Demand in the financial services sector has moved up the experience ladder. Recent government analysis found that recruitment was generally for Regulatory Qualification Framework (RQF) 6+ roles, rather than RQF 3 to 5 GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report. In plain terms, RQF 6+ maps to degree level and above, so employers are reaching for people with deeper formal qualifications.
That shift matters for underwriting. As professional lines grow, insurers need people who can assess complex, specialist risk, not just process standard policies. The hiring brief widens because the work widens.
The clearest signal is the tilt toward higher-qualified, regulated roles. With recruitment generally aimed at RQF 6+ positions rather than RQF 3 to 5 GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report, the entry point into specialist underwriting is rising.
For professional lines teams, that reshapes the roster. You're hiring underwriters who understand professional indemnity, directors' and officers' cover and financial institutions risk, plus the technical pricing and regulatory judgement these lines demand. The dynamic is simple: fewer generalist seats, more depth in each one.
Start by writing the brief around the risk, not the job title. If a role sits at RQF 6+, as most financial services recruitment now does GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report, say so clearly and screen for the formal qualifications and regulatory knowledge the work needs.
The common mistake is treating a specialist brief like a volume one. When the role needs depth, a slow or scattershot process loses the few people who genuinely fit.
Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost, through Reed.ai. When your underwriting brief widens, we help you narrow the search to the people who match. Tell us the role today and we'll start building your shortlist.
