SENIOR CORPORATE CLAIMS HANDLER

SUMMARY:
An insurance company based in Rivonia/Johannesburg is currently seeking Senior Corporate Claims Handler to manage and administer a portfolio of complex commercial, corporate, and marine insurance claims from First Notification of Loss (FNOL) through to final settlement, ensuring compliance with insurer mandates, policy terms and conditions, regulatory requirements, and service level agreements. The role requires technical expertise, sound judgment, excellent client service skills, and the ability to mentor junior claims staff.

POSITION INFO:
Key Responsibilities

1. Claims Management

• Handle commercial, corporate, and marine claims from inception to finalisation.
• Investigate policy coverage and determine indemnity in accordance with policy wording.
• Review claim documentation for completeness and accuracy.
• Obtain and assess quotations, assessor reports, survey reports, forensic investigations, and expert opinions.

• Negotiate settlements within delegated authority levels.
• Monitor claims reserves and recommend adjustments where appropriate.
• Ensure prompt and accurate communication with insurers, underwriters, brokers, suppliers, and clients.

• Manage high-value and technically complex claims portfolios.
• Handle Aggregate excess claims, maintain Agg tracking sheets for reporting.

1. Marine Claims Administration

• Import and export shipments
• Inland transit losses
• Theft, damage, contamination, and deterioration claims
• General Average claims

• Vessel damage claims
• Salvage and recovery claims
• Third-party liability claims

• Freight forwarders' liability
• Warehouse liability
• Logistics operator claims
• Ship repairers liability

• Obtaining shipping and customs documentation
• Review of bills of lading
• Analysis of marine policy coverage
• Calculation and validation of losses

1. Commercial & Corporate Claims

• Commercial property
• Business interruption
• Fire and explosion
• Engineering
• Contractors All Risks (CAR)
• Plant and machinery
• General liability
• Professional indemnity
• Fidelity guarantee
• Motor fleet
• Goods in transit

• Interpretation of policy wording
• Compilation of claim submissions
• Managing insurer requirements
• Coordinating expert assessments
• Facilitating settlement negotiations

1. Technical Decision Making

• Analyse policy coverage and exclusions.
• Interpret complex insurance wordings.
• Identify uninsured and underinsured exposures.
• Provide technical guidance to brokers and clients.
• Escalate disputes where required.
• Recommend settlement strategies.

1. Regulatory & Compliance

• FAIS Act
• POPIA
• FICA Requirements
• Treating Customers Fairly (TCF)
• Insurer Mandates
• Binder Agreements
• Internal Claims Procedures
• Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

1. Client Service & Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain professional relationships with clients and insurers.
• Attend claims meetings where required.
• Provide regular claim status updates.
• Manage client expectations throughout the claim lifecycle.
• Resolve complaints professionally and efficiently.Training & Mentorship

• Provide technical support to claims technicians.
• Assist with training and onboarding of new staff.
• Conduct quality reviews of claims files.
• Share technical knowledge and claims best practices.

• Claims turnaround times achieved
• SLA compliance
• Accuracy of claims processing
• Claims finalisation rate

• Correct policy interpretation
• Quality of claim recommendations
• Reserve management accuracy
• Reduction in claim leakage

• Client satisfaction
• Complaint resolution
• Broker satisfaction

• Audit results
• Documentation standards
• Regulatory compliance adherence

• Matric / Grade 12
• Full FAIS Regulatory Examination (RE5)
• Fully Qualified Short-Term Insurance Professional
• NQF Level 4 or Higher in Short-Term Insurance
• FAIS Fit and Proper compliant

• Minimum 10 years' experience in Short-Term Insurance Claims
• Minimum 3 years handling Marine Claims
• Experience with high-value and technically complex claims

• Brokerage environment experience
• Binder holder experience
• Experience dealing with multiple insurers
• Previous mentoring or leadership experience

• Commercial insurance products
• Corporate insurance programmes
• Marine cargo insurance
• Marine liability insurance
• Marine hull insurance
• Policy wording interpretation
• Claims negotiation
• Insurance accounting principles
• Salvage and recovery processes
• Business interruption calculations
• Risk management principles

• Advanced claims administration
• Policy interpretation
• Investigation and analysis
• Report writing
• Claims negotiations
• Reserve management

• Strong attention to detail
• Analytical thinker
• Sound judgement
• Problem solving ability
• Professional integrity
• Customer-focused approach
• Ability to work under pressure