical information to the sales field.
Facilitate the pre-underwriting process by providing informal quotes and assessing case feasibility through preliminary discussions with internal and external underwriting resources.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis related to case processing times, carrier performance, and submission quality.
Contribute to the organization's broader operational strategy and technology roadmap by providing subject matter expertise on new business functions.
Collaborate with IT and business units to translate new business operational needs into clear system and software enhancement requirements.
Participate in user acceptance testing (UAT) for new CRM features, case management system upgrades, or e-application platform integrations.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Industry Product Knowledge: Deep understanding of life insurance, fixed/indexed/variable annuities, long-term care, and/or disability income insurance products.
Underwriting Process Acumen: Strong familiarity with the medical and financial underwriting process, requirements (e.g., APS, exams), and risk classification.
CRM/Case Management Software: High proficiency in using industry-standard CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, Redtail) and case management platforms (e.g., Paperclip, iPipeline).
Regulatory Awareness: Working knowledge of relevant industry regulations from FINRA, SEC, and State Insurance Departments.
Microsoft Office Suite: Advanced skills in Microsoft Outlook for communication management, and proficiency in Excel and Word for reporting and documentation.
E-Application Platforms: Experience processing business through various electronic application and e-signature platforms (e.g., Firelight, DocuSign).

Soft Skills

Extreme Attention to Detail: A meticulous and precise approach to reviewing documents and data, ensuring a high degree of accuracy.
Proactive Communication: The ability to anticipate information needs and provide clear, timely, and professional updates without being prompted.
Problem-Solving & Persistence: A tenacious and resourceful mindset for navigating complex obstacles and seeing cases through to completion.
Organizational & Time Management: Exceptional ability to prioritize and manage a large, dynamic caseload with competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Interpersonal & Relationship Building: A talent for building rapport, trust, and strong collaborative partnerships with advisors, carriers, and internal teams.
Resilience & Composure: The capacity to maintain a positive and professional demeanor while working under pressure and managing difficult conversations.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or GED equivalent, coupled with significant relevant industry experience.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's Degree from an accredited university.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Business Administration
Finance
Communications
Risk Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3-7 years of direct case management or new business processing experience within the life insurance or financial services industry.

Preferred:

Direct experience working in a Brokerage General Agency (BGA), Independent Marketing Organization (IMO), or a broker-dealer/RIA support environment is highly valued. An active Life & Health insurance license is strongly preferred. Professional industry designations such as the FLMI (Fellow, Life Management Institute) or CLU (Chartered Life Underwriter) are a significant plus.