Specialist Underwriter at Old Mutual

Job Description

• Provide technical underwriting expertise with a clear focus on growth, profitability and efficiency to enable quicker decision-making for new or existing business on larger risks, renewals and other technical product queries. Works with Sales to drive profit and premium growth for assigned portfolio/s by executing the organisational business plans.
• Provide technical underwriting expertise with a clear focus on growth, profitability and efficiency to enable quicker decision-making
• Analyses quality and quantity of risks underwritten by product and prepare reports that review broker / intermediate books and profit / growth trends with recommended action plans.
• Analyses portfolio underwriting performance, identifying problems within the portfolio and design and implement action plans to address / rectify portfolio performance.
• Monitors market conditions, competitive landscape and researches risk, environment and factors necessary to grow new business of identified accounts.
• Performs analysis of complex accounts by combining past experience, intuition and commercial / business acumen to fully understand the risk to enable strategic portfolio decisions to be made.
• Deliver prioritised product pipeline and propose amendments to pricing models.
• Discuss and explain Risk Reduction Requirements (RRR) from survey reports and negotiate with brokers to obtain buy-in.
• Monitor and track compliance to underwriting guidelines and make recommendations to senior management to mitigate any risks identified.
• Works with Sales to drive profit and premium growth for assigned portfolio/s by executing the organisational business plans.
• Define and implement solutions for brokers to increase portfolio profitability and growth by understanding the customer appetite for organisational products, reasons for policies not being taken up, reasons for service failures and competitor product offerings.
• Visit brokers to enable and encourage conversion of large and complex quotes.
• Visit brokers to assist with renewal discussions on large and complex quotes.
• Define and implement solutions to ensure the portfolio achieves production, profitability and service objectives.
• Quotes, prices and underwrites renewal policies and endorsements, primarily for complex or service sensitive accounts.
• Monitors risk selection and pricing decisions for portfolio/s both on a book of business and at an individual account level.
• Proactively identifies opportunities through detailed performance plans with actions, accountabilities and scheduled performance checkpoints to maximize profit and pipeline management of the portfolio/s.
• Approves above mandate referrals by combining research outcomes, past experience, intuition and commercial / business acumen to fully understand the risk and the impact of the referral.

Experience, knowledge & skills required

• Diploma and/or equivalent NQF Level 6 qualification in general insurance.
• 3 – 5 years’ experience in personal lines underwriting.
• 3 – 5 years’ experience in Old Mutual Insure.
• Knowledge of Old Mutual Insure policy administration systems.