Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

NICO Insurance Zambia Limited, a general insurance company, has been operating in Zambia since 1st October 1997, and has branches in Lusaka, Kitwe, Ndola, Livingstone and Chipata. NICO Insurance Zambia Limited is a member of NICO Group of Companies operating in Malawi. The Company is now seeking to identify a qualified individual to be engaged as Claims Officer at our Head Office.

Reporting to the Claims Manager, the Claims Officer shall be responsible for processing and managing claims, controlling claims costs, maintaining excellent customer service, and ensuring compliance with company claims procedures and service standards.

Responsibilities or duties

• Register, process and manage claims in line with claims department procedures after receipt of notifications, including setting initial accurate reserves and maintaining proper claim records.
• Maintain discipline on diarisation, reminders, deadlines and action records, while managing own backlog and submitting updates for review.
• Verify the circumstances of losses, ensure damages tally with the reported loss, validate claims and support fraud detection.
• Carry out inspections or assessments of motor and non-motor claims promptly and determine when loss adjusters, assessors or other service providers should be appointed.
• Liaise with repairers and parts suppliers to ensure repair costs and turnaround times are in line with agreed contracts and to reduce claims leakage.
• Secure salvages, prepare recovery documents and provide files for recoveries to the relevant departments, including subrogation and reinsurance.
• Acknowledge claim notifications on time, update customers regularly on claim status, resolve complaints and escalate matters beyond approved limits where necessary.
• Prepare claims files, payment documents and management reports while ensuring compliance with claims directives, SLAs, underwriting terms and company operational requirements.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

• First Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Insurance or equivalent
• Diploma (ACII) qualification.
• Member of the Insurance Institute of Zambia and/or relevant professional insurance body

Skills/Competencies

• Ability to plan his/her work on a daily or weekly basis and achieve basic targets.
• Ability to identify immediate mistakes and solve them.
• Clear verbal and written communication in line with the job requirements.
• Ability to follow instructions accurately.
• Basic ability to analyze operating problems relevant to the job.

Experience needed

• 2 years’ experience in claims handling or a similar/related insurance environment.

• Register, process and manage claims in line with claims department procedures after receipt of notifications, including setting initial accurate reserves and maintaining proper claim records.
• Maintain discipline on diarisation, reminders, deadlines and action records, while managing own backlog and submitting updates for review.
• Verify the circumstances of losses, ensure damages tally with the reported loss, validate claims and support fraud detection.
• Carry out inspections or assessments of motor and non-motor claims promptly and determine when loss adjusters, assessors or other service providers should be appointed.
• Liaise with repairers and parts suppliers to ensure repair costs and turnaround times are in line with agreed contracts and to reduce claims leakage.
• Secure salvages, prepare recovery documents and provide files for recoveries to the relevant departments, including subrogation and reinsurance.
• Acknowledge claim notifications on time, update customers regularly on claim status, resolve complaints and escalate matters beyond approved limits where necessary.
• Prepare claims files, payment documents and management reports while ensuring compliance with claims directives, SLAs, underwriting terms and company operational requirements.

• Ability to plan his/her work on a daily or weekly basis and achieve basic targets.
• Ability to identify immediate mistakes and solve them.
• Clear verbal and written communication in line with the job requirements.
• Ability to follow instructions accurately.
• Basic ability to analyze operating problems relevant to the job.

• First Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Insurance or equivalent
• Diploma (ACII) qualification.
• Member of the Insurance Institute of Zambia and/or relevant professional insurance body