Telesure / 1Life Salaries: What Agents Earn in 2026

If you're job hunting in Johannesburg's northern suburbs — specifically around Dainfern and Riverglades where Telesure Investment Holdings operates its major campus — one of the first questions you'll ask is: what does the job actually pay? It's a fair question, and the answer is more nuanced than the recruitment adverts let on.

This guide breaks down exactly what Telesure and 1Life agents earn across every major role category in 2026, what affects your pay, how commission structures work in practice, and what you can realistically expect in your first three months on the floor. Whether you're a fresh Matric graduate or an experienced call centre agent weighing up a move, this is the salary breakdown you've been looking for.

Who Is Telesure Investment Holdings — and What Is 1Life?

Telesure Investment Holdings is one of South Africa's largest direct insurance groups, headquartered at the Dainfern View Office Park in Johannesburg's northern suburbs. The group owns several well-known brands including Budget Insurance, 1st for Women, Dialdirect, Virseker, and 1Life — and between them, they employ thousands of South Africans in direct sales, service, and support roles.

1Life is Telesure's direct life insurance brand, focused on inbound and outbound telephone sales of funeral, life, and disability cover products. It's one of the group's fastest-growing channels, which means they're consistently hiring — especially for inbound sales consultants, retention agents, and team leaders.

The Dainfern campus is purpose-built for large-scale contact centre operations. It's not a corporate tower in Sandton — it's a sprawling, campus-style facility designed to accommodate shift workers comfortably, with canteens, parking, and shuttle access. That context matters when you're weighing up a job offer.

Telesure / 1Life Salary Breakdown by Role (2026)

Here's what the pay landscape genuinely looks like across the main hiring categories at Telesure and 1Life in 2026. These ranges reflect base salary plus achievable commission for consultants who are consistently hitting target — not best-case scenarios, and not the floor either.

Important note on commission: The figures above represent realistic earnings for agents who are on target within 90 days. Commission is not guaranteed in month one — most agents are on a performance ramp for the first 60–90 days while they complete FAIS regulatory training and build their call confidence.

How Telesure / 1Life Commission Works in Practice

This is where most job seeker articles miss the mark. Telesure's commission structures are more sophisticated than a simple percentage of sales. Here's what you actually need to understand before you accept an offer:

The Ramp Period

Most 1Life sales roles include a ramp period — typically 60 to 90 days — during which your basic salary is protected and you're not yet fully accountable for targets. This is also when you'll complete your regulatory training (more on that below). Don't evaluate the job on what you earn in month one.

Product Mix Matters

Different insurance products carry different commission rates. Life cover products typically pay higher commission per policy than funeral or credit life products. Experienced agents who learn to convert life policies — not just the easier funeral cover — earn significantly more over time. This is a skill, not luck.

Quality Metrics Are Non-Negotiable

Telesure is a FAIS-regulated insurer, which means policy lapse rates and quality scores directly affect your commission. An agent who sells 30 policies a month but has 40% lapses within 90 days will earn less — and face performance management — than an agent who sells 20 policies with 95% retention. Quality over quantity is the sustainable path to high earnings here.

Incentive Tiers and Bonuses

Beyond the core commission structure, Telesure and 1Life run monthly and quarterly incentive competitions — including cash bonuses, vouchers, and employee recognition awards. Top performers in some teams can add R2,000–R5,000 per month through these incentives in strong quarters.

FAIS Regulatory Requirements and What They Mean for Your Pay

This is a section you won't find on Indeed or Payscale, but it's arguably the most important thing to understand before accepting a role at Telesure or 1Life.

Because Telesure sells financial services products — short-term insurance, life insurance, credit life — every sales consultant must comply with the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services (FAIS) Act. Administered by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), FAIS requires agents to meet the "Fit and Proper" requirements, which include:

• RE5 (Regulatory Examination Level 5): The entry-level exam for Representatives. Most Telesure / 1Life agents are required or expected to write RE5 within 12 months of employment.
• Product-specific training: You'll receive in-house training on the specific products you're selling — this is paid, on-site, and mandatory before you go live.
• Honesty declaration: A clean criminal record and, for many roles, a clear credit record are required. FAIS legislation mandates that representatives are of good character.

The practical implication: Telesure typically funds your RE5 training and exam, and your basic salary is paid during the training period. This is genuinely valuable — an RE5 qualification opens doors across the entire South African financial services industry.

For more detail on FAIS requirements, visit the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) website.

What You Need to Qualify for a Telesure / 1Life Role

Let's be direct about the minimum requirements, because wasting your time applying when you don't meet them helps no one.

Non-Negotiables for Entry-Level Roles

• Matric certificate (Grade 12) — with Maths or Maths Literacy preferred
• South African ID (or valid work permit)
• Clear criminal record
• Clear credit record (this is checked — unresolved judgements or defaults are a common rejection reason)
• Basic computer literacy
• Fluent spoken English (additional languages like Afrikaans, Zulu, or Sotho are an advantage for certain product lines)

Advantageous (but not always required)

• Previous call centre experience (6 months+)
• RE5 qualification
• Experience with CRM systems or insurance platforms
• Second language ability — particularly Afrikaans for the Virseker / Dialdirect product lines

A note on credit checks: This catches a lot of candidates off guard. Telesure runs credit checks not because they think you'll steal — it's an FSCA regulatory requirement for anyone handling financial services. If you have an adverse credit listing, address it before you apply, or be prepared to explain the circumstances honestly.

Working Conditions, Shifts, and Benefits at Telesure / 1Life

Salary is only part of the picture. Here's what your working life actually looks like on the Dainfern campus.

Shift Structure

Telesure operates extended hours across its brands, which means shifts vary by team and product line. Most inbound and outbound sales roles follow rotating shift patterns covering 7am to 9pm Monday to Friday, with Saturday shifts (typically 8am to 1pm) on a rotating roster. Sunday and public holiday shifts exist but are less common for sales roles — more prevalent in claims and emergency lines.

The BCEA guarantees additional pay for employees working on Sundays and public holidays — you can verify entitlements at the Department of Employment and Labour.

Benefits Package

Beyond basic and commission, Telesure's employment package typically includes:

• Medical aid contribution (company-subsidised, various Discovery Health options)
• Provident fund / retirement fund contributions
• Group life cover (standard for most permanent staff)
• Employee wellness programme
• Staff discounts on Telesure group insurance products
• Subsidised canteen at the Dainfern campus
• Study assistance for relevant qualifications (FAIS, RE5 funded by employer)

For entry-level candidates, the medical aid contribution alone is significant — it can represent R500–R1,500 per month of employer contribution depending on the plan selected.

Career Progression

Telesure promotes from within more consistently than most large employers in the sector. A typical progression path looks like: Consultant → Senior Consultant → Team Leader → Operations Manager. The jump from Consultant to Team Leader typically takes 18–36 months for high performers, and the salary step-change is meaningful — often R6,000–R10,000 more per month.

Getting to the Dainfern Campus: Transport Guide

The Telesure campus sits within the Dainfern View Office Park in Dainfern, Johannesburg — close to the N14 highway and the Riverglades residential area. It's not walkable from a train station, so knowing your transport options matters.

By Taxi

The main access routes from the south and east come via Randburg taxi rank on Jan Smuts Avenue, with taxis running towards Fourways. From Fourways (Fourways Mall taxi rank on William Nicol Drive), you can connect to minibus taxis that service the Dainfern / Valley Road corridor. The journey from Randburg to Dainfern takes approximately 25–40 minutes depending on traffic.

From Soweto and the South: Most commuters take a taxi to Randburg first, then connect towards Fourways. Budget 90 minutes total from areas like Meadowlands, Dobsonville, or Lenasia.

By Car

Via the N14 from Johannesburg CBD: Take the N14 West, exit at Witkoppen Road / Dainfern. The Dainfern View Office Park is well signposted. Parking is available on-site and free.

Employer Shuttle

Telesure operates shuttle services for staff from key pick-up points — confirm the current routes during your onboarding process, as these change periodically. This is a genuine benefit for shift workers who struggle with late-night taxi availability after evening shifts.

Nearby Amenities

The Fourways Mall and Leaping Frog Shopping Centre on Valley Road are the closest retail anchors to the campus — useful for banking, groceries, and lunch options. The Dainfern Valley area is also well-served by Woolworths Food, Checkers, and Pick n Pay outlets within a short drive.

How Telesure / 1Life Compares to Other Call Centre Employers in Johannesburg

If you're weighing up offers or doing your research before committing, context matters. Telesure sits in the mid-to-upper tier of Johannesburg call centre employers for entry-level pay — better than many BPO outsourcers, but below the top-tier investment banking and financial services back-offices.

For comparison, if you're also looking at tech-adjacent contact centre roles, our breakdown of the Altron (formerly Bytes Technology) salary guide covers a different profile — more IT support and tech-facing, with a slightly different commission model. And if short-term insurance is your focus, our SA Commercial salary breakdown gives you a useful comparison point for commercial lines roles.

What makes Telesure / 1Life distinctive as an employer isn't just the pay — it's the FAIS qualification funding, the brand stability, and the genuine internal mobility. In an industry where many employers treat contact centre staff as disposable, Telesure has a more developed talent pipeline than most.

How to Apply for a Telesure or 1Life Role in 2026

The application process for Telesure and 1Life roles is straightforward, but preparation matters. Here's how to approach it:

1. Check your credit record first — as discussed above, this is the most common avoidable rejection point.
2. Prepare your documentation: Certified copy of Matric certificate, certified ID, latest payslip (if employed), and any call centre or sales certificates.
3. Browse current vacancies — you can browse job opportunities on ShiftMate where 1Life and Telesure roles are listed alongside placement support.
4. Complete your ShiftMate profile — this allows our team to match you to the right role based on your experience, location, and language profile.
5. Prepare for the telephonic screening — Telesure almost always starts with a telephonic or online voice assessment. Your diction, pace, and energy matter as much as your answers.
6. Practice product roleplay — the in-person assessment typically includes a product roleplay where you're asked to sell a mock insurance product. You don't need to know the actual product — they're assessing your consultative approach and communication style.
7. Attend the assessment centre — shortlisted candidates attend a group assessment at the Dainfern campus, which includes numeracy and literacy assessments, a group activity, and individual interviews.

Before you apply, it's worth taking a few minutes to test your workplace skills on ShiftMate — our free assessments give you an honest read of where you stand on the competencies Telesure looks for, so you can walk into the process with confidence.

You can explore the full overview of roles, application tips, and current vacancies on our dedicated Telesure / 1Life careers hub on ShiftMate.

Common Interview Questions at Telesure / 1Life

These come up consistently in assessments and interviews across the Telesure group — based on candidate feedback and our experience supporting placements in the sector.

• "Tell me about a time you handled an objection and still closed the sale." — Have a specific, structured example ready (situation, what you said, outcome).
• "How would you explain life insurance to someone who says they can't afford it?" — They're testing empathy and product framing, not scripting.
• "What would you do if a client calls to cancel their policy?" — Retention scenario. Show you'd listen first, understand the reason, and explore alternatives before accepting the cancellation.
• "Where do you see yourself in two years?" — Telesure values ambition but also retention. Frame growth in terms of mastering your role before moving up — not using this as a stepping stone.
• "How do you manage stress during a high-call volume period?" — Be honest and practical. Mention specific techniques (breaks, breathing, peer support) rather than generic answers.

Ready to Apply? Find Telesure / 1Life Jobs Through ShiftMate

ShiftMate works directly with financial services contact centres across Johannesburg to connect job seekers with real, active vacancies — with no cost to you as a candidate. Our team understands the Telesure hiring process, the FAIS requirements, and what it takes to succeed on the floor.

If you're ready to take the next step, explore all current Johannesburg (Dainfern / Riverglades) job opportunities on ShiftMate and let us help you land your next role.