Senior Underwriter – Life Business

The Senior Underwriter – Life Business is responsible for ensuring prudent and profitable underwriting of Life business through accurate risk assessment, treaty management, claims handling, reserving, and retrocession administration. This position plays a critical role in supporting product development, portfolio growth, market retention, and building strong relationships with cedants, reinsurers, and retrocessionaires, while ensuring alignment with the Corporation's underwriting policies and strategic objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Underwriting & Treaty Management

• Enhance departmental efficiency through appropriate risk rating, terms, and conditions for all accepted Life business.
• Manage treaty cessions for Group Life and Individual Life business from both local and international markets.
• Draft treaties in line with the Corporation's underwriting policies and ensure timely receipt of returns from ceding companies.
• Manage mandatory cession run-offs, including proper documentation, monitoring, and reporting.

Retrocession & Reinsurance Administration

• Arrange, administer, and monitor retrocession accounts, including notification of the Corporation's treaty share and timely recovery of amounts due.
• Maintain strong liaison with cedants, reinsurers, and retrocessionaires to ensure effective treaty administration, claims processing, and recoveries.

Claims Management & Reserving

• Manage claims for Group Life and Individual Life business, including verification, processing of death and disability claims, and pursuit of recoveries.
• Determine policy liability by reviewing policy documents, terms, conditions, exclusions, and limits.
• Review and ensure adequacy of outstanding loss reserves and Incurred But Not Reported (IBNR) claims.
• Undertake claims triangulation and commutation of liabilities to support accurate reserving and portfolio management.
• Calculate burning costs and analyze loss experience for underwriting decisions.

Business Development & Portfolio Management

• Support the development of new Life insurance products in collaboration with cedants and other stakeholders.
• Promote and grow the Corporation's market share locally and internationally through excellent service delivery and visibility.
• Ensure proper premium declaration and application of correct rates in line with policy terms.
• Handle direct insurance arrangements for staff and related underwriting and claims matters.

Reporting & Stakeholder Engagement

• Prepare timely and accurate reports on underwriting performance, claims, recoveries, treaty results, loss experience, and outstanding reserves.
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

Academic Qualifications

• A Bachelor's Degree in any of the following disciplines or equivalent from a recognized and accredited institution:
  • Bachelor of Science (Statistics, Mathematics, or General);
  • Actuarial Science;
  • Commerce (Insurance, Marketing, Finance, or Accounting options);
  • Business Administration (Finance or Accounting option);
  • Business Management (Finance or Accounting option);
  • Strategic Management;
  • Insurance; or a closely related field.

Professional Qualifications

• Diploma in Insurance (or equivalent qualification) from a recognized and accredited institution.
• Active membership in a relevant professional insurance body.
• Proficiency in computer applications and relevant underwriting systems.
• Demonstrated professional competence and administrative capability.
• Fulfilled the provisions of Chapter Six of the Constitution of Kenya.

Experience & Competencies

• A minimum of nine (9) years of relevant work experience in insurance/underwriting.
• French language proficiency will be a distinct advantage.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong planning, organizing, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities with the capacity to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Team player with excellent analytical, report writing, and presentation skills.
• Proven hands-on insurance underwriting experience, including the use of analytical tools and statistical packages.
• In-depth knowledge of insurance and reinsurance policies, treaty structures, and underwriting principles.