Sasria SOC Ltd and the Insurance Institute of South Africa (IISA) have launched two development initiatives designed to grow skills, work experience and participation in South Africa’s short-term insurance market.
The programmes focus on two areas with a clear need for new talent: insurance brokerage and loss adjusting. Together, they are intended to support 54 learners through recognised NQF Level 5 qualifications alongside practical exposure at participating businesses.
Source attribution: This article is based on the Sasria SOC Ltd publication, Sasria and IISA Launch Skills Development Programmes to Drive Transformation Within the Short-Term Insurance Sector, issued in November 2025.
Two routes into insurance careers
The NextGen Insurance Specialist Programme is aimed at 24 emerging entrepreneurs. Over 12 months, participants are expected to complete an accredited insurance qualification and gain workplace experience within brokerages. The stated objective is to help develop new broker talent while improving access to insurance distribution in communities that may have been underserved.
The Loss Adjustor Programme is structured for 30 learners with differing starting points:
- People who are unemployed and have no previous insurance experience;
- People with insurance exposure who are currently unemployed; and
- Employees at smaller firms who have not yet obtained formal industry qualifications.
Participants are expected to obtain NQF Level 5 accreditation and gain experience at loss-adjusting firms in Johannesburg. Loss adjusters play an important role after an insured event, investigating circumstances, assessing damage and helping insurers establish the value of a valid claim.
Why practical experience matters
Formal learning can introduce insurance principles, policy structures, regulation and technical terminology. However, workplace learning helps participants understand how these concepts are used in day-to-day client service, claims handling and risk assessment.
For a broker, this may include understanding client needs, explaining cover and working with insurers. For a loss adjuster, practical exposure may involve site inspections, evidence gathering, report preparation and communication with policyholders, insurers and service providers.
Combining a qualification with supervised practical experience may make entry-level candidates more job-ready than a classroom-only approach. It can also give employers a clearer view of learners’ technical ability, communication skills and professionalism.
Transformation and skills capacity are connected
The initiative frames transformation as more than recruitment targets. Building an inclusive insurance sector also depends on creating credible routes into professional roles, supporting entrepreneurs and helping learners acquire skills that employers recognise.
The programmes involve Sasria, IISA, the Financial Intermediaries Association, the Institute of Loss Adjusters, brokerages and loss-adjusting firms. This multi-party approach is significant because training can have greater long-term value when there is a realistic connection between education, workplace placement and potential employment.
What success could look like
The impact of the programmes will depend on learner completion, the quality of workplace placements, accreditation outcomes and whether participants move into sustainable jobs or businesses. Expansion may be more meaningful if participating firms can demonstrate that learners are progressing into roles with genuine responsibility and career prospects.
For consumers, a stronger and more representative talent base could support better access to advice and service over time. For the industry, developing new brokers and loss adjusters may help address capability constraints while bringing fresh perspectives into a changing market.
A note for insurance consumers
Training initiatives do not change the terms of an existing policy or guarantee a particular claims outcome. Consumers should still read their policy wording, understand applicable exclusions and excesses, keep relevant records, and ask their broker or insurer for clarification where needed.
This information is general in nature and is not insurance, financial or legal advice.