Insurance
10 life insurance underwriting experts
These ten underwriting leaders have run or helped run life insurance underwriting at life insurers and reinsurers. A reader can learn how they lead life underwriting teams and approach underwriting decisions.
Professionals to explore
01—10Heather Milligan
LinkedInExperience: SVP, Head of Life Insurance Underwriting & New Business and Business Innovation Life Solutions · Lincoln Financial
SVP, Underwriting & New Business Life Solutions at Lincoln Financial, listed from 2023 with no end date. Former SVP, Head of Life Insurance Underwriting & New Business and Business Innovation Life Solutions (2021–2022) and Senior Vice President, Underwriting & New Business (2007–2021) at Lincoln Financial.
Julienne Warr
LinkedInExperience: Head of Life Underwriting and New Business, Chief Underwriting Officer · Brighthouse Financial
Head of Life Underwriting and New Business, Chief Underwriting Officer at Brighthouse Financial since 2022 and former Leader, Life Underwriting Operations and Innovations there (2017–2022). Former Chief Underwriter at MetLife (2007–2014). The profile cites experience in traditional, accelerated or automated, GI, SI and jumbo underwriting in all distribution channels.
Keith Brown, MSM, CLU, ChFC, FALU, FLMI, RHU
LinkedInExperience: Vice President & Chief Underwriter · Western & Southern Financial Group
Vice President & Chief Underwriter at Western & Southern Financial Group, a role listed from May 2005 with no end date. The profile says the role covers oversight of underwriting, new business, policy change and reinsurance administration for life insurance.
Kelly Fleming
LinkedInExperience: Director of Life Underwriting · CNO Financial Group
Director of Life Underwriting at CNO Financial Group since 2021. Former Associate Chief Underwriter (2018–2021), Underwriting Consultant (2016–2018) and Senior Life Underwriter (2013–2016) at CNO Financial Group. The profile mentions work with risk evidence vendors.
Robin Martucci-Livote
LinkedInExperience: Chief Underwriter · MetLife
Former Chief Underwriter (2014–2016) and Director Life Underwriting Strategies (2011–2013) at MetLife, and former Senior Strategic Underwriting Consultant at MassMutual (2016–2020). Head of Underwriting at Wysh since 2021. The profile describes developing data-driven opportunities in life and disability underwriting.
Susan L. Mayer, FALU, FLMI
LinkedInExperience: Vice President, Chief Underwriter · Hannover Re
Vice President, Chief Underwriter at Hannover Re since 2024, former VP, Underwriting Specialty Products there (2017–2024) and former Associate Chief Underwriter at Aviva USA (2012–2014). The profile says the role involves leading underwriting operations and describes work on strategy, operations and innovation in life underwriting.
Thomas Geißler
LinkedInExperience: Chief Underwriter Germany Life Health · Munich Re
Chief Underwriter Germany Life Health at Munich Re since 2021 and former Head of Section Underwriting Life International at Munich Re (2015–2021). Former Prokurist Risikoprüfung und Leistung Leben (2012–2015) and Abteilungsleiter Risikoprüfung Leben (2002–2010) at NÜRNBERGER Versicherungsgruppe.
Tom Umbenhower
LinkedInExperience: AVP-Life Administration Chief Underwriter · Motorists Insurance Group
Former AVP-Life Administration Chief Underwriter at Motorists Insurance Group (2012–2016) and former Senior Underwriting Director at Lincoln Financial (2008–2012). Senior Underwriting Director at John Hancock since 2024 and former Senior Underwriting Consultant at Symetra (2016–2024). The profile describes experience in life insurance risk management and quality operations.
Virginia Craig
LinkedInExperience: Chief Underwriting Officer · Pacific Life
Former Chief Underwriting Officer at Pacific Life (2015–2022), former Senior Vice President of Life Underwriting New Business at Global Atlantic Financial Group Limited (2015) and former Vice President Life Underwriting New Business at Aviva (2011–2013). Vice President at Mutual of Omaha since 2022, where the profile headline reads VP Head of individual Life and Health Underwriting.
Zach Pugh
LinkedInExperience: Head of Life & Health Underwriting- US · Swiss Re
Former Head of Life & Health Underwriting- US at Swiss Re (2016–2019), former Chief Underwriter - VP of Underwriting Transformation at Legal & General America (2022–2026) and former Director Of Underwriting at Ethos (2021–2022). Chief Underwriter at Banner Life family of companies since 2026.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's seat to your question, since a direct writer's chief underwriter and a reinsurer's underwriting lead see different parts of the same risk. If you are moving toward accelerated or automated underwriting, ask each person what they personally changed in underwriting rules and evidence requirements.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01Which applicants did you move to accelerated underwriting, and how did you check mortality results afterward?
- 02How do you decide which medical and non-medical evidence to require at each face amount and age?
- 03How do you work with reinsurers when you change underwriting guidelines?
Reaching life insurance underwriting experts
How can I contact one of these life insurance underwriting experts?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 10 companies, including Lincoln Financial, Brighthouse Financial and Western & Southern Financial Group, based on profile data retrieved on October 3, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach life insurance underwriting experts?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. It includes Instant Expert's 20% fee, so an offer that pays the person $100 costs you $125. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot and may describe past or present roles. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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