Team – Underwriting
Working Pattern - Hybrid – 2 days per week in the Vitality Sandton Office. Full time, 37.5 hours per week.
Top 3 skills needed for this role:
• Analytical decision-making – confidently assessing information and applying underwriting principles to make fair, accurate risk decisions.
• Communication and stakeholder engagement – building strong relationships and clearly explaining outcomes to clients and internal partners in a supportive, professional way.
• Attention to detail – ensuring accuracy across risk assessments, queries and administrative tasks, maintaining high standards in every interaction and decision.
What this role is all about:
You will play a key role in helping us make smart, informed decisions that support our members’ wellbeing. You’ll apply accurate risk ratings using insights gathered through conversations and written communications, always guided by our underwriting principles and commitment to doing the right thing. You’ll confidently connect with clients to explain outcomes, including more sensitive conversations around deferred or declined policies, ensuring every interaction feels clear, supportive and respectful. You’ll also be at the heart of resolving underwriting queries and escalations from brokers, Account Managers and Franchise Directors, working collaboratively to find the best outcomes quickly and efficiently. Alongside this, you’ll keep everything running smoothly by supporting essential underwriting administration, helping us deliver a seamless and positive experience at every step.
Key Actions
• Ensure accurate risk ratings are applied based on information gathered via telephone or written communication
• Consult and apply underwriting guidelines to assess risk for potential new business
• Liaise with clients regarding applied risk ratings, including policies that are deferred or declined
• Respond to underwriting queries and escalated enquiries from brokers, Account Managers and Franchise Directors, via phone and email
• Manage and resolve all underwriting queries and escalations through to completion
• Complete all underwriting-related administrative duties accurately and efficiently
What do you need to thrive?
• Build strong relationships with clients and stakeholders
• Make confident decisions and take ownership
• Communicate clearly and professionally (written and verbal)
• Analyse information to make sound underwriting decisions
• Work independently and use initiative
• Maintain strong attention to detail and follow processes
• Handle difficult conversations with confidence and empathy
• Deliver results while meeting customer expectations
• Stay adaptable and perform well under pressure
• Continuously learn and build underwriting and medical knowledge
• Matric / Grade 12 with relevant life insurance and underwriting experience
• Understanding of underwriting principles and basic Vitality Life products, with medical knowledge advantageous
So, what’s in it for you?
- Bonus Schemes – A bonus that regularly rewards you for your performance
- Retirement support – We will match your contributions up to 5% of your salary
- Health & wellbeing – Discovery Medical Health Scheme
- Financial protection - Life assurance, income protection and short and long-term disability insurance
These are just some of the many perks that we offer! To view the extensive range of benefits we offer, please visit our careers page. Fantastic Benefits. Exciting rewards. Great career opportunities!
If you are successful in your application and join us at Vitality, this is our promise to you, we will:
- Help you to be the healthiest you’ve ever been.
- Create an environment that embraces you as you are and enables you to be your best self.
- Give you flexibility on how, where and when you work.
- Help you advance your career by playing you to your strengths.
- Give you a voice to help our business grow and make Vitality a great place to be.
- Give you the space to try, fail and learn.
- Provide a healthy balance of challenge and support.
- Recognise and reward you with a competitive salary and amazing benefits.
- Be there for you when you need us.
- Provide opportunities for you to be a force for good in society.
We commit to all these things because we want you to feel that you belong, and are supported to be happy and healthy.