Group Health Underwriting

Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Co. Ltd.; Chennai District; On-site; INR 2,800,000 - 4,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Co. Ltd. in Chennai seeks a Group Health Underwriter (Team Lead) to provide strategic leadership to the underwriting team, oversee large corporate proposals, and ensure disciplined risk management while balancing profitability and growth.

The role requires extensive technical underwriting expertise, ability to mentor staff, collaborate with Sales, Actuarial, Claims and Compliance, and drive process improvements to achieve zero-error processing and faster TAT.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of core underwriting experience in Group Health & Corporate Wellness portfolios.
• 3–5 years in a senior/supervisory role.
• Deep knowledge of corporate group health insurance products, policy structuring, and risk pricing.
• Strong regulatory knowledge and compliance familiarity.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate high-value group corporate proposals with deep-dive analyses on claims history, demographics, coverage terms and risk factors.
• Deliver accurate, compliant pricing decisions within delegated authority limits and build robust risk rationales for higher-level sign-offs.
• Own portfolio profitability and top-line growth for Group Health and Group Personal Accident portfolios.
• Serve as the primary technical escalation point for complex risks, policy interpretations and underwriting anomalies.
• Mentor and coach a team of group underwriters, with regular skill assessments and performance goals.
• Oversee daily workflow allocation to ensure balanced workload and consistent target achievement.
• Design and execute training programs to build technical capabilities and keep the team updated on market trends.
• Collaborate with Sales, Actuarial, Claims, IT, and Compliance to streamline acquisition and retention.
• Engage with external brokers and clients to negotiate terms and maintain satisfaction.
• Establish quality control mechanisms and conduct audits to ensure zero-error processing and audit readiness.
• Identify process gaps and drive automation initiatives with IT for end-to-end TAT improvements.
• Review and update underwriting guidelines to align with market dynamics and regulatory frameworks.

Skills

Analytical Thinking

Leadership

Regulatory Knowledge

Negotiation

Cross-functional Collaboration

Education

Degree in Medicals

PG in Business/Finance/Statistics/Healthcare Management

Job description

The Group Health Underwriter (Team Lead) provides strategic leadership and tactical oversight to the group health underwriting team. This role balances portfolio profitability and corporate growth with disciplined risk management. Person will oversee the evaluation of large-scale group corporate proposals, manage operational turnaround times (TAT), ensure strict compliance with internal and external regulatory standards, and mentor a team of underwriters to achieve excellence.

Requirements

• Education: Degree in Medicals, PG in Business, Finance, Statistics, Healthcare Management, or a related field.
• Experience: 10+ years of core underwriting experience in Group Health & Corporate Wellness portfolios, with at least 3-5 years in a senior, supervisory, or team lead capacity.
• Core Expertise: Deep knowledge of corporate group health insurance products, policy structuring, and risk pricing.
• Analytical Thinking: Exceptional data interpretation, numerical reasoning, and financial analysis skills to accurately assess loss ratios and claims trends.
• Leadership & Collaboration: Proven ability to manage a team, handle cross-functional dynamics, and navigate high-stakes negotiations with external brokers and clients.
• Regulatory Knowledge: Strong familiarity with insurance regulations, compliance policies, and statutory requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Evaluate high-value group corporate proposals by conducting deep-dive analyses on claims history, demographics, coverage terms, and risk factors.
• Deliver accurate, compliant pricing decisions within delegated authority limits and build robust risk rationales for cases requiring higher-level sign-offs.
• Own portfolio profitability and top-line growth for Group Health and Group Personal Accident (PA) insurance portfolios.
• Serve as the primary technical escalation point for complex risks, policy interpretations, and underwriting anomalies.
• Manage, mentor, and coach a team of group underwriters, conducting regular skill assessments and driving performance goals.
• Oversee daily workflow allocation to ensure a balanced workload and consistent achievement of operational targets.
• Design and execute training programs to build technical capabilities, keeping the team updated on market trends and technical benchmarks.
• Collaborate closely with internal teams including Sales, Actuarial, Claims, IT, and Compliance to streamline business acquisition and retention.
• Engage with external channel partners, corporate clients, and brokers to negotiate terms, manage expectations, and maintain client satisfaction.
• Establish robust quality control mechanisms and conduct regular audits to ensure zero-error processing and constant audit readiness.
• Identify process gaps and drive automation initiatives, collaborating with IT to implement system enhancements that improve end-to-end TAT.
• Review and update underwriting guidelines periodically to align with changing market dynamics and regulatory frameworks.