What does it really take to build a successful career in underwriting?

In this episode of Beyond the Desk Underwriting Special, Sanj Vagad is joined by Adam Curran, Chief Underwriting Officer - Specialty, HDI Global, to explore his career from an unexpected start in insurance to senior leadership within one of the market’s major specialty businesses.

Adam shares how an initial opportunity at Alexander Forbes led him from broking into underwriting, and how each stage of his career brought new challenges, experiences and opportunities to learn.

The conversation explores the importance of being open to opportunities, knowing when to move on, and taking ownership of your own career rather than waiting for someone else to create the next step for you.

Adam also discusses what changes as you move from being a specialist underwriter into broader leadership roles, including the importance of accepting that you cannot know everything, asking the right questions and surrounding yourself with the right people.

As the conversation turns to the current underwriting market, Adam shares his perspective on navigating a soft market, returning to the fundamentals of underwriting and understanding what makes a strong portfolio. He also discusses delegated authority, governance and the challenge of balancing efficiency with the depth of underwriting information needed to make good decisions.

The episode closes with some practical advice for the next generation of underwriters — from becoming known as someone who can be relied upon, to putting forward ideas, taking on challenges and building relationships across the market.

And Adam reveals the one skill he believes is becoming increasingly underrated in underwriting: picking up the phone and having a conversation.