Head Underwriting & Claims

Location: Beijing, BJ, CN

Are you an inspirational leader with deep expertise in Life & Health underwriting and claims? We're seeking a strategic professional to lead our underwriting and claims functions in China, supporting the business today ensuring excellence in risk selection and claims management and partner with global teams to deliver Swiss Re’s Underwriting and Claims value proposition in a rapidly evolving market shaped by regulation, technology, and AI.

About the Role

As the Underwriting & Claims Head for L&H China, you will provide strategic leadership and technical expertise to ensure Swiss Re delivers exceptional underwriting and claims services to our clients. This role combines technical excellence, people leadership, and strategic vision to drive sustainable growth and maintain Swiss Re's market-leading position.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & Function Governance

• Play a critical role in shaping how underwriting and claims capabilities evolve in China, including the adoption of data, automation, and AI enabled solutions, while ensuring local client needs, regulatory requirements, and market realities are fully reflected.
• Develop and execute a holistic underwriting & claims strategy for China’s L&H reinsurance market, aligned with Swiss Re’s global risk appetite, business objectives, and local regulatory requirements.
• Translate global Underwriting & Claims strategies, tools, and transformation initiatives into effective local applications.
• Leverage global assets and drive market training and thought leadership initiatives to enhance client engagement, industry knowledge, and Swiss Re's market position as a technical authority.
• Monitor market trends (e.g., medical cost inflation, demographic shifts, regulatory reforms) and emerging risks to adapt underwriting and claims strategies proactively.

2. Underwriting Excellence & Risk Management

• Maintain direct oversight and approval authority for complex or high value underwriting applications and ensure underwriting policies, guidelines, and risk standards are embedded in daily decision making.
• Champion data, automation, and AI supported underwriting tools while retaining accountability for outcomes.
• Partner closely with Pricing to combine underwriting judgement with model driven analytics.
• Execute internal audit plan to ensure technical excellence and adopt client audit framework and oversight to ensure new risks are underwritten in line with Swiss Re risk appetite.

3. Claims Operations & Client Service

• Lead the Life and Health Claims team in China with accountability for assessment, reserving, settlement, and client dispute resolution.
• Implement process improvements to reduce claims cycle times, enhance claims accuracy, and minimize leakage, leveraging technology to drive operational efficiency.
• Act as the primary technical contact for clients on complex claims matters, providing transparent communication and expert guidance to maintain strong client relationships.
• Conduct regular internal and client claims reviews and audits to ensure compliance with reinsurance contracts, regulatory requirements, and Swiss Re’s internal controls.

4. Team Leadership & Capability Building

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of L&H underwriting and claims specialists in China, setting clear performance objectives, providing technical coaching, and fostering a culture of performance and excellence.
• Build and scale the team’s technical capabilities in emerging L&H areas and China-specific risk scenarios.
• Establish succession plans for key technical roles, ensuring the team has the depth of expertise to support long-term business growth in China.

5. Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Management

• Partner closely with the Client Markets team to provide technical support for client pitches, transaction structuring, and post-bind client service, ensuring underwriting and claims capabilities are leveraged to win and retain business.
• Collaborate across functions including Client Markets, Products, Underwriting & Claims automation teams, and operations to ensure alignment and support business growth
• Engage with Swiss Re’s Global L&H underwriting and claims teams to adopt best practices and the global value proposition, share market insights, and ensure consistency in technical standards across China.
• Represent Swiss Re at industry forums, client meetings, and regulatory consultations, positioning the company as a thought leader in L&H underwriting and claims management in China.

6. Regulatory Compliance & Market Engagement

• Ensure all underwriting and claims activities comply with China’s insurance regulatory framework, including reporting requirements, capital adequacy rules, and consumer protection guidelines.
• Liaise with local regulatory bodies and industry associations to stay abreast of policy changes and advocate for favorable regulatory conditions for L&H reinsurance in China.
• Drive change management initiatives to implement regulatory updates and internal process transformations across the underwriting and claims functions.

About the Team

The L&H Underwriting & Claims Team is a core technical function within Swiss Re’s China business, responsible for assessing, pricing, and managing L&H reinsurance risks, and resolving claims for clients across the Chinese market. The team works closely with Client Markets, Pricing, and Transaction teams to deliver end-to-end reinsurance solutions, combining deep technical expertise with a client-centric approach. Operating in a dynamic regulatory and market environment, the team is focused on driving innovation through data analytics and technology, while upholding the highest standards of risk discipline and client service.

About You

You are a passionate leader who remains close to work. You combine credibility in underwriting and/or claims decision making with the ability to lead people, influence stakeholders, and shape future capabilities. You are comfortable operating between local market needs and global strategy and actively embrace technology and AI as enablers of better outcomes and consistently deliver results that exceed expectations.

Required Qualifications & Experience

1. Technical Expertise

• Minimum of 10+ years of progressive experience in L&H insurance/reinsurance underwriting and/or claims, with at least 5 years of leadership experience in the APAC region (China market experience is mandatory).
• Deep technical knowledge of medical underwriting principles, L&H product structures, claims assessment methodologies, and risk modeling specific to the Chinese market.
• Expertise in underwriting and claims for complex L&H reinsurance transactions and familiarity with global L&H underwriting standards and practices.

2. Leadership & Team Management

• Proven track record of leading, developing, and scaling high-performing underwriting/claims teams in a multinational insurance/reinsurance environment, with experience building technical capability and fostering a culture of accountability.
• Strong strategic thinking skills, with the ability to translate business objectives into actionable underwriting and claims strategies for the Chinese L&H market.

3. Market & Regulatory Knowledge

• Comprehensive understanding of China’s L&H insurance/reinsurance regulatory framework, including underwriting, claims, and capital adequacy regulations, and experience ensuring compliance with local laws.
• Insight into China’s L&H market dynamics, including client needs, competitor practices, medical cost trends, and emerging risk factors.

4. Stakeholder & Client Engagement

• Excellent relationship management skills, with experience engaging C-suite clients and internal stakeholders (Client Markets, Pricing) to align underwriting/claims objectives with business growth.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders in both English and Mandarin.

5. Operational & Process Improvement

• Demonstrated success in driving process optimization and innovation in underwriting/claims operations, including the adoption of data analytics and technology to enhance efficiency and accuracy.

Additional Qualifications & Relevant Experience

• Professional certifications in insurance/underwriting or actuarial science (e.g., SOA, FIA, CAS).
• Expertise in innovative underwriting/claims technologies and their application in the Chinese L&H market.
• Experience with cross-border L&H reinsurance transactions in the APAC region and knowledge of international claims handling standards.
• Background in change management and leading digital transformation initiatives within underwriting or claims functions.
• Fluency in both English and Mandarin (written and spoken), with the ability to conduct technical negotiations and present to global and local stakeholders.

Work Model

This role follows a hybrid work model, requiring attendance at the Swiss Re China office a minimum of three days per week to collaborate with the underwriting/claims team, clients, and cross-functional partners, with flexibility for remote work as needed for technical reviews and client engagements.