Underwriting Associate, Branch Operations at Britam

Job Purpose:

• Assist in underwriting and risk assessment within the set standards of service to ensure quality and timely service.
• Responsible for delivering an exceptional customer experience at the Britam branch level and putting the needs of every customer at the heart of every decision making process.

Key responsibilities:

Corporate Business

• Review all applications for insurance – determine the profiles of risks presented to the company for insurance and assess their acceptability or otherwise.
• Prepare quotations as per authority matrix.
• Custodian of underwriting documents e.g.Comesa cards.
• Conduct Risk surveys for small risks as per authority matrix.
• Prepare and issue certificates and cover notes where necessary.
• Ensure timely preparation and dispatch of policy documents including valuation reports, debit, credit notes & endorsements and authorising them within agreed and set authority limits.
• Implement credit control policy and ensure that premiums are debited and collected as required.
• Ensure receipting of premium collections, daily banking as well as preparation of premium reports for all lines of business as applicable.
• Review and communicate renewal terms, ensure renewal notices go out on time and follow up renewals to ensure high retention rate.

Retail Business

• Conduct 1st level underwriting of new business /by carrying out completeness and accuracy checks to ensure data was captured accurately in the application and systems.
• Scanning and indexing of customer instructions.
• Receipting (cheques/standing orders/check offs) and posting payments in LOB system.
• Preparing Daily Premium reports.
• Advise Policy Administration on dishonoured cheques and write letters to customers regarding the same.
• Processing refunds/cancelled policies/deductions after maturity, claims and surrenders.
• Forward issued applications to registry.
• Hold briefing the event the customer service assistant is absent by performing that role/tasks.
• Delegated Authority: As per the approved Delegated Authority Matrix.
• Prepare quotations in collaborations with the CSE.
• Drive customer self service by encouraging all walk-in clients to sign up to the customer portal and offer necessary support.
• Ensure business retention by taking initiative to conserve cancellations and surrenders before processing customer instructions.

Knowledge, experience and qualifications required

• Bachelor’s degree (insurance option preferred).
• At least one year experience in the insurance industry.

Technical/ Functional competencies

• Knowledge of insurance concepts.
• Knowledge of underwriting processes and procedures.
• Technical competence in underwriting insurance risks.
• Knowledge of insurance regulatory requirements.

Leadership category responsibility framework (Core Competencies)

Emerging Leaders in Britam need to:

• Plan, direct and apply efficiencies and resources in order to optimise output and profitability against time, cost and team targets.
• Effectively communicate strategic and operational departmental goals and objectives to peers and others in order to ensure proper implementation.
• Ensure that department priorities are adhered to and effectively communicated.
• Ensure competent and effective people resources through appropriate coaching, development and people supervision as appropriate.
• Embody a high performance, proactive culture.
• Effectively ensure the adherence to key performance areas, deadlines and goals in order to optimise operational effectiveness;
• Effectively communicate resource needs, possible opportunities and achievements to management in order to aid them in their decision-making.
• Effectively set and monitor priorities and objectives for more junior staff.
• Understand and communicate objectives in relation to the larger organisational impact.
• Effectively disseminate knowledge within the correct context, towards subordinates as well as management.
• Appropriately model the company values while setting the pace and energy for delivering.
• Effectively manage and communicate change within the department in order to increase staff and process effectiveness.
• Provide access to accurate and consistent information and services across all channels.
• Ensure a seamless experience for clients.
• Improve service delivery for clients.
• Engage in continuous brand building to become the trusted partners to clients