Underwriter-2

To perform assessment on complex life insurance applications based on medical, occupation, avocation, travel and financial information, ensuring adherence to underwriting guidelines.

• Conduct tele interviews or tele underwriting.
• Manage medical, occupation, part time activities, travel and financial underwriting cases for disability and critical illness underwriting, income protection, business cover, group risk, alterations and queries.
• Ensure placement of cases according to reinsurance treaty and internal guidelines.
• Liaise with planners/Business Development Manager on special terms, queries, presales and underwriting refreshers sessions with the front liners.
• Ensure resolution of underwriting enquiries and high priority cases.
• Drive and ensure involvement in Chief Medical Officer sessions and other underwriting training presentations (e.g., case studies, sales training).
• Ensure underwriting medical queries and tasks allocated are resolved timely and effectively by providing first time resolution on enquiries.
• Ensure accurate completion of documentation as per departmental guidelines to meet client needs and effectively utilize IT systems to ensure accuracy of documentation.
• Ensure adherence to organisational best practice and legislative requirements.
• Adhere to policies and procedures and take corrective action where necessary.
• Ensure all risks to the company are mitigated, identified, and escalated where necessary.
• Maintain a broad product knowledge to respond to customer queries effectively and accurately.
• Stay abreast of industry regulations, trends and best practices in underwriting.
• Approve and countersign cases above the acceptance limits of the underwriter.
• Provide coaching and mentorship to junior staff to ensure optimal team performance and knowledge sharing.
• Actively anticipate and identify opportunities for process improvement.
• Proactively solve problems, recognize risk exposures, manage and escalates where appropriate.
• Assess all applications not accepted by the online underwriting engine-initial applications, additional information and policy alterations.
• Provide fair and balanced underwriting decisions using the appropriate amount of evidence necessary.

• Grade 12-NQF Level 4.
• 5+ years relevant medical training or previous medical underwriting at an advanced level.
• 5+ years proven experience as an underwriter in the life insurance industry.
• Proven working or higher level knowledge of lump sum disability and critical illness, income protection, business cover and group risk.
• Knowledge of insurance products, regulations and underwriting guidelines and current practices.
• Experience in working with underwriting systems and tools.
• Competent in interpretation of doctors' reports, medical results and risk linkage to abnormalities.
• Assessment of medical, financial and occupational underwriting risk of an organization.

All appointments will be made in line with FirstRand Group's Employment Equity plan.