Head of Claims - Motor

Key Responsibilities

Claims Operations Management

• Manage the full lifecycle of motor insurance claims, from notification to settlement and recovery.
• Ensure timely assessment, investigation, authorization, and settlement of claims.
• Monitor claims reserves and ensure adequacy and accuracy of provisions.
• Review and approve high-value, complex, or contentious claims within delegated authority limits.
• Ensure adherence to claims service standards, turnaround times, and customer commitments.

Team Leadership & People Management

• Lead, supervise, and develop the motor claims team.
• Set performance objectives and conduct regular performance reviews.
• Identify training needs and promote continuous professional development.
• Foster a customer-centric and high-performance culture within the department.

Claims Cost Control

• Monitor claims trends, loss ratios, and settlement patterns.
• Implement cost-containment strategies to improve claims profitability.
• Negotiate with repairers, assessors, adjusters, salvage agents, and legal representatives.
• Oversee recovery and subrogation activities to maximize recoveries.

Customer Service & Stakeholder Management

• Ensure exceptional customer service throughout the claims process.
• Handle escalated customer complaints and dispute resolutions.
• Maintain strong relationships with brokers, agents, service providers, garages, assessors, and legal counsel.
• Liaise with reinsurers regarding recoverable claims where applicable.

Fraud Prevention & Risk Management

• Identify suspicious claims and coordinate fraud investigations.
• Strengthen anti-fraud controls and claims governance procedures.
• Ensure compliance with internal controls, underwriting guidelines, and regulatory obligations.
• Investigate trends in claims leakage and implement corrective actions.

Reporting & Analytics

• Prepare periodic management reports on claims performance.
• Analyze claim frequency, severity, claims ratios, and operational KPIs.
• Recommend process improvements based on data analysis and market trends.
• Assist management in forecasting claims reserves and budgeting exercises.

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with insurance regulations, company policies, and industry standards.
• Monitor adherence to internal audit recommendations and risk management requirements.
• Maintain accurate claims documentation and records.
• Support regulatory audits and external reviews.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Insurance, Business Administration, Risk Management, Law, Finance, or related discipline.
• Professional insurance qualifications (ACII, Dip CII, AIII, ANZIIF, or equivalent) will be an advantage.

Experience

• Minimum 7 to 10 years of insurance claims experience.
• At least 3 to 5 years in a supervisory or management role within motor insurance claims.
• Strong understanding of motor claims processes, salvage management, recoveries, and litigation handling.

Knowledge & Skills

Technical Competencies

• Motor insurance claims management.
• Claims reserving and cost control.
• Fraud detection and investigation.
• Litigation and recovery management.
• Regulatory and compliance knowledge.
• Claims systems and data analytics.

Behavioral Competencies

• Leadership and people management.
• Decision-making and problem-solving.
• Negotiation and conflict resolution.
• Customer service orientation.
• Communication and interpersonal skills.
• Attention to detail and analytical thinking.

Authority Levels

• Approve motor claims within delegated authority limits.
• Authorize settlements, recoveries, and claim reserves as per company policy.
• Escalate significant or exceptional claims to senior management when required.