Claims Team Leader (Total Loss)

Tesco • Newcastle, NE

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

At Tesco Insurance, the Claims team supports customers through difficult times by handling claims with empathy and expertise. The team is focused on delivering excellent customer outcomes and is committed to continuous learning and improvement. This role is an opportunity to lead and manage a team of Total Loss Claims Handlers, ensuring the proactive, accurate, and cost-effective management of claims. The position involves delivering fair customer outcomes, maximizing salvage returns, and ensuring an excellent customer experience. The role is a 12-month secondment or fixed-term contract.

Requirements

• Experience creating a high-performing team environment, with the ability to drive engagement, build capability and support succession planning.
• Ability to lead and manage a team to ensure claims are handled accurately, efficiently and in line with policy, regulatory requirements and internal processes, while meeting business objectives.
• Experience within the Claims and Insurance industry, ideally with exposure to motor claims and Total Loss handling. Experienced people leaders within Financial Services will also be considered.
• Strong understanding of insurance principles, including indemnity and vehicle valuation methodologies within a Total Loss environment.
• Knowledge of motor claims, including vehicle damage, liability considerations, and familiarity with Total Loss settlement and salvage processes.
• Experience collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders, including underwriting, product, engineering, and fraud teams.
• Strong coaching and development capability, with a focus on building technical expertise and consistency across your team.
• Excellent communication skills (verbal, written and presentation).
• Strong influencing and negotiation skills, with the ability to make sound, evidence-based decisions.
• A results-focused mindset, with resilience and the ability to perform well under pressure.
• Good system skills, including experience working across multiple platforms and using MS Excel, Word and PowerPoint.

Nice To Haves

• Previous experience working in a regulated environment, with an understanding of governance and compliance requirements, particularly FCA guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Leading and managing the team to ensure all Total Loss claims are handled in the correct technical manner, in line with policy cover, valuation principles, legal liability, salvage processes, and departmental, fraud, ABI and FCA guidelines, while maintaining workflow to meet business objectives.
• Managing, developing and motivating your team to ensure both individual and business needs are met, including recruitment, performance management, regular 1:1s, coaching and development, as well as handling grievance and disciplinary matters.
• Maintaining your own and your teams’ technical knowledge across Total Loss processes, including vehicle valuations, settlement negotiation, and salvage, to ensure fair and consistent outcomes for customers and Tesco Insurance.
• Providing day-to-day support and guidance to team members to ensure compliance with company standards, procedures, and systems.
• Conducting regular quality audits and providing structured feedback, taking corrective action where required.
• Managing escalated customer queries or complaints proactively, identifying and agreeing fair resolutions that balance customer needs and business outcomes.
• Producing accurate and timely MI and reports in line with organisational requirements.
• Identifying trends, risks and opportunities for continuous improvement, particularly in areas such as valuations, settlement times, and customer experience, and working with stakeholders to implement improvements.
• Working closely with internal and external stakeholders (e.g. salvage agents, engineers, underwriting, fraud and intelligence teams) to deliver the best outcomes for customers and the business.
• Complying with PRA and Data Protection Act protocols and rules.

Benefits

• Colleague pension scheme
• Virtual GP Service for you and your family 365 days a year
• Performance related annual bonus
• Generous holiday allowance with a minimum of 7.2 weeks, with the opportunity to buy more
• Colleague Clubcard with a 10% discount that increases to 15% every payday, plus a second card to share
• Enhanced maternity leave pay
• Shared parental leave policy
• Generous 8-week paid paternity leave
• Ongoing learning opportunities and award-winning training
• Buy as you Earn and Save as you Earn share schemes

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed