Principal Underwriter

Zurich Insurance Group; North Sydney Council; Hybrid; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

5 weeks annual leave

Hybrid working arrangement

Wellbeing payment AUD$500 yearly

New starter e-voucher AUD$295

Career development programs

Job summary

Zurich Insurance Group in Australia is seeking a Principal Underwriter for Life Underwriting Retail to deliver thoughtful and sustainable underwriting outcomes for customers and partners. You will advise advisers and internal teams while modelling strong customer care and technical judgement.

You will assess new business and changes to Life Risks, mentor colleagues, and help strengthen capability within the team. This hybrid role emphasizes collaboration, compliance, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Seven years’ experience in an individual life underwriting role.
• Advanced medical and financial assessment capability.
• Subject matter expert in at least one life underwriting area.
• ANZIIF Certificate IV in Life Insurance or ALUCA CPLI accreditation.

Responsibilities

• Assess Life, TPD, Trauma and Income Protection applications across medical, financial and occupational risks.
• Make timely, high-quality decisions in line with Zurich’s underwriting philosophy and frameworks.
• Provide technical underwriting support and guidance to customers, advisers, distribution partners and internal teams.
• Complete case checking and countersigning while coaching underwriting colleagues.
• Build trusted relationships with stakeholders, reinsurers and adviser panel.
• Contribute to guideline and process improvements and represent the Retail Underwriting Team.

Skills

Customer first mindset

Strong stakeholder engagement

Clear written and verbal communication

Education

ANZIIF Certificate IV in Life Insurance or ALUCA CPLI accreditation

Job description

A new transformational adventure awaits you…

How does 5 weeks of annual leave, a fulfilling career you’ll genuinely enjoy, and working for a reputable organization that promotes wellbeing and drives digital transformation sound to you?

As one of Forbes 2024 ‘World’s Best Employers’ and Fortune’s ‘World’s Most Admired Companies’ for 2025, Zurich - a leader in the insurance industry, is on a journey towards a brighter future… A brighter future for you - focused on your career, your wellbeing, and your community - as well as our customers and the planet.

Join us on this thrilling journey as we work towards our vision of becoming Australia's leading digital insurer. If you're eager to be part of a values-driven global organisation that's experiencing real growth and transformation, and if you share our commitment to making a tangible difference and taking continuous steps towards a sustainable future for our people, customers, communities, and our planet, then keep reading!

Let’s create a brighter future together, let’s make a difference

It’s important to know, what you do matters. At Zurich, we don’t just cover, we care.

As a Principal Underwriter in our Life Underwriting Retail Team, you’ll play an important role in delivering thoughtful, sustainable underwriting outcomes for our customers and partners. Reporting to the Chapter Lead – Underwriting, you’ll combine strong technical judgement with a genuine focus on customer care.

You’ll assess new business and changes to Zurich Life Risk policies while providing trusted guidance to advisers, customers and stakeholders. You’ll also help strengthen capability across the team through coaching, technical support and continuous improvement.

Important to your success – let’s grow together

You are someone who brings a strong customer-first mindset, with the ability to balance empathy and sound judgement. You enjoy working collaboratively, are open to learning, and take pride in making a genuine difference in the moments that matter.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Assess individual Life, TPD, Trauma and Income Protection applications across medical, financial and occupational risks.
• Make timely, high-quality decisions in line with Zurich’s underwriting philosophy and relevant frameworks
• Provide technical underwriting support and guidance to customers, advisers, distribution partners and internal teams.
• Complete case checking and countersigning while coaching and mentoring underwriting colleagues.
• Build trusted relationships with stakeholders, reinsurers and an aligned adviser panel.
• Contribute to guideline and process improvements and represent the Retail Underwriting Team internally and externally.

To be successful, you will have the following:

• At least seven years’ experience in an individual life underwriting role.
• Established high-level underwriting authorities and advanced medical and financial assessment capability.
• Strong knowledge of life insurance products, industry practices, relevant legislation and regulation.
• Subject matter expertise in at least one life underwriting-related area.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, time management and stakeholder engagement skills.
• ANZIIF Certificate IV in Life Insurance or equivalent and ALUCA CPLI accreditation.

Belong. Zurich is here to support you

There are so many reasons why Zurich is a great place to be and the right choice for you, but here are just a few.

• Enjoy 5 weeks of annual leave for permanent staff through our Z leave initiative, along with 15 days of personal/carer’s leave as we empower our people to manage their own wellbeing. Plus, access to Family Care (parental leave).
• Benefit from a hybrid working arrangement – 3 days in the office and 2 days working from home per week for full-time employees.
• Access programs to stay healthy and feel healthier, receive an AUD$500 wellbeing payment per year, and a AUD$295 new starter e-voucher for your work-from-home setup (flex work - hybrid working), along with other great benefits through our Shine portal.
• Grow and thrive in your career with our award-winning training programs. We support and encourage your development because our strength lies in our people, and we value your individuality.
• Work with global, diverse, and inclusive teams; explore your passions, fuel innovation, drive equity, collaborate, and make a positive difference beyond your role.
• Take advantage of global mobility opportunities across more than 200 countries worldwide.
• Volunteer and work in our state-of-the-art Green Star rated offices (when you are in the office) and dress for your day.
• We plant a tree for every new employee.
• Not to mention our various employer of choice awards/memberships – WGEA; Family Inclusive Workplace; Gold AWEI Employer, Pride in Diversity… to name a few.

We could go on, but the main point is that Zurich is a great place to be, where you can truly belong, be yourself, maintain work/life balance, and thrive in a supportive environment.

Zurich is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to ensuring that our recruitment process is fair and accessible for all candidates. If you require any special accommodations to participate in our recruitment process, we encourage you to please let us know at the time of your application.