Insurance Jobs

Indeed advises that there are nine main types of insurance jobs, that apply across life and non-life insurance provision. See the duties involved in each role, and the average salary to be expected, bulleted below:

• an insurance claims investigator researches suspicious claims, so as to reduce the risk of insurance fraud (R349 998 per annum);
• an insurance claims adjuster works to decide how much an insurance company should pay for a claim (R330 000 per annum);
• an insurance loss control consultant works with businesses to create preventative strategies for reducing the risk of loss or damage (R220 000 per annum);
• an insurance broker works with insurance buyers directly, as to be able to represent them in purchasing an insurance policy (R225 024 per annum);
• an insurance agent works with insurance agencies to sell insurance policies to individuals or businesses (R192 000 per annum);
• an auto appraiser is responsible for examining vehicles damaged in accidents (R398 310);
• an insurance risk analyst evaluates the risk of client claims, often travelling to potential clients' work environments to assess their operational safety (R519 824);
• an actuary works to assess the costs of uncertain events that may happen in the future, developing premiums that allow insurance companies to issue payouts while still earning a profit and covering their overheads (R1 500 006);
• an insurance underwriter determines the level of risk a homeowner, individual, or company presents, to evaluate whether the specific insurance company he/she works for can insure them (R300 000 per annum).

Please note: the above salaries are averages for each job title, but considerably more can be earned per annum in most of these positions as the individual’s experience and skill level increases.

In South Africa, the top-earning insurance jobs generally includes executive positions, such as that of a CEO, at major listed insurance companies; or specialised roles such as that of an actuary, who has wide-reaching experience. 

An article on BusinessTech shares the top ranked insurers in South Africa, across car, life, and household cover. These are:

• Auto&General for car insurance, with Absa and Dialdirect Insurance in the second and third spots respectively;
• 1st for Women for household insurance, with Momentum and Budget Insurance ranking second and third;
• Assupol for life insurance, with OUTsurance and 1st for Women assuming the second and third positions.

The table below provides an excellent guide to the top-ranked insurance companies to work for locally, with reasons why they keep their staff members and teams so happy , engaged, and productive:

Company	Reason
Sanlam	Awarded the Top Employers Certification for the ninth consecutive year, by emphasising progressive people practices and believing in doing well by doing good.
Santam	Recognised for its excellence in people practices, over nine consecutive years.
OUTsurance	Certified by the Top Employers Institute for its commitment to creating meaningful employment opportunities.
Old Mutual	Focuses on enabling people to be their exceptional best, and to provide a holistic experience to realise inherent potential.
Discovery	Focuses on making people healthier and protecting their lives, with a strong emphasis on exceptional people and continuous learning.
AIG	Recognised by Fair360 for its fairness in talent strategies, diversity practices, and philanthropic engagement.
Hollard	Strives for excellence, and believes in building strong relationships with employees.

p>FANews reports on the way in which job seekers, brokerage owners, and insurers can tweak their CVs and offerings to stay ahead of the crowd.

One important way is receiving the training to be able to understand process administration and risk assessment, as these become increasingly automated. Being able to get your team up and running on remote tasking systems, such as Asana or Slack, is another area worth mentioning. Further, can you: 1) retain your clients in a shifting landscape, 2) adapt as digital-first and behaviour-based models push other product types aside, and 3) utilise your tech insight to rapidly grasp what a product developer has implemented – and why?

If so, you’re all set up to grab more than your market share in Africa’s burgeoning insurance industry.

For those looking to swell their network of colleagues and boost their industry knowledge, consider attending one or more of the following insurance-focused conferences:

• InsureTalk 2025, presented virtually on 24 April, 22 May, 19 June, and 17 July 2025;
• International Association of Insurance Supervisors Annual Conference, from 8 to 10 July, also presented virtually;
• Insurance Crime Bureau Annual Conference, from 11 to 12 June at the Houghton Hotel, Johannesburg;
• African Insurance Exchange, from 27 to 30 July at Sun City.

According to BusinessTech, the industry CEOs with the largest annual pay packages are:

• Ian Williamson of Old Mutual, at R32.32 million per annum;
• Adrian Gore of Discovery, at R28.31 million per annum;
• Jeanette Marais of Momentum, at R22.56 million per annum;
• Basil Reekie of Clientele, at R15.25 million per annum;
• Paul Hanratty of Sanlam, at R6.13 million per annum.

Ritter Insurance Marketing suggests that having a few of the following tomes on your bedstand should keep you thriving professionally:

• Atomic Habits (2018), by James Clear;
• Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (2007), by Robert B Cialdini;
• How to Win Friends and Influence People (1936), by Dale Carnegie;
• The Wedge: How to Stop Selling and Start Winning (1998), by Randy Schwartz.