Remote AI-Driven Insurance Claims Legal Lead

iOCO; Gauteng; Remote; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

iOCO in Johannesburg, South Africa, is seeking an experienced Senior Legal Counsel to lead investigations and manage high-value life and funeral claims. The role focuses on policy interpretation, repudiations and handling Ombudsman matters, with opportunities to leverage AI and automation to improve outcomes.

You will mentor a small team, drive client relations, and contribute to pitches and proposals while travelling to client and XTND head offices as required.

Qualifications

• LLB or recognised legal qualification.
• 5–8 years in insurance law, funeral or life claims, policy interpretation or repudiations.
• Strong legal writing skills with complaints or Ombudsman experience.
• Experience leading specialist staff and supporting complex investigations.
• Commercially confident with client-facing work and willingness to market services and secure work.

Responsibilities

• Draft legally sound funeral-claim repudiation reports with clear recommendations to insurers.
• Complete legal reports within strict client service levels.
• Handle complaints, insurer escalations and Ombudsman matters.
• Train and guide investigators on policy wording, exclusions and evidence requirements.
• Lead one Junior Legal Counsel and two Senior Underwritten Life Investigators.
• Support complex, high-value underwritten life investigations.
• Manage team workload, productivity, quality, turnaround times and investigator expenses.
• Build client relationships, market XTND’s CASHUB services, win new clients and grow work from existing clients.
• Contribute to pitches, proposals, quotations and presentations.
• Build, develop, test, implement and use AI and automation to improve quality, capacity and turnaround times with human review.

Skills

Insurance law

Legal drafting

Team leadership

Business development

AI / automation interest

Policy interpretation

Education

LLB or recognised legal qualification

Job description

iOCO in Johannesburg, South Africa, is seeking an experienced Senior Legal Counsel to lead investigations and manage high-value life and funeral claims. The role focuses on policy interpretation, repudiations and handling Ombudsman matters, with opportunities to leverage AI and automation to improve outcomes.

You will mentor a small team, drive client relations, and contribute to pitches and proposals while travelling to client and XTND head offices as required.