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Hastings Direct

Underwrites car, home, and vehicle insurance

Head of Technical Pricing

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/2/2026Deadline 10/16/26
No salary listed
Expert
Leicester, UK+1 moreMore locations: Bexhill, Bexhill-on-Sea, UK
HybridFlexible hybrid working; required office attendance should be confirmed with the recruiter.

About the job

Requirements
  • Proven senior leadership experience in technical pricing, predictive modelling, actuarial science, data science, or a closely related discipline, ideally within general insurance or another complex, highly regulated sector.
  • Extensive commercial experience developing and applying predictive models, with a strong command of probability, statistics, and numerical analysis.
  • Strong knowledge of actuarial practice, including calibrating models to ultimate claims experience.
  • Experience leading managers and specialist teams, with a track record of building capability, setting direction, and delivering through others.
  • Experience overseeing work delivered using Python and an informed appreciation of emerging generative artificial intelligence techniques.
  • A pragmatic, outcome-focused approach with the judgment to balance innovation, pace, governance, and model risk.
Responsibilities
  • Set the vision, strategy, and roadmap for Technical Pricing in alignment with underwriting and growth ambitions.
  • Attract, develop, motivate, and retain a high-performing team of Data Scientists and Actuaries, including leaders of teams.
  • Lead the design and delivery of robust models for live pricing, profitability assessment, and the supporting technical pricing ecosystem.
  • Partner across Underwriting and the wider business to improve risk prediction, reduce cross-subsidisation, and support fair customer outcomes.
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with Claims and Account Management so operational change, emerging experience, and portfolio insight are reflected in forward-looking models.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience in general insurance or another complex, highly regulated sector.

About the company

Hastings Direct provides general insurance in the UK, mainly car insurance, and also offers policies for vans, bikes, and homes. It sells directly to customers and through multiple channels, including price comparison websites and its own site (hastingsdirect.com) as well as a contact centre, to reach a wide audience. The productworks by underwriting policies and pricing risk using data analytics, while handling claims and offering ancillary products to generate revenue. The company differentiates itself with a direct-to-consumer, multi-channel distribution approach that blends online, comparison sites, and support channels, alongside data-driven pricing and underwriting. Its goal is to grow its share of the UK general insurance market by efficiently pricing risk, effectively managing claims, and maintaining a competitive expense ratio.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Bexhill-on-Sea, United Kingdom

Founded

1997

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Brake named Hastings Direct Strategic Partner on 30 September 2026, reinforcing road-safety credibility.
  • LinkedIn postings in September 2026 show active hiring for cloud, data, and pricing roles.
  • 2025 results showed 13% GWP growth and £271.1 million pre-tax profit, sustaining investment.

What critics are saying

  • The Guardian reported an eight-month home claim failure in August 2026, damaging trust.
  • Customer service failures and contractor mismanagement create expensive complaints, compensation, and referral losses.
  • If digital claims execution keeps failing, Hastings Direct's cost advantage and brand collapse.

What makes Hastings Direct unique

  • Cloud migration and Snowflake centralization power rapid pricing decisions across thousands of data points.
  • Hastings Direct serves four million customers with direct digital, PCW, and contact-centre distribution.
  • Motor underwriting expertise and fraud detection support £2.074 billion 2025 gross written premiums.

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Benefits

Hybrid Work Options

Flexible Work Hours

Performance Bonus

401(k) Company Match

Paid Vacation

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

↑ 0%

1 year growth

↑ 0%

2 year growth

↑ 7%
Transport Monthly
Sep 29th, 2026
Brake renews partnership with Hastings Direct as insurance provider commits to funding and awareness drive.

Brake renews partnership with Hastings Direct as insurance provider commits to funding and awareness drive. Brake, the road safety charity, is pleased to announce it is partnering with Hastings Direct for a second year. This year, the insurance provider is stepping up its support, becoming a Strategic Partner of the charity. This is the highest tier of partnership with Brake, reflecting significant funding for the coming year and a commitment to working towards a shared vision of a world with zero road death and injury. Hastings Direct is a co-sponsor of Road Safety Week, Brake's biggest annual campaign, running from 15 to 21 November 2026. This follows the success of Hastings Direct's co-sponsorship of the event last year. Thanks to that sponsorship, more than 3,600 educators, employers, emergency services personnel and others were able to take part in Road Safety Week 2025, using Brake's free resources, and reaching more than 10.5 million people with important road safety messages. In addition, Hastings Direct has engaged staff across the business in a raft of activity to spread awareness and raise money over the last year. In July, the company hosted a series of road safety events at its Bexhill and Leicester offices. Managers and employees came together to learn about how teams work to support safer driving behaviours, with simulated driving activities, interactive games, giveaways and prizes to fundraise for Brake. Earlier this year, members of Hastings Direct staff took part in Brake's 5k a Day in May challenge, taking inspiration from peers who completed Cycle to Work Week last year, with both events raising money for Brake. Other activities have included bake sales, with staff adding the proceeds to the fundraising total. Generous funding from Hastings Direct enables Brake to continue to provide free, specialist, life-changing support to grieving families after a crash, and to campaign for solutions that prevent road death and injury. Ross Moorlock, CEO of Brake, gave a presentation at Hasting's Direct's Bexhill road safety event. He said: "It was a pleasure to be a part of this lively event and talk about the work we do at Brake to support road victims and campaign for safe and healthy mobility for everyone. "This incredibly important Strategic Partnership will help us to continue that vital work. I have been blown away by the energy and enthusiasm of the fundraisers at Hastings Direct, who have come together to raise money and echo our road safety messages. "So, I'd like to thank Hastings Direct for everything its teams are doing to encourage safe driving practices, promote safer roads, and help us to be there to support people affected by road crashes." Toby van der Meer, CEO of Hastings Direct, added: "We're delighted to continue our partnership with Brake for a second year. At a time when road safety remains a major concern across the UK, it's a cause we care deeply about. Too many lives are changed forever by preventable road collisions and, as an insurer, we see that impact first-hand. That's why we're committed to helping make roads safer through education, awareness and advocacy. Together, we've helped Brake provide specialist support to many bereaved families and enabled road safety campaigns that have reached millions of people across the UK."

II Reporter
Sep 24th, 2024
Hastings Direct Expands Relationship with Carpe Data

Hastings Direct expands relationship with Carpe Data.

Insurance Age
Jan 3rd, 2024
Staysure names Finn Walsh group CEO

Walsh, pictured, was previously chief customer and technology officer and joined the travel insurance specialist in October 2022 from Hastings Direct.

youTalk Insurance
Oct 19th, 2023
ARAG to provide hire car cover for Hastings Direct customers

Leading legal expenses insurance and assistance provider ARAG has been selected by Hastings Direct to supply Vehicle Hire Insurance to motor clients of the Bexhill-on-Sea based insurance provider.

TESSABIT
Sep 18th, 2022
Hastings Direct launches core platform upgrade to additional enable digital buyer journeys

Hastings Direct accomplished a migration to the cloud, further invested in information enrichment and management information all through the group and launched a core platform upgrade to additional enable digital buyer journeys.