Season 15 Episode 16

Amun Maharaj on why good insurance underwriting matters

09 November 2026 · 14:01 min

Insurance underwriting determines whether the protection you buy today will actually deliver when illness, disability, or death creates a financial shock.

Amun Maharaj, Divisional Executive of Onboarding at Liberty, explains why sound underwriting is fundamental to sustainable insurance and… greater financial resilience in South Africa.

Maharaj discusses how insurers assess and price risk, why faster and simpler insurance should not come at the expense of appropriate protection, and how comprehensive underwriting can create greater certainty at claim stage. He also explains how responsible underwriting can help close South Africa’s insurance protection gap by considering individual health, lifestyle, and financial circumstances rather than relying on simple accept-or-decline decisions.

The conversation also explores the role of technology, data analytics, and digital processes in making underwriting more efficient while preserving sound judgement, transparency, and long-term sustainability.

0:00 Intro
1:24 Why underwriting matters to the economy
3:23 Convenience versus proper risk assessment
4:31 What happens when insurers get risk wrong
5:53 How full underwriting builds trust
8:21 Closing South Africa’s protection gap
10:17 Technology and the future of underwriting

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#Insurance #Underwriting #FinancialPlanning Show more