Claims Counsel

About the role

This role is responsible for managing and resolving high-severity, complex insurance claims across a range of liability and specialty lines, including complex casualty, environmental, and surety exposures, with a strong emphasis on coverage analysis, policy interpretation, and strategic claim resolution. The position serves as a key subject matter expert for coverage issues, advising internal teams and carriers on high-liability matters, regulatory exposures, and technically complex losses, ensuring claims are handled in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and company guidelines.

Key Responsibilities

• Coverage Analysis
• Review and interpret insurance policies, endorsements, and applicable statutes to determine coverage and exclusions.
• Draft and issue coverage position letters, including reservation of rights and denial letters, ensuring clarity and compliance with legal standards.
• Evaluate and update coverage forms as needed by carrier.
• Claims Investigation & Strategy
• Manage the investigation and resolution of high-exposure and technically complex claims, including environmental contamination, construction defect, professional liability, and surety-related matters.
• Oversee investigations involving engineering reports, environmental studies, financial documentation, and expert analysis to assess liability, damages, and potential recovery opportunities.
• Develop and implement strategic claim resolution plans, including coordination with defense counsel, coverage counsel, and technical experts.
• Provide carriers with detailed claim evaluations based on coverage analysis, independent investigation, and expert/legal opinions.
• Negotiation & Settlement
• Evaluate and make settlement recommendations, including obtaining and setting reserves within carrier guidelines.
• Negotiate settlements within authority limits, balancing legal risk and business objectives.
• Attend in mediations, arbitrations, and hearings as required.
• Regulatory Compliance
• Ensure all claims handling complies with Department of Insurance regulations and company protocols.
• Maintain accurate documentation in the claims management system, including legal analyses and strategic recommendations.

Skills, knowledge & expertise

• Juris Doctor (JD) with active bar membership in good standing.
• Relevant certifications (e.g., claims adjuster licenses) and willingness to obtain additional licenses, if needed.
• Demonstrated expertise in insurance coverage analysis and policy interpretation.
• Experience issuing or advising on coverage positions, including RORs and denials.
• Strong understanding of liability, damages, and litigation strategy.
• Exceptional analytical, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple high-severity, complex claims independently.
• Proficiency with claims management systems and related tools.

Preferred

• Background in complex liability lines.
• Experience working closely with coverage counsel or in-house legal teams.
• Prior involvement in excess, umbrella, or specialty claims environments.

Types of Claims Handled

• Complex Casualty & High-Exposure Liability – Catastrophic injury, multi-party liability disputes, and claims involving significant financial exposure.
• Environmental Liability – Pollution events, environmental contamination, remediation obligations, regulatory enforcement actions, and claims involving federal and state environmental statutes.
• Surety & Financial Risk – Performance and payment bond claims, contractor default, construction project disputes, and indemnity enforcement.
• Construction & Infrastructure Losses – Construction defect, contractor liability, engineering failures, and large-scale project claims.
• Professional Liability – Claims involving errors and omissions, professional negligence, and complex service-related liability exposures.
• Coverage Disputes & Declaratory Actions – Claims involving significant coverage interpretation issues, layered insurance programs, and disputes requiring legal analysis and strategic resolution.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision plans to ensure your health and that of your family.
• A 401k plan with employer matching to help you build a secure financial future.
• Time-off policies, including Discretionary Time Off for exempt employees and Paid Time Off (PTO) package for non-exempt employees, reflecting our commitment to promoting a healthy work environment.
• Paid holidays.
• Life insurance and both short-term and long-term disability plans, providing essential financial protection for you and your loved ones.